The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-09-15

Idaho has not been the only state to
suffer in the early period of her his
tory from a badly organized system OF
education. We are race of imitators
and earlier and cruder systems are
very likely to intrench themselves
dig in. as it were-until it is difficult
to dislodge them.
So far as that part of her system
which is above the common and hlgh
schools is concerned, there was in
evitably the struggle for location,
money and prestige. 1t was FORUM
ate for Moscow that the university
was lodged there by the constitution it
self, for, excellent as the location is,
1t would have had harder struggle
for autonomy if it had not been thus
entrenched. For years, however,
each nstitution-university normal
school and college, and academy
was represented in its struggle be-
fore the people, and the legislature,
by an enthusiastic and ambitious ia
Guilty. a local board of regents loyal
to it's local school, and a community
with it's real estate and commercial
club boosters, who were willing TO
put forth any effort and almost any
sacrifice to secure the means OF ad-
yancement They were sincere about
it, too, generally thinking that in so
doing they were rendering good serv-
ice. They were ignorant of and some
times blind to the work of the rival
schools. Sometimes they were even
willing to enter into political COM
binations for furthering the interests
of the local institutions. Thus the
entire commonwealth suffered from
the system.
Parts of Common Whole
Then, too, there was a lack OF
proper coordination of the common
and high school systems. To get the
best results these must be standardiz-
ed and coordinated with each other
and with the system of higher, liberal
and professional education In new
state where settlers came from many
states and were rapidly passing from
region to region within the state, such
standardization and coordination were
imperative.
All Power in One Board
The whole problem was consider +
ed in the most liberal spirit in the leg
islature of 1913 The result was the
establishment of a new system which /
went beyond that of all other states
in the attempt at concentration ana
notification. Under this law the en-
tire system from top to bottom is
placed in the hands Of a state board
of education. All powers previously
exercised by sundry boards and offlc-
ers (save one) were placed IN the
hands of this newly constituted board,
and all institutions and systems were
to be managed by it. 1t was inevitable
that. if such a system should work, it
must have an executive officer who
might take a comprehensive view of
all parts of the system and who might
have had some experience in school
involving both higher
and lower school organization. Ac-
cordingly the system used by cities
was adopted.
Pick the Best Man
When a great city wishes to pro-
vide for the administration OF its
schools, it does not undertake by pop {
ular election to choose likely cit t
izen of the community for the task, but t
delegates to a board chosen for that a
purpose, the task of going forth to |
The remotest corners of the land, II \
necessary, and selecting person t
whose training and experience fit him Q
or the task. 1t was upon reasoning c
If this kind that the Idaho system was j
ounded, and the executive officer OF !.
he board thus provided for was to be "