Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-05
Roosevelt and maintained by Wilson.
And 1t is not only good theory R1t re-
suits In good government.
EDUCATION IN IOWA.

EDUCATION IN IOWA.
The annual report Of the president
Of the Carnegie Foundation For the
Advancement Of Teaching contains
an interesting study Of educational
conditions in Iowa. It would be well II
the report could be put into the hands
Of every educator, lawmaker and citi-
zen interested in the welfare OF the
schools Of the state. The foundation
made a specia; study Of conditions IN
Iowa, fo1 the reason that the expert
ment of placing state schools under
one board has been given longer trial
here than elsewhere, and for the FUR
Their reason that the attempt to CO.
ordinate the work of the three princi-
pal educational institutions into some
sort Of profitable relationship pre-
scented problems that are not only
common to most states, but which seem
to have as yet found 10 satisfactory
solution.
The failure of the Iowa board to
coordinate the work of the Iowa in
situations is ascrbed to p number of
causes, rather than to the inherent
weakness of the educational board sys-
tenn which has been adopted in this
state. TT is quite clear" says the re-
port, that while the present board
was made up of high minded and able
men, it had from the beginning an in
herent weakness due to the political
connections of it's members
Discussing the failure of the CO.
ordination plan and the causes which
brought it about the report says that
the mos- serious outcome of this ex-
perience, for the legislature and for
the people of the state alike, lies in
the confusion of the public mind as to
the real educational problem which the
state needs to meet Higher education
in Iowa, it says, as in most other
states, is relatively overdone, The
partisan influences aroused by the
fight of the institutions against the
board creates a false perspective in
education Says President Prichett:
The supreme duty and opportunity
in Iowa lies in the development of the
elementary and secondary schools of
the whole state, and in particular in
the development of the rural schools.
To put in every rural community an
effective school. to set going in these
schools a rational, wholesome course
of study which shall touch the lives of
the pupils, to supply to these schools
a body of competent earnest teachers,
to create over this system an admin
strative organization which shall be
helpful. sympathetic and discriminat-
ing-this is the problem of education
in Iowa. To overturn IN unpopular
board and deal directly with the legis-
lative body may be glorious. but 1t Is
not education. The true educational
interest Of the state lies along another
road.
President Prichett believes that if
the problem of better farming, better
worked out for a state like Iowa, the
education of few hundred men on a
college basis cuts but small figure
There must be trained not hundreds,
but tens of thousands of young peo-
pie in the fundamental principles OF
farming. in the business which has to
do with farming, and in he co-opera-
ton which must be brought about in
order TO make life on the farm more
attractive and more profitable.
The conclusion is reached that our
educational system in America is top
: heavy and that we pay too much at
| tention to the spectacular forms OF
higher education. The time has
come" he says mot to strike blow
at higher education, but to demand
that the institutions of higher educa-
ton shall first of all be sincere, tina
they shall be honest, that their de-
mands for money and support shall
| have some relation to that grea
| fundamental problem of education
which a democracy must solve If !, Il
| 70 endure or it's people are to be con
tented. The first practical step i,
| Iowa is to establish an organization
at the top, provided with the best ed
vocational leadership obtainable, to dea
with education as a whole" The prob
lem is TOO Gig 10 be worked 81. .
once. but he points out that such al
agency-to deal with educa ton as {
whole-is possible and that freedom
from political interference, from tn
college president and alumni, and tn
development of wholesome rural lif
are likely to wait till some such stel
can be taken.