The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-20
IT FAVORS ROSS!
Educational Council Plan Would
Keep Him in Office.
Make superintendent Place
AppOintive, Not Elective.
MEMBERS TO PUSH SCHEME
ITO Ask Legislature to Act on
To Ask Legislature to Act on
Their Decision.
Longer Terms for County
superintendent Advocated.

The appointment to the Office of
State Superintendent of Public In
struction will be placed in the hands
of the state board of education if the
present legislature follows the recon-
mendations made by the Educational
Council of the State Teachers associa-
ton this morning, which is Interpreted
by many members of the council to
mean that present Superintendent d.
ID. Ross will have more or less a life
long lease on the job. In contradic-
ton to the other recommendation
which passed unanimously, there was
opposition and discussion concerning
this move by the council, and it passed
with only a bare two-thirds majority.
In other states with the appointive
plan the superintendent often hold
positions fifteen or twenty years."
Superintendent Mayberry. of the
Wichita schools pointed out. And
Understand the present board is very
friendly with Ross. The board of
education is rather a permanent at
fair, only one member changing an
nuaIly, so there would be likely little
change in the feeling of the board to-
wards its favorite for the job. The
outlook is Ross for while
Leave Out County Officers.
The recommendation however, that
county superintendent be appointed
was dropped by the wayside.
The two bills now before the state
legislature, providing for free text
books for all school children, received
an enthusiastic endorsement. Every
one was in favor of it and a hearty
burst of applause followed its reading.
The following measures were pre-
sented 10 the consideration of the leg
islature this morning:
Unanimous endorsement of a mea-
sure providing for two years college
work in the high schools was secured.
Much enthusiasm was displayed over
this bill also. There are thousands
1 of people who go away to college," L.
] D. Whittemore of the state superin-
-Atendent'S office pointed out This
will enable them to get a good share
of college in their own home town and
will enable many others to complete q
college course. 1t is a measure of the
deepest significance"
Among other measures recommend
ed by the council was a resolution
that the personnel of the state text
book commission be changed and en-
larged to include representatives from
the teachers themselves.
Mandatory Pension Measure.
Longer tenure of office for the
state and county superintendent was
urged. mandatory teachers pen
sion" was asked and also IegiSlat ton
making high schools free to all eligi-
bic children living in counties NOT
already having free tuition by law.
4 Supervision of The construction of
rural school houses by the state archi-
tect's department was recommended
in order to secure better sanitation in
the rural districts. Another measure
asked for the adding of more normal
training in the high schools.
The bill drafted by a special com
1fiittee of the >teachers" association in
conference with c. A. Prosser. of
Minneapolis, to make Kansas eligible
for the government appropriations for
Hughes act was endorsed unani-
moUsly.
OF prime Importance to the repre-
4 sentatives of the first and second class
cities was the measure raising the linn
\ its of the educational tax levy. At
present the limit for general purposes
lis six mills with a enc mill building
fund levy.
Raise Levy to Eight Mills.
Should the councils bill meet with
the approval of the legislature, the
general fund limits will be raised to
eight mills with a two mill building
fund levy. This means to a large ex-
tent the doing away with the voting of
bonds and will save hundreds of thou
sands of dollars on interest on the
bonds.
This mornings session ended the
meeting of the Educational council
which had an attendance of more than
$50 delegates. Some fifteen educa-
tional measures will be submitted to
the Legislature as the result of the
N meeting.