The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-02-28
EDUCATIONAL.
(By J. w. Voboril)

| tl0n TO our euucatlonal aHalfS III WIS
consn. Witness the following quota
ton from an editorial in a recent is
sue of the Sheboygan Herald.
"When the law-making body of the
state took a part of the system of
public instruction from under the su-
pervision of the state superintendent
and his department and placed it un-
der another board, it not only violated
an intent of the constitution which
aims to keep public instruction under
| the educational head of the state, but
| it began a destructive policy, which if
not Immediately checked cannot but
have a detrimental effect upon educa-
ton. A policy of division is usually
policy of destruction, and there is no
system in which unity is more essen
| tial than in education.
"When State Superintendent Cary
condemns the law which takes the con-
tinuation schools and the industrial
schools from under his supervision, he
| is doing what is for the best interests
of the schools. His action should not
be considered as prompted by resent
ment because his prerogative has been
invaded. The matter should be con-
sidered wholly on its merits. 1t is the
duty of Superintendent Cary to guard
the interests of the state, especially
as it relates to education, and he would
be inexcusably remiss in his duty if he
allowed such vicious legislation to go
unnoticed. The people of the state
have a right to know when their In
terests are made to suffer through
their servants, and it is the peculiar
duty of the state superintendent of
public instruction to advise, to caution
to criticise in matters pertaining to
education.
"What good purpose those sought
who were instrumental in dividing the
school system, it is difficult to see. 1t
looks like raw piece of work which
was prompted by spirit of revenge
or mischievous politics.
A year ago there were some politi
clans of the state who We're, unless
outrageously lied about, using their
best endeavors to hire some man, un-
der the guise of paying his campaign
expenses, to be their candidate for
state superintendent of schools. The
price is said to have ranged from ST.
900 for the ordinary variety up to $5,-
900 or $4,000 for the hand-picked.
They found nobody to accept their of
fer. The people of the state last
spring elected state superintendent
of schools by a most extraordinary
vote,-in many counties, according to
the report in the Office of the Secre-
tary of State, not single protesting
vote was cast, and about as many peo-
pie voted as had voted for both can
didates for state superintendent of
schools in the previous election, when
there was a merger of politicians of
all parties to defeat the candidate for
reelection.
/ am under the impression that the
people thought they were voting last
spring for a man to represent them
and to supervise the public schools of
the state. His title at any rate is
state superintendent of public instruc-
ton. There were some of the poll
ticians, however, who were far from
content with the action of the people.
In part it was the same group that
two years earlier made an attempt
to secure by legislation a commission
er of education to be chosen by board
appointed by the Governor, while still
known as State Superintendent of
Public instruction. Some of the poll
ticians were quoted as saying last
spring that the people might elect a
state superintendent Of schools if they
wished to do so, but that the legisla
ture would take away his powers, and
leave him nothing to do. One at least
was quoted as saying near the close of
the last legislature that they were
not thru yet, and that they had made
only a beginning. These politicians
would like to make it appear that they
are aiming at the state superintendent
of schools. In the language of the
hour, this is simply eamouflage. What
they are attempting to do is to take
away from the people the right to
elect state superintendent of schools,
and they have neither the nerve nor
the patience to go thru the regular
constitutional process of getting this
right away from the people. Hardly
one person in five thousand in the state
Of Wisconsin knew what was happen
ing. much less asked to have it hap
pen.
Do the people know that we have
today two state superintendents of
schools, if not three? In addition to
the State Department of Education
with a state superintendent (who is a
constitutional officer elected by the
people, at its head, we have two state
boards of education, each costing the
state to begin with about $15,000,-a
total Of $4,000 year, one employing
head man at $4,000 a year, and the
other head man at $4,000 year, be-
sides office help in both cases. Is this
complicated, conflicting, and expensive
kind of organization what the people
need and really want?
There are politicians today talking
and manning tn secure ut the next