Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-11-28
SCHOOL LAWS Of
STATE ARCHAIC,
TEACHERS HEAR
Judge Roberts Recommends
Changes to Educational
Council; Assured Tenure
for instructors Urged

OtneG profess lOildl NOfhCIt Will IL
salary commensurate to his ahil-
ity; that school affairs should be
removed as far as possible from
political influence; that the prin-
ciple Of federal assistance for ed
ucation has already been estab-
lished and should be followed TO
its ultimate end by the passage
of the Towner-Sterling bill; that
New MeXico's school laws nre
conflicting and archaic and should
be revised; that the rural school
problem is the real educational
problem Of the nation.
These were statements made by
speakers before the New Mexico
Educational council at its session
here yesterday. So interesting
were the discussions and so we'll
were they participated in, that
the council, though it was in seq
sion for almost eight hours, was
compelled to adjourn until this
morning at II O'Clock when the
business session will be taken up.
The council went on record as
approving the report of it's COM
lllllNtt ENl 4IlB l1ldL hli tANiAtN
members of the body be chosen
by the votes of paid up members
in the districts from which they
are delegates. Because many Of
the counties had misunderstood
the procedure, the rule was given
& liberal Interpretation for this
year.
School Laws Conflict
Judge Clarence j. Roberts OF
Santa Fe, who spoke on school
Laws OF New Mexico and How
They Can Be Improved, declared
that ''if everybody in. New Mex
leo paid taxes according to his
ability, there would be no high
taxes Judge Roberts made this
statement in commenting on what
he declared TO be the willingness
of taxpayers to see incompetent
and sometimes illiterate county
officials paid large salaries while
expressing great concern because
of amounts paid for schools. "The
county school uperintendent'
said Judge Roberts, lis the only
official elected in the county
whom the law requires to he
able to read and write"
The judge said any school dis
trict that feels it can afford 10
spend money literally for schools
should be permitted to do so un-
harassed by state agencies. "Our
state government is too paterna.
listic, and like the federai gov
ernment. is trying to take upon
itself too mach supervision over
purely local affairs Judge Rob
erts said ale traced the progress
OF school levies, showing that
they must first be approved BY
the county superintendent then
the county commissioners. then
the state educational auditor. and
finally might be set aside by The
state tax commission. And af.cr
that he said, it were dcsred to
remove money frora one fund to
another, the permission Of the
travelling auditor must be OBJ
tanned.
Judge Roberts suggested: That
the state board of education he
appolntiye and non-political, and
that it should appoint the state
superintendent, whose office
should also be non-political. That
the qualification Of teachers be
left to the determination of the
state education board. That coun-
ty education boards should be en-
powered to hire the county SUPER
lntendents, who would be required
to devote all their time to their
work, that the state educational
auditor be an advisory officer only.
That all persons who vote be COM
PEELED to pay poll tax, including
the women. That a graduated in
come tax be imposed upon resi-
dents of the state.
The offer of DR.. David S. Hill,
president of the University of New
Mexico, to have copies of Judge
Roberts address published and
sent to teachers throughout the
state was accepted.
Assurance of Employment.
The paper of City Superintend-
ent Roy j.. White of Gallup on
Improvement in Service and
Tenure of Teachers and Basis for
Salary Schedule" showed that the
trend among educators is to ad-
vocate for the teacher a guaran-
tee of a steaGJ position at a fair
salary provided she has demon
strated her ability in period of
probation. 1t was stated that this
system, in force in several states,
has shown that teachers under
such conditions will continue to
study in an effort to increase their
ability.
In the discussion on this subject,
Mrs. Maude l.. Blaney. county su-
perintendent OF Lincoln county,
criticised the state tax commission
for having unexpectedly and with
little notice lowered the salary of
country teachers, and said this had
been done after many teachers had
been contracted for the year and
had gone to large expense by at
tending the summer school. She
said that school budgets should be
approved not later than July of
each year. Mrs. Blaney suggested
that the educational association,
through the council, provide the
Legislature with a. proposed pro-
gram of legislation for the relief
of the rural schools.
County superintendent Blamed.
Miss Isabel l.. Eckles, recently
elected state superintendent of
public instruction. spoke on Rural
School Needs" declared that the
system Of providing county super
intendents is responsible for many
of the disadvantages of the county
schools. She suggested that the
position ebe made non-politlcal;
that the salary be made adequate
for providing first class superin-
tondents; that the change Of office
does not occur in tho midst
of u school year. as under the
present arrangement; that the
townspeople not vote upon the
election of county superintendent;
that the division of school funds
be more fairly done.
Mrs. Adelina Otero-Warren sug-
gested that the present system of
having school directors In each dis
trict be abolished by law and that
the county board of education be
given the authority to employ
teachers. State Superintendent
John ". Conway made q vigorous