The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1913-11-21
'|DAHO'S SCHOOL SYSTEM
What New Board Of Educa-
tion is Doing.
PLAN IS A BROAD ONE
Its Essence Is Harmony and Co.
operation.

On the 5th of November year ago
the people of Idaho voted oyerwhelm.
ingly for a constitutional amend meut
placing all the educational affairs Of
the state In charge Of a single board
of education. A bill giving effect to
the new provision was passed by the
last legislature. Governor Haines
appointed on the new board. Walter
S. Bruce, Boise; Herman J. Rossi,
Wallace; H. Harland. Payette; D. L.
Evans, Malad; Evan Evans, Grange
vile. The State Superintendent of
Public Instruction, Miss Grace NJ.
Shepherd, is ex-otlicio a member of
the board.
The officers OF the board are: Wal
ter S. Bruce, president; H. Harland.
vice president, and Herman j. Rossi,
secretary.
Immediately upon organization the
members Of the board began their
work by acQuainting themselves with
the institutions under taeir charge.
They visited the university, the two
normal schools, the state industrial
training school, the academy of Ida.
ho, and the school for the deaf and
blind. At each of these institutions
they based their actions upon the
plans already laid by the outgoing
trustees. and at the same time began
careful study Of the whole educa-
tlonal machinery of the state, to the
end of increasing harmony and ef1ci-
ency thruout the whole system.
One of the FIRST tasks Of the board
under the law was the selection OF a
state commissioner OF education, to
act as their professional adviser and
|. chief executive. Their hnal choice
was DR.. Edward o. Ssson, at the
time professor of education in Reed
College, Portland, Ore., previously
> for some years director Of the depart
ment of education at the University
(of Washington, and at one time
director of Bradley Polytechnic Insti.
tute, at Peoria, Illinois. DR.. Sissou
was elected on July l6, and began
active service on September 1st. The
commissioner has already visited all
the state educational institutions
although these visits were necessaril,
short. At each place conferences
were held with the head Of the school
and recommendations were made tt
the board, based on these conferences
He has also attended the sessions OF
number of the larger joint institutes
addressing the teachers and also th'
general public at Boise, Twin Falls
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Falls and Poca
tello. BY means of these institutes
he has met the teachers OF twenty
two counties.
The most important immediat
task of the board is The selection OF
president for the State University
which has been without an oficia
head for some months. They realiz
the immense importance Of the choice
both to the university and to tn
state, and do not intend to risk al
error by making hasty choice.
The work of the board involve
larve finance aud much ACCOUNTING
and recording For this part OF tn
work, Mr.. Ralph T. Bickell has bee
appointed auditor; he is an experI
eneed accountant and has specia
knowledge Of educational finance
having been for some years secreiaT
and purchasing agent for the Bois
schools. The Commissioners and Nj
Rickell are conducting careful stud
of the expenditures and other stats
tics Of the state institutions, 10 com
! nar,son with other states. The Id;
no plan of state educational admins
;, tration is attracting wldesprca
attention. The essence OF the pla
is harmony and cooperation OF all tt
educational forces and institutions.