Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1914-10-08
OTHER STATES TAKE
LESSONS FROM KANSAS
Iowa, Texas and Ohio After
New Educational Plans.
Result of Action of Last Legislature
Great Saving to Kansas and
Her Schools.

a Great Saving to Kansas and
Her Schools.
Iowa which originated the plan for
the single educational administration
board, is now taking lessons in school
management from Kansas. The Kan
sas law, stronger, broader and with
greater authority for the board, was
none the less framed after the Iowa
law. Now Iowa has sent the mem
bers OF her board to Kansas to study
the management and operation of the
big state schools and the board has
returned home declaring that Kansas
has in Is months accomplished things
not attained in five years under the
iowa law.
Two members of the Iowa board OF
Enthusiastically. r. Boyd, presi
dent, and W. IL. Gemmell, secretary
spent two days with members of the
new Kansas board They discussed
with the Kansas board the methods
OF submitting educational budgets TO
the legislature, the new and econom
ical method of purchasing supplies in
this state and last, but most import
ant, the Kansas system of manage
ment and employment OF educators
The visit 10 Kansas, however, did not
stop with a mere conference with the
state board. The lowans visited the
state university, the state agricultural
college and the Pittsburg manual
training school. When the visitors
left Kansas it was to recommend to
the Iowa Legislature changes in their
law that would give the Iowa schools
the same advantages enjoyed in Kan
sas schools.
Originally the Kansas law was
framed after the general plan of the
Iowa law. But the Kansas legislture
went further. The Iowa board was
hemmed in with restrictions and its
authority was limited by requiring of
ficial approval OF all action by the
state board of education. But few
meetings were provided and the re-
form in the management of the Iowa
schools was slow and tedious.
In Kansas the educational admin
istration board has been in session al
most continuously since its creation.
Its action is final. 1t keeps in close
touch with every detail of school man
agement and oversees t1e spending
OF every dollar of state funds. Use
less Implications have been elini-
mated. AS "a result Of this action, the
teaching corps in the schools have
been reduced to the minimum and the
tax payers have received the benefits
of the new system of school manage
ment.
The changes in the system of
school management in Kansas was a
revelation to the men from Des
Moines. They did not hesitate TO say
so. In discussing the work under the
new law by the present board, it was
declared that Kansas has in Is months
accomplished things thai have re-
quired FIVE years in Iowa under her
present law.
1t is with this situation in Kansas
that the state legisla lures vi Ohio and
Texas are now planning to revolu-
tionize their state icEool systems.
Twice within six months Texas has
sent prominent educators to Kansas
to study the work being done under
the law enacted by the 1913 legisla-
ture. Ohio has sent representatives
to Kansas and bill similar to the
law now in the statute books in this
state, will be introduced in the legis-
latures OF Ohio and Texas this win
ter.