Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-08-11

board as provided in the original bill.
1t gave the governor an opportunity
to choose from among those in our
state who are best qualified TO lead
our educational institutions, and Sc
lections made in that manner would
have brought men TO the board who
are not already burdened with public
duties.
THE board as created by tbs act
will consist Of three ex-officio men,
bers, namely. the governor, secretary
OF state and superintendent of public
instruction The other two members
will represent the university and the
normal schools respectively. The for
mer two ale elected every two years
and both of them carry as many
duties as they should be asked to
assume. The Representatives of the two
educational institutions, the university
and normal schools may reasonably
be expected to be advocates for the
institutions which selected them.
I'm view OF the foregoing facts
think it is fair inference to say that
this board will not be as effective as
board chosen from among the peo-
pie.
No One to Study Needs.
"The bill is open to the further OBJ
jection-that It does not provide for a
high grade commissioner OF education
to study the needs of All Of our edu-
cational institutions and to keep&he
board advised of their requirement..
"The general powers conferred up
on the board by this act are broad
and as complete as the powers confer
red by the bill that was rejected. by
the. senate 1t gives the board exclu-
siye. control of the financial affairs of
our educational institutions and gen
eral charge of their business AFFAIRS,
including. the SELECTION Of sites for
new schools, the purchase of property
and the construction of new buildings.
While it gives the board no power
over the Institutional side Of the uni
versity and normal schools, except so
far as the same may be influenced by
the expenditure of money, it does not
differ widely in this respect from the
bill which was rejected, as it was not
intended that the central board should
exercise any broad authority over the
course of instruction to be carried on
in those institutions.
VIII Bring About Closer Cooperation.
while this bill is open to objec-
tons it is nevertheless a recognition
of the value of a central board of edu-
cation. 1t will be helpful to the edu-
cational institutions because it pro-
vides for a financial correlation, and
if its affairs are wisely and honestly
conducted it will bring about a much
closer cooperation in our educational
work, and it viii be very helpful in
the upbuilding of our public school
system.
"Inasmuch as it is the duty Of this
board to present a budget to the legis-
lSture setting forth the financial needs
of each institution it is hoped that it
will put an end to the practice of lob
bying by educational officers before
the legislature aud that hencefcrth
the money which the people can afford
to raise by taxattoA-f educational
purposes will be distributed among
the several institutions in a more
equitable manner.
THE powers conferred upon this
board leave but little for the boards.
of regents 10 do, and believe that,
experience will prove that inithe fu-
lure those boards will not be regarded
as helpful to the, promotion of educa--
tional interests" a.. r * ,ss
Corruption Charges Fall Flat.
The legislature is emerging from
a little furry of talk which found its
way into some of the Wisconsin pa
pers. Milwaukee afternoon paper
printed a STORY" that members of the
Legislature had been unduly Influenced
by the lobby which appeared here in
favor of the bill to regulate the jitney
VI
traffic. Charges we're made that mem
bers were wined and dined, were
given "joy'' rides and were unbecom-
ingly entertained.
The news article was written by
Fred Heath, a Milwaukee. reporter,
upon information furnished by Fred
w. Wilson, of the Milwaukee FEEDER
ated Trades Council When Wilson
was called before the committee of
the assembly appointed TO investigate
charges of alleged corruption in the
legislature, the whole affair fell fiat.
Wilson had no specific information to
give to the committee.
Bill Creating State Council Passed.
The senate, by vote of Is to 10,
passed Senator George Skogmos bill
abolishing the state board Of public
affairs and creating state council to
be composed of elective officers and
the heads of practically all state de-
partments. Senator Skogmo's bill car
ries an annual appropriation of $780,
600.
Senator Skogmo contended that the
measure, if it becomes law, will re-