Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-05-12

the Van Gordon BiII-Substitute Is
Favored by. President of University
Of Observation-Disclosures Bill to
BE Recommended For Passage.
Madison, Wis, CSpeciaD.-After
months Of Legislative gossip and
Oratorical clamor, the fight over the
administration plan to create a state
board of education in Wisconsin to
have control over the affairs of the
university, the normal schools, the
Stout institute and the state mining
schools, is drawing to a close.
This much may safely be predicted
Ia central board will be established
and the functions of this body will be
acceptable" to Charles R. Van Hise,
president of the university of Wis
cOnsin. The bill to be recommended to
the legislature by the joint committee
on education will be a modification of
the original Van Gordon bill, which
was introduced as a tentative PROPOSE
tion to draw out ideas on the general
subject.
A substitute for the Van Gordon bill
has been drawn and discussed in pub
lie hearing. This measure will be
modified in some respects, probably
not in important details, and will be
sent to the legislature for final debate.
The substitute measure, which was
discussed by President Van Hise, pro-
vides for a board of thirteen mem
hnr~ NTH n -, ,,S--so-4
who is to be a man of ten years ex-
perience in the field of education. di-
recting the work of the board. It is
not proposed to make the president
OF the university or the presidents of
the state normal schools ex-officio
members of this board. The bill, as
viewed by Mr.. Van Hise, will not in
terfeTe with academic freedom in the
educational system of the state. Mat
tiers of policy will be left with the
faculties of the institutions brought
within the jurisdiction of the proposed
central board.
Van Hise Favors New Bill.
Discussing the substitute bill, Mr..
Van Hise said:
"The substitute has been so .modi-
fed as to make of no force certain OBJ
jections which were urged against the
original bill. The substitute amend
ment is a great improvement upon
the original bill. 1t creates a nom
paid board, and therefore one in which
there will be the same honorary quail
ity as now exists for the regents of
the normal schools and for the uni
versity.
The board is to be primarily a busi-
ness board. The educational policies
and educational administration of the
various institutions rests with the
faculties INC president and nomina-
tons of the educational staff is by the
educational officers.
"In short, the plan by statute gives
the faculties of the several institu-
tons substantially the same powers
that the faculty of the university pos
Sesses by regent law. Therefore the
control Of educational policies by the
faculties and the preservation of
academic freedom, concerning which
there has been considerable discus
sion, are protected.
"The substitute provides for fnan-
cial correlation of the entire educa-
tional system of the state from the
rural schools to the university. There
fore it meets the central point which
the governor has raised regarding ed
UcatiOn,-that there is not financial
correlation and consequently lack of
proportional development.
"An important meritorious feature
of the bill is that it makes the execu-
tive officer of the board, the man who
will make all nominations for sub
Ordinates other than educational, a
high class man with broad experience
in education.
"The most serious query that can
be raised in regard to the bill is as to
whether or not it will be possible for
one board to govern the entire edu-
cational interests of the state as we'll
rs the present system, which provides
for a board for each school or class of
schools.
81 believe IL the measure is adopted
that the board must confirm it's ener-
gies to the government of institutions
d its charge. Administration Of
business affairs of board must be left
TO its own business officers, and adj
ADMINISTRATION OF educational affairs to
the educational officers and faculties.
Suggests Amendments.
upon the whole, after careful con-
sideration, | am inclined to believe
that if some change must be made the
plan of the substitute amendment is
preferable. in that it is less complex:
and, therefore, will be more likely to
expediate business and get things
done with less OF a tax upon the ener-
gies Of the business and educational
officers. Hence as 1 see it; if change