The Detroit times., 1914-10-16
Head of Cincinnati School Sys-
tenn Says Detroit and Provi-
dence Are Exceptions
ADVOCATES CREATION OF
A COUNCIL OF EDUCATION
Declares Civic Organizations
Should Wage Determined Fight
|. For 7-Man Idea

That Detroit may secure q thorough
iy efficient school board Of seven high
grade men as provided by the recent
small school board act, DR.. John NJ.
Withrow. president of the Cincinnati
school board and one OF the leading
educators In America, In an address at
the Twentieth Century club, suggest
ed that federated council OF educa-
gates from all the leading civic organ
izations Of the city. and that this coun-
ell determine on Its candidates for
school board membership and then
wage an aggressive, systematic cam
paign for their election.
That Providence and Detroit are
the only large cities In the United
States which still elect large. un-
wieldly school boards on the ward
representation plan was one Of the
startling statements made by DR..
Withrow, who told the story OF the
Cincinnati schools, once burdened
with large. inefficient board OF sedu..
cation mostly elected and dominated
by the various ward politicians, and
how the people OF Cincinnati. organ
ICED and led by the civic betterment
organisations, finally obtained the
privilege Of electing sma1f board at
large. with the result that today the
public schools OF Cincinnati are mod
els Of eficiency.
"You must map out definite and
fixed campaign. You have In your Ia
vor every possible argument In favor
OF the small school board and the
election Of that board at large, but In
spite OF the righteousness OF your
cause, strenuous work and campaign
ing are necessary" said he. "The
ward politician will fight hard TO keep
control of the public schools. and to
retain the privilege Of distributing
political Jobs to his helpers whose
only merit is their loyalty to his. meth
DDS and policies. The ward politician.
while certainly not an educator, and
not q statesman, Is nevertheless o
shrewd student Of politics. He Is o
strong campaigner. rs you may know
to your sorrow, and II your cause 10
to succeed you must kage q well-or-
ganized fight. not overlooking single
detail.
II suggest that you follow that Gin
cinnati plan. which worked splendidly.
and create federated council OF edu-
cation, embracing every good organ
ixation In this city. Then let this
council direct your fight. prepare q
slate OF candidates Of the highest char.
acter and make every clean. honest
effort possible TO elect that ticket"
Regarding the matter Of compensa-
tion for members of the school board.
Or. Withrow said that any man or
woman competent to fill that position
was worth $4,000 year. but mas
much AZ the city could not AFFORD to
pay that salary. he advised that there
be no salary attached to the ONCE.
Plenty Of your best and most con-
scientious citizens will gladly serve
the city on the school board without
said DIR. Wfthrow.
"and the lack of salary will tend
to keep out the politicians
IF you once get q good, business
like and efiicient school board that
win manage your schools 40 big and
successful business concern Ii man
aged, you will always have such a
board. II will reflect In the children
who are going to school today. They
will be 50 trained and so, devoted to
the public schools that they will see
to II, when they become voters, that
the old system of large board con-
trolled by self-seeking ward politicians
win never recur.
I'm fact. when you once get your
school on the correct basis and give
your children the schooling which viii
make them men and women Of high
character and ideals. you will then
have created body polite which will
gradually eliminate the petty politi-
clan from control Of all OF our various
departments Of city, state and ma
tioral government. In this movement
Of yours for the higher school system
u 10 more than probable that you are
bringing about the cure for All Of the
many political evils Of the day"
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