The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1921-10-11
Schools the Issue
In Coming Election

well worth the reading and careful
consideration Of our readers:
Perhaps in no other election in the
states history was the welfare Of
the schools so much the main issue
as is the case this year. First, there
are the two proposed amendments to
the constitution that should be care
fully studied and voted upon without
regard to personal or party preju-
dices, and next, and even of more
vital concern, is the election Of two
members to each Of the county
boards of education.
The first of the amendments pro-
poses to remove the office Of super
intendent Of public instruction from
politics. This question seems to be
provoking more heated controver-
sizes than any other, the opponents
Of the amendment maintaining that
it will not do what is claimed for it.
1t is well known fact, however,
that in the years when the state ex-
ecutive officers are elected, the can
didates for governor at the heads Of
the tickets of the two dominant
parties are the only ones considered
by the average voter. Few ever
know even the names of the other
candidates on the tickets. They are
usually put on the ticket, as a re-
gretable matter of fact, by the pol
iticians who dictate the ticket, be-
cause they will for some reason or
other win more votes for the party
than any others, and without regard
to any special fitness for the office
to which they aspire. AS a rule.
the men in our state best qualified
to administer our educational affairs
are either unwilling or are not finan-
cially able to sacrifice themselves
through two strenuous, costly and
offensive political campaigns. as is
necessary under the present system,
and then take a chance on being de-
feated. His election depends always
upon whether he is on the ticket
with the successful candidate for
governor. Under the present sys-
TEN the schools of Kentucky cannot
as a rule get the kind of man best
suited to manage their affairs. If
the amendment carries, the cominc
sessions of the legislature will be
called upon to create a non partisan
state board of education who will
have the power to select the super
intendent of public instruction. The
heads of our other state educational
institutions have always been select
ed in such a way, it is hardly prob
able that such a man as DIR. McVey
could have been secured as head of
the University of Kentucky under
the present system of election of the
superintendent of public instruction.
The second amendment proposes
to give financial aid to those coun-
ties which have not sufficient funds
to maintain legal schools by giving
ten per cent of the states school
fund for that purpose.
Also the first real test of the merit
of the present system of managing
the schools of the counties of Ken
lucky by n0n-partisan boards of
education will be made. The sue
cess of the present plan, which is
undoubtedly good one, will depend
upon the kind and amount of inter-
est manifested by the citizens of the
various counties in the next few
days in selecting the men to Gil the
two places made vacant in all the
county boards this fear Last year
the system was new and unfamiliar
to most people, and the interest in
it was clouded by the excitement of
the presidential campaign and the
election of county superintendent.
This year the welfare Of the schools
is almost the same issue The peo-
pile are free to concentrate their at
tention upon the task of finding the