The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1915-10-22
WORK OF THE STATE
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Idaho's School System Differs From
Any Other Now in Use.

/ pert assistance and special service.
For example, this summer six repre-
sentatives of various institutions went
to other institutions to assist in the
summer school instruction. Again, the
agricultural extension department,
which is part of the University OF
Idaho, co-operates with the other state
institutions and with the public
schools.
Every person employed in any state
educational institution receives his ap
pointment, his authority. his duties,
his obligations, from one single state
board of education, which again req
resents the whole state of Idaho.
1t will be understood that the trans
ition from the old system to the new
has been an exceedingly difficult task
counting at times no little perplexity
and much anxiety to the members of
the new board and it's employed off
GERS. Nevertheless, we believe that
great progress has been made in the
short time which has thus far elapsed
and we are confident that much great
er progress is possible in the near fu-
ture.
Efficiency
The second great principle of the
boards policy is efficiency. This
means neither waste nor lack. 1t
means the employment of high-class
workers and teachers of all kinds; it
means an improvement of methods
wherever improvement is possible; it
means the most careful and business
like financial management This has
lens of the board We have set our
faces from the beginning like flint
against even the possibility of de-
ficiencies. At the last session of the
legislature the six state educational
institutions came up for the first time
in many years without cent Of de-
llCtClCJ. 1lQCOu lllCy ndQ dn d66l e
gate surplus of something like $685.
000, to be turned back into the cof-
fers of the state or to form part of
the appropriation for the new bien-
MUM
Every institution now has an ac-
counting system and system Of re-
duisitions for expenditures, which is
calculated to make the occurring of
deficiencies impossible
Furnishing Information
The third principle in the policy Of
the board is that of furnishing infor-
nation to the people of the state, first
as to what the board is doing. 1t has
no secret policies and for every rea-
son desires the people of the state to
know what is being done with respect
to the schools just as fully as they are
willing to listen or read.
Report Covering All the Schools
This policy is illustrated in the first
biennial report of the state board of
education, presented to the thirteenth
legislature and published in January,
1915. This Is, so far as we know, the
very first educational report covering
the whole school system from the ele-
mentary school to the university. In
this book of less than 300 pages is
presented a picture of the whole edu-
cational system of the state More
over, this single volume takes the
place of what used to be put into
seven volumes, thus being issued at
much less cost than these were, and
yet reaching far more people in the
aggregate
The board also considers It its duty
to furnish information on various ed
ucational sHbjectssto tetciers school
trustees and others interested in edu-
cation Se.eraf bulletins of this sort
have already been issuel. 'rhe stale
board # eoucation ha ! now already
for the printer bulletins on the follow
ing subjects: The construction of
school buildings; the organization of
small high schools. 1t is also prepar
ing bulletin on rural schools, and
one on agriculture in the schools
Curriculum
The fourth policy Of the state
board of education to which desire
to call attention is the earnest study,
and II. necessary, the reform of the
curriculum " or in other words, what
the children are doing in schooI-the
course of study, as we sometimes call
It.
Biggest Item in the cost Of Education
We have. practically 100000 child
rem In our schools, Of various grades. |
These children are spending their