The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-29
EDUCATION HEAD
 ISSUES APPEAL FUR PRESENT SYSTEM
Direct Election of Superin- tendentS Would Be "DisaS- trouS to Best Interests of
 Our Children"
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU
 THE AGE-HERALD Montgomery, Ala. Jan. 2S ]


 An appeal for the continuation of the present system whereby county superintendents of education are se lected by boards of education was issued today by Dr. John w Aber- CT ombie, state superintendent of edu- cation. who warned the state that a return to the old practice of elect ing county superfntendents by direct vote of the people would prove dis astrous Ito the best interests of our children
 Dr. Abercrombie called attention to several bills now pending which provide for the election of superln- tsFndents sby popular vote. Iis ih- sisted that the return of the old sys- tenn would mean that those who have been professionally trained would lot become candidates for the posi- tions and that there would be no au- thority to go beyond the confines of county in finding man capable of handling the many problems Of education.
 The present method of selecting county superintendents is approved by the expert educational leadership of the entire country" said pr. Aber- crombie. Tt is in harmony with the practice in the states having the best school systems. 1t is producing most satisfactory results in Alabama. No reputable authority advocates the selection of superintendents by pop uiar vote. Those who advocate return. to that method in Alabama are s,Gyocating policy which would be disastrous to the best interests of our children and which would result in great injustice to those who pro- vide the revenues foH the support of our schools. It is inconceivable that any adequately informed person would be willing to take such backward step"
 Abercrombie's Statement
 Dr. Abercrombie's statement fot- Jews:
 "The legislature has under consid- ration several bills proposing changes in the method of selecting county superintendents of education. Several of them are local while some are general in application. All of tf em provide for selection by pop ular election, for a return to the old time, unbusinesslike, disappearing, political. inefficient method. Strange to say, the proposal is receiving con siderable support upon the part of legislators. Evidently some of our lawmakers have not given the sub jecti that investigation which it's inn rortance demands.
 No more important matter will come before the legislature than the proposition that we return to the old, discarded political method of select ing county superintendents, for the quality and efficiency of our educa- 4s l..,, I I,f I ,f,,5c ct-at tif.ta in the counties depend in largest measure upon the way in which those officials are chosen. The method to which it is proposed that we return was weighed in the balance and found wanting. For 20 years We tried it. and for a like period it proved to be most unsatisfactory. Experience warns us not to return to it.
 Present system Businessiike
 originally county superintendents were appointed by the state super intendent of education. By 1900 all were selected by popular vote. The Gcmand for professionally trained and experienced leadership was answered by the legislature of 1915 when the present method was adopted. It pro- vides for an elective county board of education with full power to manage the. schools of the county, and au- thorizes the board to appoint as it's executive officer the county super intendent.s who must be profession ally trained and experienced educator. Good administration demands that boards charged with important duties stould have the power to select their agents. This is true in educational administration no less than in busi- ness management.
 Under the present method county boards may select superintendents after careful. prolonged and exhaus- tive investigation of the academic, professional, executive and character qualifications of applicants and, if deemed advisable. may go outside the list of applicants and tender ap- pointments to those who are not ap- plicants, going beyond county boun- daries if necessary. In other words. under the present method the posi- tion may seek the man or woman who is best qualified for the work to be done Several of our superin- tendents have been selected in this way. Such businessiike procedure is impossible under the elective system. Trained Men selected
 Under the popular elective method those who are superficially trained, who are politically inclined. who can ! (Continued on Page Three)