The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-12
VIEW WITH ALARM
Work of New Educational
Board Occasions Unrest.
Kansas School Heads Fear
Change in Policies.

The action of the educational ad-
ministration board in ordering a
change in the presidency of the En-
poria State normal, is occasion for
genuine alarm among heads of the
state educational institutions. No one
seems to have gathered clear UNI
Outstanding as to the exact future
policies of the new board, but that
this body Will insist on a general re-
organization of the teaching forces in
the schools, is an opinion that seems
to be deep rooted
Already the board has visited Kansas
university, the state normal and the
State Agricultural college. Their first
official action was taken Friday af-
ternoon when they announced that they
former president of the Oklahoma
State normal to succeed President
Joseph H. Hill as president of the
Emporia school. Just where the ak
will fall next is a matter of consld-
cradle speculation among persons in
terested in school work in Kansas, and
the actions of the new board will be
observed with more than ordinary in
tereSt.
CentraIize Courses of Study.
While the board will devote practi-
cally it's entire time until July 1 in
the study of the work and conditions
in the several state schools, it is ex-
pected that some important action will
be taken by the board as soon as it
assumes official power ten weeks hence.
One of the most important moves ex-
pected at the hands of the admins
tration board is a general order to
prevent the overlapping of the courses
of study in the several schools. That
policy, it is claimed, will add to the
efficiency of the schools and will save
the state thousands of dollars a year
in the cost of maintenance new equip
ment and additional buildings.
For instance, where one state school
has well established engineering
course and similar courses although
perhaps less efficient or expensive, are
maintained in the other schools, it is
believed that the new educational board
will order that this work be confined
to one school. Following this policy
through the several schools and making
the order general, Will mean that sew
eral scores of the reasonably well paid
Kansas educators will be dispensed
with and that a saving of many thou
sands of dollars annually to the state
will result.
Yet in the matter of their policies,
the administration board has said lit
tie. They have refrained from outlin-
ing a policy until they officially step
into office in July. But in the mean
time the board is gathering con,
siderable amount of information and
this will be made use of before the
1894 school term opens.
When the educational administration
board bill passed during the recent
session of the legislature, it was over
the protest of the men at the head of
the big state educational institutions.
They argued that the new law would
cause unrest on the part of the sew
eral schools and would remove the in
dividuality of the various institutions.
Less than three weeks ago the board
held it's first meeting. Now a change
has been made in the state normal
which puts a new man at the head
of the big school and the office of vice
president of the normal has been abol-
ished in a sweeping order. That is the
only real action which has been taken.
But it was sufficient to compel the
heads and friends of the big state
schools to watch future actions with
fear and alarm.