The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-06-05
ALBERT S. COOK HEADS
STATE SCHOOL SYSTEM
Baltimore County superintendent
Elected To Succeed DIR. Nj. Bates
Stephens. Accepts The Appoint
Inent.

Maryland has new State Superin-
tendent of Education. The State
Board at a meeting last night, elect
ed Albert S. Cook, superintendent OF
schools of Baltimore county, TO the
place to succeed DR.. NJ. Bates Ste
phens, of Caroline county, who had
held the place for more than 20 yrs.
The election of a new State Super
intendent of Schools had been antici-
pated ever since Governor Rltchle
forced members of the Old State
Board of Education to rescind action
in re-electing DR.. Stephens on the
eve of the rganization OF the
board and a few days prior to the
going out of office of one OF them.
Although the chances were against
him, DR.. Stephens made desperate
fight to be retained in the office ne
had held so long, and his friends raj
lied to his support. in large numbers.
1t was the opinion of board mem
bers however, that the interests OF
the schools would best be served by
a new deal all around and with
new superintendent at the head or
the State School system.
Mr.. Cook, the new superintendent,
has been superintendent of schools
of Baltimore county for 20 years,
and at the time Dr.. James H. Van
Sickle was retired from the superin-
tendcy of the schools of Baltimore,
Mr. Cook was mentioned prominent
ly as Mr. Van Sickle'S successor.
Mr.. Cook is As years old. He
was born in Franklin county. Penn
Sylvania and after going through the
public schools of his township was
graduated from the State Normal
school at Shipensburg. After teach
ing for a while in the schools Of
Franklin county he spent a year at
Gettysburg College and then enter
ed Princeton University, from which
he was graduated in 1895. Later ne
spent four summers In the study OF
pedagogy at the Teachers College
Columbia University. In 1906
Princeton conferred on him the de-
gree of master OF arts for special
work which he had done at Column
bia
In statement made after his cleo
ton as State Superintendent OF
Schools Mr.. Cook said:
l considered the position serious
ly only after a committee of the
board asked me to confer with them
and assured me that DIR. stephens
would not be retained and that
salary commensurate with the re-
sponsibility involved would be avail
able
1 shall give all of my time and
energy of the position TO 'whichFFI
have been APPOINTED.
| shall consider every county SUI
perintendent and supervisor mem
Der of the official staff and as such
shall confer with them on every i'm
portant educational policy before its
inauguration. Cooperation for
professional growth and advance
ment has been made the basis prin-
ciple of our work IN Baltimore
upon which a successful educational
administration can be based.
Practically all of the teachers
and supervisors and many of the
superintendent were r e civ ing
barely a living salary in 1914;
statistics show that unless teachers
have received an increase of 100
per cent. since the (and very few
of them save), they are less well
off now than they were at that time.
The problem of trained teachers
and trained educational leadership
is now, as it always has been.
largely a problem of adequate COM
pensation. 1t is the most important
single problem in the educational
program of every community in the |
United States at the present time. |
l shall give up with great deluxe |
lance my close personal touch with |
the fine group of men who are
members of the Baltimore County |
Board of Education and with the |
splendid group of professional men |
and women in the Baltimore county |
system, with many of whom l have |
worked during the last 20 years; |
but l shall retain my residence in |,
Baltimore county.
The vacancy in Baltimore county |
caused by the appointment of Mr.. |
Cook probably will be filled by the |
promotion of John T. Hershner or
Clarence G. Cooper, assistant super
Mr. Cooper has repre-
scented the county at a number OF |
large gatherings of educators and |
has especially fitted himself for |
higher school work at Columbia |
New York city. For [
many years he was supervisor of |
rural schools.