The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1921-02-03

7. NORTH DAKOtA
time to time. If the administrative
officers are merely appointed by su-
perior authorities the denocraticaliy
elected committee Of the group should
have coordinate powers OF recon-
mendation to the superior authorizes.
Only under exceptional conditions
should there be two sets Of recommen-
dations since the cooperation between
the administrators and the commit
tees would be the usual policy:
Democracy does not imply individual
freedom from restraint, but rather
mutual or cooperative restraint on
the one hand, and on the other an IN
surance of justice to the Individual
and protection of the rights OF all col
lectively.
Three groups are concerned in the
democratic administration of an edu-
cational institution public, the
faculty, and the board, whether given
the designation of trustees, regents,
or some other. The public of course,
includes the clientele of the institu-
ton, but also in a more general way
the whole people. The students also
must be considered as part Of this
group. The faculty should include
| those directly concerned in the teach
ing and executive positions; and the
board consists of those chosen to rep
resent the public.
Whether we conceive of the faculty
members as employees Of the public
or as experts to direct the educational
activities of the public we must recog-
nize that they are co-partners with
the board in determining the practical
methods of placing education in its
proper place in society. This princi-
pie gives us the foundation upon
which to base democracy. The public,
through appropriate legislation and
the appointment of the board should
voice the general will concerning ed
ucation. The details should be left to
; those best acquainted with them. All
matters pertaining to any given in
stitution, then, should be determined
BY Joint consent of the board and the
! faculty. :,
To protect the individual, as well
as the corporate rights of the faculty
the principle of democratic control
should be adopted and guaranteed.
We must not wait until overt acts
compel us to form policy, but rather
with calm unimpassi0ned Judgment
provide the principles upon which
proper adjustments can be made. We
have seen numerous instances where
boards, presidents, deanssor other Of
fcials have arrogated to themselves
autccratic powers and whether wisely
| or unwisely, whether with justice or
injustice, have determined not only
the educational policies Of the public.
| but also the personal activities OF the
faculty members. As we have seen
them, to insure the preservation OF
the truly democratic spirit in an in
stitution the basic principle must be
cooperation between the public, repre-
scented by the board, and the faculty.
The principles suggested by this
committee are not new and untried in
the educational field, but are in most
cases well established in institutions
of higher education in America and
Europe. To list all of the institutions
where these principles are more or
ess in operation would be to call the
roll of our best and most progressive
colleges and universities. Oberlin
Dartmouth, Smith, Harvard, Yale
| Princeton, Cornell, and the Univer
stiles of Minnesota, California and
| Wisconsin are prominent on the list
hough many others could be named
Nevertheless, the movement toward
democracy has been spasmodic and
Without broad consideration of the in
er-relationships of the various steps
t has simply grown, like Topsy, Sc
hat there is strange mixture OF
democratic and autocratic methods
The former have too often been the
esult of the necessities of the mo.
nent without much regard for the
principles involved, or their relation
hip to the major portion of educa.
iional policy. This committee has at:
:empted to synthesize in a calm and
mimpassioned manner, the best Of
hese methods into constructive uni.
! led and consistent statement of prin.
,iples which shall be at once demo-
ratio in spirit and efficient in execu-
! ton. The details as applied to any
\ specific institution must be left to
/ the cooperative action of the board
4 and the members of the institution.
/ Summarized Application
!, Each institution should have a
\ written constitution, based upon the
1 following principles:
j l. The legislative body of the insti-
4 tuition should include all on permanent
/ appointment or in service given
i number Of years as assistant profess
j. sor or above.
i 2. The selection Of the president