The Little River news., 1922-12-13
REPORT ON SCHOOL
 SYSTEM SUBMITTED
Commission Recommends a 1O.Year Educational Program to Governor.
 More Revenue Needed.

Little Rock, Dec. 10.-A 1O-year ed- Il ational program, designed to attain as sseinimuE standards in Arkansas tkss average educational achievements of the United States as a whole. is recommended in the report of the honorary Educational Commission filed yesterday with Governor McRae. The report includes also recommend ations as to financing and generally strengthening the educational system.
 The commission was appointed by the governor in 1921 and charged with making survey of the entire educa- tional system of the state with view to compiling information to be used by the governor in his recommenda- tions to the legislature This com mission entrusted the actual survey to staff of experts selected by Dr. John J. Tigert, United States commits sioner of education, and the report was made to the commission October 12, 1922.
 Six weeks later the commission, aft CT studying the survey report, 1eas- sembled at Little Rock and adopted recommendations taken from the re- port ~fsr.. submission to the governor These recommendations were entrus.- ed to a drafting committee composed of w. B. Mann, J. J. Harrison, George | w. Donaghey, Mrs. Minnie U. Ruth erford-Fuller and John c. Rossman According to the report filed with the governor yesterday, signed by the Drafting Committee, the survey report sets out four fundamental conclu- sions: that the state depends primari- ly upon greatly improved public ed ucation system; that the present sys- tenn is approaching fiscal break down; that there is sufficient wealth in the state to provide the needed inn provements without serious burden to the citizens; and that there is coli stantly growing sentiment in Arkan- sas for the improvement of the system.
 FavOrs School Districts.
 The commission disapproves tho recommendations of the expert survey committee that school districts be a. polished, that the counties be author ized to issue school bonds and that }the administration and maintenance of the Russellville agricultural school oe transferred to Pope county and the other three agricultural schools be converted irto normal schools.
 Briefly, the commission recommends increased revenues, increased and im- proved teacher training facilities, and strong educational leadership. The re- responsibilities which should be assum- ed by the state, according to the com mittee, are as follows: to equalize ed ucational facilities and school tax burdens throughout the state, to adopt at once a 10-year educational program, to provide 10-year building program for all state educational institutions, to establish eight months, 160 days, as the minimum school year, to enforce compulsory attendance laws, and to recodify and simplify the present school laws
 1! A severance tax and a state income tax are recommended to provide the school system with adequate revenue, and changes are suggested in the present system Of app0rtioning school funds. An educational budget com mission also is recommended three to be designated by the legislature and che by the governor, who could study the needs of the schools and present budgets to each legislature.
 Teachers College Inadequate.
 On higher standarsd of teacher training, additional teachers and other phases of educational needs, the re- pert recommends as follows:
 ''Tha equipment of the Arkansas State Teachers College is totally in- adequate for superior work The fla culty should be strengthened, and the teaching load somewhat reduced.
 "The contribution the college is making to the supply of trained teach CTS for the state is wholly inadequate, and so far as the rural schools are concerned. scarcely sufficient to exert an appreciable influence. Many stu dents who receive their training in Ar kansas find better OnnOrtunities tn