The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1919-04-24
seven members. Today there are al
most one thousand of us assembled
here What does this mean? It

here. What does this mean? l
means progress, advancement, i
means success. We have been sue
cessful because we have Stunned poll
tics. Our schools have been kept from
politics. Today we are facing cri
sis. If this law which the people will
vote upon at the special election i:
passed, our schools will be ruined, ed
ucation destroyed. Let me beg eacl
of you, my listeners, to return to you1
homes and visit the parents of thu
pupils and ask them to save ou1
schools by defeating the Board Of
Administration law"
/ Strayer Makes Report.
DR.. George D. Strayer, president Of
the National Educational association
and professor of educational admins
tration of Columbia University, who
has made a study Of s. B.. 1874, made
an interesting report on the measure
to the association. He spoke before
the Northwest educators in opposi.
| tion to the law.
DR.. Strayer declares that the law
if permitted to go into operation, will
| hinder the state superintendent in the
conduct of her work, and will tend
only to confusion and unrest in the
state educational system. His state
ment, addressed to the legislative
committee of the association, follows:
"Minot, April 19, 1919.
ITO the legislative committee of
the, state. educational committee:
II have read carefully Senate Bill
No. 1874, which, as enacted, provides
for board of administration for
the general supervision and admins
tration Of all state, penal, charitable
and educational institutions and the
general supervision of the public
schools Of the state am glad to sub
init herewith my opinion with regard
to this statute after having given it
most careful consideration.
Violates Fundamental Principle.
+ Il. The law, as enacted, violates
the most fundamental principle of
educational administration, that of
differentiation between the law control
of public education and the profess
.sional administration of our schools.
Any board Of control which is placed
on salary basis and that is required
by law to supervise the, schools inter
feres in the ordinary conduct OF it's
business with the professional admin
istration of schools, which should be-,
and usually is. placed in the hands Of
a state superintendent of schools or
a commissioner of education, together
with staff working with this officer.
"! 2. Section 4 of the law makes it
possible for the board of administra-
ton to employ a secretary whose sal
ary should not exceed $4,000 per an
mum, and such administrative assist
ants, officers, directors of vocational
training and such school inspectors,
accountants and employees as may be
necessary Under the provisions of
this section, there will inevitably grow
up question of authority as between
the state superintendent of public ed
ucation and the other officers en-
ployed by this board. 1t is notewor-
thy that the secretary may receive
salary equal to that paid to the state
superintendent.
More Confusion.
SO. In section it is provided that
there shall be appointed an education
al commission and that, subject to the
direction and general approval Of the
board, this commission is to have
charge and supervision Of the certif-
cation of teachers, Standardization Of
schools, examinations for eighth
grade and high school. preparation Of
courses-of study for the several class
es of public schools, and such other
work as may be assigned to them by
the board This section provides for a
further confusion in the administra-
tion and supervision Of states schools.
Such assistance as may be required, in
addition to the staff employed il the
state superntendent's office, should be
left entirely to the judgment of this
officer. The enactment of a law TAX
ing from the state superintendent
office the right and obligation to carry
on such inv vsstigations and to secure
such assistance as may make for the
development Of the public school sys-
TEN, can operate only to hinder the
Estate superintendent in the exercise of
functions of that office and to create
a situation in which ill-will and con-
fusion will take the place of an order
" and cooperative development of the
states educational program.
~. The opinion expressed above
will, l am confident, be verified by
those most competent to pass upon
the current practice in state school
administration. viz: Cubberly's State
and County School Administration
In it you will find not only tn, judg-
ment of the author, but the practice
Of those states that have achieved
most in the development of state
school system.
'Yours sincerely,
GEORGE d. STRA YER,
president of National Education
association; professor of educa-
tional administration, Teachers
Z College, Columbia University,
New York City"
Strayer Talks of Power.
Lauding the part.iof the American
public school in creating patriotic
citizenship and erecting a bulwark
against un-Americanism and disloy-
atty, DR.. George d. Strayer, presi-
dent Of the National Education asso-
ciation, addressed the several hundred
teachers. The noted educator pointed
to the great service Of the schools
in all war activities and made an ap-
pal for higher salaries for teachers,
For haftor nhvsiral ira ininr in tho