The Ketchikan miner., 1915-04-01
BURNS SCHOOL BILL

The idea in general is good one for uniformity is one thing that has been sadly lacking in the schools of Alaska, their being no course of study for the guidance of the teachers of the Territory, or any board of edu- cation to treat with the subject as whole. This condition has resulted in an absolute lack of system, each town, school or teacher following their own ideas irrespective of the balance.
 The bill provides first for uni form system of schools ranging from kindergartens to universities and technical schools, to be administered by Territorial Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Educational Commission The latter body in the wording of the bill shall consist of three members as follows: The Cover nor of the Territory shall be one member and ex-oficio chairman of the 
 intendenty of Public Instruction shall be one member; and the aforesaid members shall choose jointly one other person as a member of said Education Commission.
 Thus far. the bill is satisfactory but in some other regards it is not Section provides; That no candi- date for ny school office shall ever he appointed, nominated or elected upon any party or partisan tieke' nor shall any designation of party or principle represented ever be used in the appointment, nomination, or election of any such candidate.
 This would prevent any Civic Clut or citizens organization putting for ward candidate for the school board and often it is of vital interest to know that a candidate stands for principle. This is apparently for hidden by this section.
 Section l, of Chapter 9. states; That the Territorial Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be appointed by the Governor and shall hold office for the term of four years, and until his successor has been appointed and sas qualified.
 This paper believes that the best interests of the schools of the Terri tory demand that this official should be elected. There is every probabil ity that politics would have too much to do with naming the appointee if the choice is left altogether with the Governor.
 Clause Fourteen of Section ? of Chapter ?, defining the duties of the Superintendent reads; He shall have power to condemn as unfit for use, on account of unsanitary or other improper conditions. any school build ing, school site, or outbuilding in this Territory, and upon failure on the part of the Board of Directors to remedy such condition he shall have power to withhold and declare for feited all or any part of the annual appropriation to any such school dis trict. He shall prescribe rules and regulations and examine all plans and specifications for the erection, en- largement and change of school bui,' ings. which plans and specificatifb shall first be submitted to him for approval before contract is let and no new school building shall be erect ed or any building enlarged or chang ed until the plans and specifications have been submitted to and have been approved by the Territorial Sup erintendent of Public Instruction. He shall include in such rules those made from time to time by the Territor- ial Board of Health, if there be one, relative to sanitary standards for toilets, water supply and disposal of sewage in public school buildings IF all other respects the authority to make rules and regulations for public school buildings shall be vested in the Territorial Superintendent of Pub
 This paragraph gives altogether too much power into the hands of one man-power that should be vested In people whose children s education de- pends upon the schools. It might happen that a small number of the residents of community could so misrepresent conditions to the Sup erintendent that great hardship would be brought upon community. If would be better to provide that the Superintendent having had complaints of any undesirable conditions shal' consult with the board of schoo' directors in the community in qnes tion.
 Clause 20 of the same section con fers upon the Superintendent the right to appoint school district offic. fc f.I1 ,rnn.notaa on,ooI l,., Ja,4l