The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-06-21
STATE BOARD
PROTESTS ACTION
Board of Education Takes
Solons to Task for
Adjustment.
DID WORTHY WORK
nv Associated Press)

Madison, Wis. - Before concluding
its final meeting, the Wisconsin state
board of education adopted resolu-
ton which declares that sit is great
ly to be regretted that the board is
abolished at the moment of its great
est usefulness in getting before the
people of the state an intelligent or
ganization of educational resources to
meet the states educational needs,
without providing some other organ
ization equally or more effective"
Members of the board in their res
olution outlined the accomplishments
Of the department since first it was
established in 1915 to correct certain
practices and tendencies at that time
said to be growing to the ~detriment Of
the states educational system. The
resolution praised the "high quality
and effective service of the secretary,
DR.. Edward A. Fitzpatrick, and the
office staff"
''The state board of education was
abolished by the legislature on rec
ommendation of the governor" the
traneous reasons were advanced for
its abolition and so many statements
that were not true were made that
the board itself is prompted to put
on record a statement, inadequate
though it be, of it's services to the
educational system and to the state.
1T seems to US that, judging by the
discussions on the floor of the legis-
lature, the obvious fact is that edu-
cational reasons were not controlling
in the abolition of the state board of
education.
In Keeping With Best Ideals.
every important discussion of
state educational administration, ev-
cry recognized authority on public ed
ucation in the country, and every in
vestigation of state educational sys-
tenn includes as the primary recon-
mendation in the proposed reorgan-
ization of educational systems the
placing of a state board of education
at its head"
The statement points out how the
Wisconsin board was created to check
a policy of expansion outlining the
needs of the state, to prevent log-roll-
ing and lobbying before the legisla-
ture by educational agencies, to make
a careful, disinterested review of f.
nancial requests, to study the entire
Wisconsin educational system with a
view of bringing them together as re-
lated, mutually dependent parts of a
great whole instead of allowing them
to drift as separate and independent
activities.
In carrying out this work, the board
shows how it was able in three weeks
Ito make a comprehensive survey of
the states education facilities and re-
port to the Legislature at the time the
educational bonus was first being pre-
posed. Administration of this. bonus
involving millions of dollars was ac-
complished by the education board.
Important Work of Board.
Most important of the board activi-
ties has been its supervision of edu-
cational budgets The resolution sets
out that the board ''has not hesitated
ITO recommend cuts in the educational
budgets when its information clearly
warranted it, but it regarded its duty
primarily as an agency with more and
more information regarding the edu-
caitonal institutions, whose officers
would fearlessly and frankly place the
information before the legislature.
"The need for this general over
sight in the educational system is due
to the fact, for example, that all 9TH
er great departments of the state gov
eminent are under the control of a
single governmental agency. Educa-
ton is administered by six different
agencies and hence the need for CO.
ordination through a central board of
education.
"The presence of the state board of
education, with it's record of cumula-
tive information and disinterested ad-
vice has indirect influence on the edu-
cational institutions in the interests
of economy and effective organization
that cannot be measured"
Savings to the state amounting to
thousands OF dollarS are SHOWN, with
a recounting of the surveys and stu
dies made of the various educational
agencies. Concluding, the resolution
points out how the board would have
been in a position from now on to be
of special service to the state with it's
fund of information and experiences
in administering educational affairs.