Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1919-05-29
EDUCATORS. ARE
FOR SCHOOL Law
Act Placing State Institutions
Under Single Board Will
Improve System.

Although the Independent Voters
the teachers of the state to pluck its
political chestnuts out Of the fire by
fighting the board of administration
law, which places the educational,
charitable and penal institutions of the
state under IL commission of five per-
sons, DIR. +. +. Ladd, president of the
Agricultural college, Prof. Thomas
Kane, president of the State Univer-
sity. and Prof. Geo. Wilson OF the ex-
tension division, State University,
already have declared themselves in
favor Of this measure, and leading
educators all over North Dakota are
working for the law because they feel
ii will greatly improve our present
system Of educational administration.
The law-Senate Bill 134-which
will be voted on ut the coming refer
endum, abolishes the Board of Re-
gents. the Board of Education and the
Board of Control and, in place of these
conflicting boards, creates commits
sion of five to have charge of all stAte
educational, charitable and penal in
situations. This change is in line
with the whole trend of educational
progress. 1t has been recommended
for this state and many others by the
Federal Bureau of Education and the
ajority of other states have adopted
similar boards.
Object Is Not Political.
Foes of the NOnpartiSan League al
legc that this law was passed to strip
Miss Nelson of her power. This
charge is absurd. for section nine of
the bill plainly provides that her pres
cnt powers shall not he limited.
Moreover. Miss Nelson is made IL
member of the board of administra-
tion. This actually enlnrges her pow
ers, for SHE is the first superintendent
of public instruction in the history of
the state who has had IL voice in the
direction of the Agricultural college,
the State University, and the Normal
schools. Under the new law she also
will share in the control of the school
'''r the blind, the school for the feeble
i,led,. the school for the deaf and
u,nb, the industrial school, the insane
asylum and the state penitentiary. In
stead of being stripped of her power,
she is given more power than any
other superintendent OF public instruc-
ton ever had.
Furthermore, the functions of the
board of administration will be largely
of Il business managerial nature. The
actual control of the educational in
situations is to be under the direction.
of an educational commission to con-
Sist of Miss Minnie Nelson aus chair
man and one county superintendent,
one city superintendent. one represen-
tative of the normal schools and one
representative of either the state Uni
versity or the Agricultural college.
The members of this educational COM
misson-with the exception of Miss
Nelson, who is named in the law
itself-will be appointed by the board
of administration.
Increases Miss NELSON'S Power.
This educational commission, of
which Miss Nelson will he chairman,
will really take over the duties form
ery performed by the state board of
education. Miss Nelson was a men,
Der of the state board Of education,
only had one vote out of nine. She
will be chairman of the new board
and have one vote out Of five and in
addition she will have voice in ap-
pointing the four other members who
serve under her.
The law specifically provides that
this educational commission, of which
Miss Nelson will be the head, shall
''lave charge and supervision Of the
certitcation of teachers, standardiza-
tion of schools, examinations for
eighth grade and high school pupils,
preparation of courses of study for the
several classes of public schools and
such other work as may be assigned it
10y the bOard.' These are the duties
Possessed.
Retains Her Prerogatives. :.
Miss Nelson will continue to have
the right to appoint the deputy super
intendent of public instruction, the
assistant superintendent, three clerks,
one high school inspector, three rural
school inspectors. fifty-three conduc-
tors OF teachers institutes, fifty-three
assistant conductors, fifty-three insti-
tute lecturers and the lecturers for the
teachers training schools. Her APP
pointive power is not curbed in any
way.
In view of these facts the charges
that the new law was designed to cur
tail Miss Nelson's power seems dis
honest and absurd.
AS a matter Of fact, the administra-
ton law is intended to unity the school
system of the state. At the present
time there is no uniformity in our
school system. There is much dupli-
cation of effort and waste of energy.
Backed by Constitution.
Section 148 of the state constitution
stpulates that the legislature shall
provide for uniform educational
system beginning with the primary
grades and extending through all