The Winslow mail., 1923-01-12

| that our schools be administered IN a
! business-like manner, in order that
| the leaks and waste may be eliminat-
, ed
The solution of our rural school
problems is possibly our greatest diff
/ ficulty, because it is essetial that
every child should be given an Op-
portunity to secure a good element
ary and high school education. There
/ is a growing sentiment throughout
| the State that our so-called little red
schoolhouse is not very efficient. We
should take steps to see that the rural
| schools-the weak link in our school
system-are improved.
l desire to emphasize the necessity
for vocational education. large
portion of children leave school be-
tween the ages of IA and Is years,
and statistics of school attendance
and illiteracy in Arizona are not at
all flattering to the State.
In an industrial State like Arizona
it is necessary that educational train
ing in trades and industry and agri-
cultural pursuits should be emphasiz-
ed. Vocational education for the re-
Mobilization of those who may be Grip
| pied in industry or otherwise, is i'm
| perative also.
The increasing number of adult il
| literates in our industrial communi-
ties, which is complicated still further
by the fact that great many of them
are aliens, is an additional reason for
stressing this phase of our education
al problems.
Some plan should be formulated to
utilize the extension service of the
State University, either through lee
lures illustrated with steopticon sill
des or by some other method, to reach
those who are in need of the advan-
tages of such education.
The necessity for the reorganization
of the business methods of our
schools is illustrated by the manner
in which the textbooks and supplies
ar handled There is system in
vogue now whereby an individual or
firm is designated as a depository" j"
and the depository" is paid a per-
centage of the cost of the books as
compensation for handling them. AS
the State purchases something over
100000 worth of textbooks a year, the
depository" who receives ten per
cent of the value, is paid compensa-
tion far in excess of the service rem
dered. This system lends itself to
abuse through wasteful purchasing,
and is a possible source of graft
| In addition to this, there seems to
have been no adequate record kept of
the sale of books or of fines collected
the books provided by the State. The
whole system of supervision and dis
tribution of the textbooks by the
State should be reorganized and put
on business basis.
Much money is wasted annually in
the purchase of supplies in the var
| ious school districts. Methods should
! be established whereby school sup
pliesF can be purchased through a
central agency, instead of each dis
trict purchasing for itself
| A uniform system of accounting
should be perfected and the supplies
Of each district accounted for in a
manner which would tend to promote
igreater efficiency and economy.
| The regulation for the granting of
! teachers certificates in Arizona
should be strengthened. The prac-
tice of nepotism in the employment
of teachers by school officials should
| be discouraged. Incompetent, inef-
ficient. indolent and careless teachers
should be weeded out of the schools
| Nd
ors who take a serious view of the
duties of their profession.
I call your attention to the glaring
contrast to be found in comparing the
salaries of city and town superinten-
dents to those of the State and Coun-
| ty superintendents of schools.
l. There are MANY additional matters
which might be called to your atten-
ton, suggesting the necessity for an
analytical survey by men who under
stand the working out of school pro-
blems.
| I therefore recommend that the Le-
gislature appropriate adequate funds
to finance a survey of the primary
and secondary schools of the State,
under the supervision of the State
Board Of Education
The State University.
The University of Arizona has done
| splendid work for the advancement
of the State. It's possibilities have,
however, not been fully developed.
Many improvements can be effected.
1t has long been my hope to some
day see every student at the Univer-
sity, with the exception of those liv-
ing at home or with relatives, housed
on the campus. 1t is impracticable
to do this at the present time because
of the lack of adequate housing faci-
lities. Economy in State expenditures
at present is SO essential that it does
not permit of providing the necessary
appropriations to carry out this idea.
desire to take this opportunity to
compliment the President of the Uni
versity upon his efforts to cooperate
in the policy of retrenchment in ex
[ i Il.