Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-01-05

no man needs to be warned; against
the former the venerable first presi-
dent of the republic In his farewell
address solemnly and emphatically
warned his fellowcountrymen.
FRAuGHT WITH DANGER.
Politics as the study and practice
of the general good could harm no
/ school or educational activity; politics
as the active support Of one as against
another of two or more bitterly OPP
posed parties is fraught with dan
ger; and politics in the sense of the
subsection of public policy to self in
efficiency of education as well as
everything else. Experience gives us
no ground to expect, for the present at
least, the publication of politics by the
complete elimination of partisan ami
less is the ground upon which rests
the universal public demand that the
| schools be kept out of politics, and poll
| tics out of the schools.
I'VE see the injurious effects of
| party politics in the office of county
superintendent, when, as is not seldom
the case, thoroughly competent,
faithful, experienced official is thrown
out Of office. perhaps just about the
time when he has gained the large de-
tailed knowledge of the school system
requisite to make him really valuable.
Yet the very voters who defeat him
know nothing against him, have no
complaint to make, but follow the
ticket. Even though the successful
candidate may be competent and
| worthy, the process is wasteful and I'M
| intelligent, and Is quite likely to be
repeated at the next election. 1t IS
true that high intelligence and close
attention on the part of voters may
overcome these evils and sometimes
do, but this is not by virtue of the
system but in spite of it.
THE present system of state edu
cational administration in Idaho is in
| tended to take the schools out of poll
tics, and conversely to take politics
out of the schools The law establish
| ing the state board of education
makes it clear and emphatic that this
board is to be free from any bias or
motive except the efficiency of the
educational system and service to the
state. This is absolutely the crucial
point in the whole system; this board
Yields all the power of the state in
educational matters, in both public
schools and state institutions. So
| long as 1t Is able, active and sincere,
dangers and abuses in the system can
and will be fought and eliminated. If
either craftsmanship or still worse
selfish interest invade this board Of
final authority, the whole system is
imperiled if not ruined.
This lays a heavy burden of re-
sponsibility first upon the appointing
authority, the governor of the state,
and second upon those who are the
final jury in all public affairs, the
people. Here, as elsewhere in free
countries, eternal vigilance is the price
OF liberty. This is particularly true IN
board with such great and compre-
hensive powers as those possessed by
| the state board of education.
BOARD NOT DIVIDED.
TT is a matter Of profound con-
graduation that no action ever taken
by the board in nearly four years of
administration can be charged to any
motive except sincere belief that the
action was for the best interests of
the institution or schools affected. II
is also true that at no time has the
board ever divided on partisan lines.
The maintenance of these conditions is
the absolute essential for the success
and safety OF the Idaho plan Of state
educational administration.
! IF a reason is needed for the in
clusion of these statements here 1t is
sufficient to remark that it is easier
and usually more effective to utter a
warning against an evil not yet exist
ing than it is to denounce and remedy
one which has already become a fact
( And unless this point is guarded all
other advantages of the system will
be endangered and ultimately lost.
/ MUST CORRECT WRONG.
IF politics has penetrated into any
| institution or II any institution is in
politics in the partisan sense, the
wrong can and must be corrected, and
there is no reason to doubt that the
state board will provide present and
| permanent remedy for any such con-
dition. 1t need hardly be said that
both fact and responsibility should be
most carefully investigated and deter
mined, and action taken in accord
apce."
The report of Miss Mccoy. retiring
state superintendent of public in
struction, deals with school matters
also and contains a lengthy discus
sion regarding the land board and its
connection with educational interests.
She holds that the fact of the abolish
ment of the office Of state superin-
tendent of public instruction, which
she advocates, Is not wise because the
superintendent is member of the
land board which has to do with state
school lands, is not sound as the super
intendent is absent from many Of the
! land board meetings because Of her
other work and the other members of
the board transact the business.
|