Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-26
EFFICIENCY EXPERT IDEA TO BE
APPLIED TO STATE EDUcA.
TioNAL INSTITUTIONS.
TO DETERMINE WHERE
ECONOMIES ARE POSSIBLE
Board Not Inviting Anything sensa-
tionai or Observation-Disclosures Declare
No Shake-Up 10 Probable-Heads Of
State Institutions to Be Invited Into
Conference to Make Plans.
Special to Tines-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, April 26.-The new idea
OF the efficiency expert and man
agerial adviser is to be applied to the
state colleges and institutions Of higher
learning. A probe IS to be made that
will disclose. If possible, where econ
omies can be effected and efficiency
can be promoted.
The state board Of education has de-
cided that it will get at the bottom
facts. The United States bureau of
education has corps of experts avail
able for such investigation. The bureau
has been invited TO make the investi-
cation Of the state university, the state
college. the teachers college and the
college for the blind. The big work will
be at the state college and university.
I'VE are not inviting anything SEN
sarional or unusual" said a member
Of the finance committee Saturday.
There is no thought that anything
very startling will be reported. There
is no shake-up in prospect. But every
one knows that in great institutions
like these in Iowa customs are ad-
hered 10 or policies adopted that do
not conform to the very best modern
practice a report made by compe-
tent outsiders after full and fair inves-
tigation will aid the board immensely
in getting the very best results"
When the board meets early next
month it is planned to have represen-
tatives Of the bureau Of education here
to confer and also the heads Of the
state institutions and a plan will be
agreed upon that will facilitate the in
vestigation.
It is said the step is one long con-
tempIated by the board and that the
past year more than ever before It has
been impressed upon them that a step
OF this kind will bring good results.
State Aided Schools.
The state aid for high schools with
normal training courses Is proving a
great incentive 10 better equipment Of
the high schools Of the state. Recently
a number Of communities have voted
favoraoly on new high schools. In
nearly every case it is where the nor
NAL training course has been installed
and there is desire TO maintain the
schools at a high standard and il Is
found that new buildings are neces-
sary.
There are 100 OF these schools in the
Sldie anu d IiSl Oi oSilSTS CS-
sirous OF getting into the favored
class.
One % the greatest difficulties in
the way Of making a perfect success
OF this system is in the shortage Of
competent teaching forces, The state
educational department scrutinizes
closely the faculty at each school. Only
trained and competent persons are
permitted, so far as possible; and the
supervision over the faculty extends
down to the primary grades, because
it is held that every school where this
normal work is done should be a COM
pleted whole. The report is that the
tendency on the part OF school boards
is 10 secure better and better teachers
Much of the work of the department
the past year has been directed to-
ward helping in the betterment Of the
teaching force.