The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1922-01-06

UutAC EVUC4tAOulu ROutUCAy
The Kentucky Educational Commits.
sion issues to-day its report on Public
Education in Kentucky. The Commits
sion appointed by Governor Morrow con-
lists Of DR.. w. A. Garfield, Chairman.
Pres. Centre College, Danville; Alex.
G. Barret, lawyer, Louisville; g. j. Hay
don, farmer and merchant. Springfield;
j. L. Hartman, Pres. Bowling Green
Business University. Bowling Green, and
Miss Katie Mcdaniel, insurance business,
Hopkinsyille. The report OF the Com
mission is a first hand description and
criticism Of public education in Kentucky
with recommendation for its improve
ment. Citizens who do not receive a
copy of this report may obtain it free
by writing to the State Department OF
Education, Frankfort.
Fifteen months were devoted to the
survey. Sixty-six counties were visited
and careful study made OF the condi-
tons in 80 of them, and also in about
one-half the principal cities Of the state.
The educators OF Kentucky, including
representatives from the faculties OF the
colleges. normal schools, and the Univer-
sity Of Kentucky: members Of the State
Department Of Education, and county
and city superintendents, co6pefated
actively in the work.
The report states that in educational
efficiency Kentucky has for the last forty
years always ranked low and has steadily
fallen behind in comparison with other
states: Kentucky ranked 35th in 1890,
Goth in 1900, 40th in 1910. and 45th in
1918. In illiteracy, Kentucky ranked
36th in 1900, in 1910. and in 1920.
What is the explanation? Not poverty,
for the state is rich in resources. The
reason is to be sought in the social history
of the state. Slavery held the state back;
immigration passed to the north and west;
industrial and agricultural advantages
were not utilized. and consequently there
was little to hold or attract vigorous and
progressive youth. Social sluggishness
therefore accounts for defective. eda5a-
tional facilities, and poor schools have
prolonged the period of social and indus
trial inertia.
SUPERINTENDENT
The report exhibits the backward con-
ditions OF Kentucky education. A State
Board OF Education is at the head OF the
system. But the State Board. instead OF
being composed of lay members, with no
other public duties, Is made up Of three
state officials, elected on partisan political
ticket--the Secretary of State, the At
.nrney-C General. and the State Superin-
tendent Of Public Instruction. This
Board has on paper certain duties, but
il has no organization capable of perform
ing them. Besides being political
board. as well as ex-officio. 1t has not
enjoyed the full confidence OF the state in
educational matters; hence. whenever a
special need has arisen, new board has
been set up. The result is that instead OF
a central body with authority and organi-
zation. the state has political Board OF
Education which lacks both. ~
The State Superintendent should be a
framed educator, acting as the executive
of the State Board and so situated that
oyer 4 period of years he can mature states
manlike and far-reaching educational
policies. Instead of this, he is named by
one or the other political party, his tenure
IS limited to single term OF four years,
and he must give way to his successor
lust as he becomes able to create and
d;rect progressive program. To make
matters worse. though the duties Of the
office have been enormously increased, the
staff is miserably inadequate. The total
amount Of state money now going annually
to the Office charged with experimenting
the public schools OF Kentucky, on which
millions are spent, is $4,000. Fortu-
nately, the Federal Government and
an outside philanthropic agency add
S36. ZOO annually to this sum; and It Is
outside money that supports such high
school and rural school inspection and
such agricultural and trade supervision
as Kentucky now enjoys
In a word: The State Board of Edu-
cation, by reason Of its makeup, Is in
capable OF performing the functions that
naturally fall to such a body. The
State Superintendent, whatever his char
acter. personality, or training, is handi-
capped by party connections, limited
tenure, and inadequate financial support.
If the schools are to be effectively admin
istered, the present ex-officio Board OF
Education must be replaced by prop
erly constituted lay board; the State
Superintendent must be taken out of
partisan politics. the Office must be placed
on a professional basis, and its support
must be made commensurate with its
responsibilities and duties.
COUNTY BOARDS AND COUNTY SUPER
INTRNDENTS
The local county school authorities
are the County Board OF Education and
the County Superintendent. They are
responsible for the upkeep
and conduct of the county schools. The
report praises highly the new county
unit law passed in 1920, calling il "one Of
the few pieces OF constructive educa-
tional legislation to be found in the entire
history OF the state" The law will UNI
doubtedly bring about great Improvement
in rural school administration; but its
full effects will not be obtained until more
and better trained persons are available
for the county superintendencies. Up
to this time the County Superintendent
has usually been deep in county politics;
the salary has been too small to attract
trained educator: as result, many
County Superintendent have been any
thing but educators, they have been
farmers, storekeepers, lawyers, doctors,
dressmakers. milliners. etc.
Moreover, no proper qualifications have
ever been set up. Out of the 40 now in
service, many are not professionally quail
fed to discharge the duties OF the Office.
TO make matters worse, they have had few
facilities and little assistance. Records
and accounts are wretchedly kept; trus-
tees and teachers alike close schools on