The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-29
KEEP POLITICS OUT IF SCHOOLS, URGES DR. ABERCROMB|E
Declares Change In Election
 Of Superintendents Would Be Mistake
STATE CAPITAL BUKE4U
 THE AGE-HFRALD Montgomery. Ala. July 2S

Declaring that the passage of any bill providing for the change in the system of electing county superin- tendents of education by county boards of education would be backward step,' such as this admin istration is pledged not to take Dr. John ". Abercrombie, state superin- tendent of education, Saturday ls- sued a statement in which he ex- pressed the hope that none of the bills now pending will become a law.
 Dr. Abercrombie mentioned that local bill requiring the election of the superintendent of Coffee county had passed both houses. However, 1t has not been approved by Gov ernor Brandon up to this time.
 The statement set forth thirteen reasons of Dr. Abercrombie for his opposition to any legislation which would permit the election of super intendents by direct vote of the people.
 Was Tried Twenty Years. Dr. Abercrombies statement fol- lows:
 As is well known the legislature has under consideration several bills proposing a change in the method of selecting county superintendents of education. One is a general bill, while the others are local in appli- cation. The general bill has passed the house and is on the adverse cal endar of the senate.
 Among the local bills, several of which have already passed the house, is one for Coffee county. It has passed both houses and Is noow be- fore the governor for his approval or disapproval.
 Some of the reasons why both the general bill and each of the local bills should be defeated may be stated as follows:
 T. All of them provide for a re- turn to the political unbusiness- like, inefficient, antiquated, dis carded method of selecting super intendents. Twenty years of sad eX- perience warn us against such ac- ton
 "2. A return to the old-time politi cal method would deprive county boards of the power to choose their executive officers. Good administra tion demands that boards charged with important duties have authority to select their agents.
 g. The qualifications required of superintendents of each of the pend ing bills are from five to seven years below those now being enforced. Such a lowering of standards would create conditions at once ridiculous, pathetic and lamentable.
 "4. At present county boards elect ed by the people may select superin- tendents after most careful investi- gation and if deemed advisable may go outside the list of applicants. Such businesslike procedure would be inn possible under the proposed plans.
 "5. The county superintendency would be greatly deprofessionalize and highly politicaliZed. Many of the best qualified educators would never seek the office if to do meant that they must engage in heated personal, factional or partisan contests and undergo the endorsements and Lumiliatious incident to such strug- gles.
 Would Mesn Obligations.
 ,"6. return to the old method would naturally and unavoidably place a successful candidate under political obligations. the fulfilling of which would render impossible the best of educational progress It would compel him continuously to conduct an active political campaign, for in no other way could election and continuance in office be secured.
 "7. The inevitable conflicts of authority between superintendent elected by the people and a board of education elected by the same people would demoralize and disorganize the schools. The helpless children would suffer while elected officials fought out their political differences.
 "S. The proposed change would de- prive country children of supervision as good as that enjoyed by city chill dren. City boards without exception have the power to appoint city super intendents.
 "9 We now have a uniform state wide method for selecting superin- tendents which Is essential to the maximum of efficiency in educational administration and supervision The exemption of a single county would weaken the entire school system, and,