New Britain herald., 1915-02-25
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
 ADVOCATED BY TAFT
Standardization and Comparison Of !. School Systems Needed.

Cincinnati, O., Feb. 2r.--Advocat- ing plan which would make d na- tional standard of educatio. practica. by enlarging the bureau ot education into a university. consisting of a corps of experts who would pass upon tho efficiency, thor ,uGaness and economy of the various school system, Prof. William H. Taft, ot Yale, former pres ident of the United States, addressed the department of superintendence of the National Educational association here today .f..
 Prof. Taft's Address.
 p~v Prof. Taft spoke as follows:
 '.The cause of free public educa- tion is more sacred and ot more fundamental importance than almost any other before our people. 1t IS one that awakens the profound in terest of the people and commands the greatest and most willing self sacrifice by the taxpaying public. The consequence of this fervor is that our school systems are not as much scrutinzed as they should be. In deed it is now difficult for the. public of a community to learn the facts as i and of the knowledge imparted in their schools or of economy in the ex- penditure of their funds devoted to education. Parents are themselves not qualified to pass upon the result of q public school system in town county or district in such a way as to make their opinion the best cri- terion. Hence there is great oppor tupity for fustian and shoddy in the \ product. concealed under a cloak of pretentious curriculum and glow ing annual reports.
 "What we need in the country is an opportunity for standardization ald comparison of school systems in the different states and different cities This, I think we might have < by establishing what Washington said 1-a national university in Washing ! ton. p@
 Enlarged Into University. sk "The bureau of education might we'll be enlarged into university which should not be teaching uni- ,eNersity, but one with a corps of ex- perts who could offer to the people of all the states, and the people of all local communities, the opportunity of
 
 { amined and reported on as to proper scope, efficiency, thoroughness and economy. The same university should z hold periodical examinations in con- vsnient parts of the country which any person might, upon payment of a. small fee, take and if successful re- ceive a certificate equivalent to degree in certain esta b1ished courses
 All this would be voluntary; but if the system were impartial, thor ough and wisely severe as it should be the value of the reports and the value of the certificates would become great They would assure the people of a community that they were getting .'their moneys worth from school system officially approved by such a { university, and by assuring them 7 that the, graduates of their school 5 could obtain degrees from such ex- aminations Thus we would soon have a standardization of our school systems of the highest. value
 Compulsory System.
 The pressure of the taxpayers up- , on their particular school authorities gto apply for an esaArnaAation and the ' soon become equivalent to a compul- t sorry system. u would stimulate school authorities to earnest work. It would | eliminate shoddy, pretence and show, would minimize exploiting and pub- nclty methods and would give proof or excellence and comparative high standing that would be incontestable. l tried to secure larger appropriations F Tn my administration for the bureau of education with a view of beginning the system in small way but was un successful"
 Urges Endowment Fund
 M. F. Snawk ,v superintendent If the schools of West Virginia. speal- ing on the financial support of public sehools, urged all endowment fund in the various states similar to those created in some of the western states out of their public land grants. He recommended that lands delinquent rom taxes should not be sold by the state but held for the purpose Of creating a permanent school fund; that the state snOuld retain an inter- est in its undeye!Oped resources, and especially should i: conserve it's water power for the purpose of creating a school endowment fund. Mir. Shaw 6 key recommended that the distribu x tion and of state schooi funds be based schooi census, number of q teachers required. Financial needs and special opportunities for service.
 HELD FOR BIGAMY.
 Hartford, Feb 25.-Claimed bv Clara Wise as her husband and father