The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-22
Kansas Teachers Want Educa-
tiOn Divorced From Politics.
To Make State Educational
Commissioner AppOintive.
TO RAISE SCHOOL STANDARDS
Speakers Ask Removal of COun-
ty Heads From Politics.
Miss Wooster Takes Prominent
Part in Discussion.


of state superintendent of education
must be removed from the field of
politics in this state. They disagree
on just how this should be accom-
plished, but the creation of an ap-
pointive position of state commissioner
of education. to replace the present
state superintendenCy by election of
the popular vote, is a desire of the
teachers which is becoming little
short of a demand
Prof. Bowen Speaks
Professor D. NJ. Bowen, of the
Pittsburg state normal school. chair
man of the legislative committee of
the state teachers association. and
Dean f. J. Kelly, of the department of
administration of Kansas university.
declared today before the educational
council of the association that the
qualifications necessary for the person
who is at the head of the state educa-
tional system cannot be found in one
who is elected by the popular vote of
the people. Mss Lorraine E. Wooster,
the present state superintendent, was
present at the meeting of the council
at which the addresses were made.
Professor Bowen presented a report
from the legislative committee of the
association, stating that nine bills COW
ering the things which the teachers
regard as of cramoUnt importance in
changing the school laws of the state,
neys, and are now presented or ready
to present, to the legislative commit
tees into whose field they fall.
Many Legislative Measures.
The most important of the legisla-
tive measures which the committee
has presented ) TIE request for an
amendment to the state constitution
which will permit of the appointment
of the state commissioner of educa-
ii n.
The teachers are no less anxious
that the same procedure be followed
with relation to the county superin-
tendents.
1T is a disgrace that the laws of
the state of Kansas permit the county
superintendents to be elected if they
have only the educational qualifica-
tions given by a gradC school educa- |
ton" declared one woman county su- |
perintendent in discussing the quail |
ficctions of the superintendents. I'VE |
come up here again and again and |
howl for higher salaries. If we are
going to ask for higher salaries, and |
we deserve them, let's at least raise !
our standards to offer something for |
the money we are asking.
To Raise School Standards.
Professor Bowen stated that it was
thought inadvisable at the present
:. time to ask the legislature to submit |
two constitutional amendments on |
this subject, but that the matter of |
raising the standards for county su- |
pcrintendents had been treated in an
other bill.
THE necessity for removing the Of |
flee of county superintendent from |
politics is just urgent as the neces- |
sity for removing the office of the |
state superintendent" Bowen admit |
ted. but it doesn't look possible to get |
both of these amendments thru at the |
present time
In discussing the entanglement of |
the present laws of the state relating |
to high schools, Bowen declared that |
he believed there should be appointed |
a commission of five persons by the |
governor, to investigate the educa-
tional conditions of the state. and to !
frame an educational code which could |
be enacted at the next session of the |
legislature, and replace the present 500 |
pages of complicated laws which cover |
the subject.
Ask for Appropriation.
The recommendation of legislative |
appropriation for the working of such
a commission, to devote the next two
years to the study of the educational
system of the states and the framing
of the code. was greeted with vigorous
applause by the teachers present.
Dean Kelly declared that he did not
believe all the members of the state
board of education should be composed
of members of the teaching profession.
He cited the fact that city and district
school boards are not composed of
teachers. and should not be, and that
educational commissioners in states
which have adopted that form of edu-
cationaI administration. are in favor of
men and women from other profess
sions on the state. boards.
The Kansas university man, on the
other hand. declared that the work of
the state school hook commission was
highly technical and professional.
and should he managed entirely by
teachers.
Miss Wooster Takes Part.
Miss Wooster joir ed in the discus
sion at this point, and wanted teach
ers from the elementary schools. who
actually handle the text books which
are selected by the commission. ap-
pointed on that commission. She de-
cIared that the selection of the text
hooks for the schools of the state by
college professors and presidents was
not to the best advantage of the
teachers who had to use the books.
a diversion occurred here. at which
II was brought out that the board
which draws up the courses of study
for the state schools. and the text
hook commission should be one and
clared that there is now encountered
a great deal of difficulty in framing
course of study for the schools of the
state; under the limitations which are
imposed by the inability of the state
10 produce the fitting books fast
enough.
Dean Kelly expressed himself as
opposcd, personally, to the submission
of the constitutional amendment to
the people of the state. in order TO
create the office of state commission
er of education. He declared that the
legislature is apt to find three other
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