The Cordova daily times., 1921-11-15
RED TAPE AND POLITICS

After am exhaustive study of the schools "l tnr nation, with special attention to efficiency in management and in the character of the pro- duct. the United States Chamber of Commerce has arrived at the conclusion that red tape and politics are the two great maIctactors which are responsible for large part of such nrftl cicncv as exists. Admitting the truth of this conclusion for the nation as a wholc let us de tclninc whether or not Alaska schools are handicapped by either
 Approximately one half the pupils in Alaska are in schools which are supported entirely by approprations from the territorial treasury and bv refund to the territory of federal lie cusrs collected in Alaska. In districts of this class the contribution which residents make to ward the maintenance of the schools is limited to the annual school tax of $5 which s collected from each abr-bodiod man between the ag"s of n and 5O
 The remaining pupils are enrolled in schools situated in incorporated towns. Srvonty-fivc per cent of the cost of such schools k borne by the territory The remainder, twenty-five per cent, k raised by local taxation. An annual school tax of %5 is also paid by able bodied males between the ages of 2l and JO.
 Under such conditions, it is but natural that considerable authority should be centralized in the Territorial Department of Education and aud that school boards should be- reduced to submit bud2ct~, which must be approved make annual reports. and in general conform to such rr9uatious as may be prescribed. Reel tape results only when unnecessary requirements must be met. There i> moi, we believe. any feeling on the part of school boards, executives or teachers, that they are handicapped in their work through interference of Territorial boards or officials
 School boards are small and arc therefore, not handicapped by a multiplicity of commit tees. The majority of schools also, are small Principals and supcrintcmdcnts are cIothcI with d large measure of authority by school boards. The business relations existing be- tween school boards and city councils are by no means complicated. Red tape, therefore, does not figure to any apprcciabIc extent in the conduct of Alaska schools
 As regards the other national pcst-poIiti .s which makes for incft'iccncv in the nation = schools We can likewise state that up to the present time 1t has not intcrf"rcd with the DYQ grcss G th" Alaska !&a schools The organization of the Territorial Department of Education is non-poIiticaI. Membership on tue Territorial Board of Education is cx-offico and, although
 
 member of the three boards which have OK istcd since the inauguration of a definite sys- tenn of education. has been influenced by pot icaI considerations in any official act. In fact, the generally expressed sentiment of members of the Board of Education, both past and pres ent, is to the effect that politics has and should be given no place in the Alaska schools.
 The Commissioner of Education is not a DO Iitica appontec. He has not been serving d Democratic administration during the past four years and he is not at present serving a Republican administration. The only type of service demanded is service to the schools and people of Alaska.
 It is scarcely possible to eliminate entirely local politics from the schools as represented by disagreements among residents of commun- ities or the striving of certain individuals to raise themselves to positions of leaderships