Evening journal., 1921-02-23
States and the Public Schools

party. Members of the board should
not be removable from office except
for negligence OF duty. malfeasance
In Office, or crime against the State
and then only by impeachment. or. II
elected by the people at large, by
Impeachment or recall by a majority
vote This iH necessary 60 prevent the
removal OF members or packing OF
the board for sinister purposes and
10 give the feeling OF responsibility
and freedom necessary for good serv-
ice. Members OF the board should
not be paid a salary but should be
paid a very liberal per diem and all
necessary expenses FOR reasonable
number OF days in the year for at
tending meetings OF the board and
Tor necessary service on committees.
Small salaries would attract men and
women OF small ability. Large sal
aries would tempt members TO try 20
earn their salaries by meddlinr with
executive details properly belonging
TO the paid employees OF the board.
Not TO pay reasonable per diem and
all necessary expenses would deter
many men and women omlnently
qualified for such service from ao-
ceptins membership on the board.
Ordinarily the board should not
need TO have more than four or fvo
regular meetings, OF fvo or six DAYS
each, In the year, and there should
be need for very few special meet
ings,
The State board Of education
should have general control OF all
the educational interests OF the State
as embodied IN the public elemen-
tary and secondary schools for nor
MAJ children, In schools for special
classes OF children. as the deaf, the
blind. the crippled. subnormal and
( incorrigible children, and IN schools
for special kinds and phases OF edu-
cation. There should not be separ-
ate boards FOR the control OF voca-
tional and technical education, nor
should there be any other division OF
control that tends 90 break the sys-
tenn OF education into disconnected
| fragments. The State board OF edu-
cation should also have general con-
troll OF tho schools for the profess
sional preparation OF teachers. nor
NAL schools and teachers colleges.
| Whether this board should also have
a general control OF the State schools
OF higher education, other than those
whose chief function II 10 prepare
teachers Is a matter which should be
left for each separate State. There
] 10 raaN ~.
enable one to Judge intelllgently iu
regard TO this. The same r. true IN
regard 20 the policy OF having sep
arate boards for each OF the two
three or four such schools IN a State
II Is quite clear, however. that any
separate board or boards for sUcf
schools should be required by law e
make 90 the State board Of educa.
ton such reports as It may requcs
and should cooperate with the stat
board OF education in such way a.
TO harmonic and unity the work O.
the schools OF higher education viii
the work OF the other schools OF tn
system. This is OF the greatest i'm
portance. since for the best result
all the schools Of the State OF what
ever kind and grade must function
as one organism. the lifeblood flow
ing through It all.
The board should understand Il
. functions TO be wholly legislative. IN
defining OF results to be obtaine
] and the formation OF policies in han
mony with the constitution and Inv
Of the State; and. when desirable,
/, propose new laws or modification
Of laws already in existence.
should never concern itself With "a
executive details. and its member
should remember that. like othe
? legislative bodies, when not in FOR
NAL session, the board has no powe
, or responsibilities unless dehnitel
authorized by the board as a whol
to carry out some particular func
ton committed to them. Legislator
o are only private citizens, possesse
Of no official functions when the leg
; islative bodies to which they belon
are not in formal session. In tn
B sense. the State board Of educatio
(and all other boards OF education
I are legislative bodies. For the exec
utive duties OF the department, IN
board Of education should elect
2 chief executive. and upon his recon
mendation and under proper regula
tions all his associates and assistant
Only fitness for the work 10 be dor
I should be considered in the selectio
ID OF any OF these.
2. A State commissioner OF edt
> cation elected by the State board
< education from the country at lars
and only because OF professioni
o preparation and administrative abb
/ ity. Many able and efficient chit
school officers have come into oiii'
by popular election OF by gubern'
c torial appointment. Both method
= have some advantages. but neith'
can be considered as sure and II