The Daily Alaska empire., 1929-05-22
ABOUT MODERN SCHOOL
 GOVERNMENT.

A E. Karnes, Superintendent of Schools at Ket- chikan in an article in the Ketchikan Chronicle, takes strong ground against the selection of a Commissioner of Education through popular cleo tion He also condemns the old law in the Territory that made the hold-over Senators the Board of Education. He contends that both systems-that of the popular election adopted at the late legis- lative session and the system it succeededput the position of Commissioner of Education and the schools in politics. MT. Karnes contends that there should be a Board of Education in the Territory to consist of six persons and the Governor, with the tenure of office so arranged that there would be- come one vacancy each year in the Board. This Board he thinks ought to have control of the public elementary and high schools and the Alaska Col lge, with the power of selecting the Commissioner of Education and the President of the College
 The Ketchkan educator says that it was due to the "untiring efforts and excellent ability of Commissioner Henderson, rather than the system, that schools have reached their present high state of efficiency. That the system under which we have been working courts political interference MT Karnes believes was proved when MT Tender son was denied reelection. He proceeds
 Most people will agree that the position
 Commissioner of Educationl requires very
 high degree of preparation, in the way of
 special training and in a wide range of
 experience; in other concerns where such 2 training is required, the selection is not
 made by the people but by board who can
 consider in detail the qualifications the
 ious candidate may have.
 And consider what would be the ten
 dency of the Commissioner his annual
 visits to the schools of the Territory if he
 had to depend his position through pop
 ular vote. Instead of spending his time in
 the schooroom inspecting the schools and
 the teaching, he would want to spend
 large part of his time shaking hands with
 the voters getting ready for the next cleo
 tion.
 We would have a hand-shaking politic-
 ian rather than an expert in school affairs,
 and the schools would suffer accordincgly. MT. Karnes contends that continuous Board of Education ought to have its duties defined by law that it ought to have control of all the schools and colleges supported in whole part by the Territory, and continues:
 This Board should study the needs of
 the schools and colleges of the Territory,
 and all requests for aid for schools should
 be presented by this Board directly to the
 Legislature. Being continuous Board, it
 could determine the best policies from time
 to time for the schools, and could execute
 through the Commissioner and the President
 of the college The Legislature would be
 check on the appointments made by the
 Governor to places on the Board and there
 being only one new member appointed each
 year, at least five members would be &C.,
 qualnted With their general objectives at all
 times.
 AS stated before, this has been the ten
 dency in the most recent legislation in the
 States and with those States that have
 tried it out, it has proven very satisfactory
 If is the latest thing in State organiza-
 tion and there is reason why the Ter
 ritory of Alaska should lag behind in any
 thing not even in education
 MT Karnes could have also drawn upon the system in vogue in the sef-governing school dis tricts for precedents for his recommendations The most democratic of our governments in the United States are those that have control of local af- fairs The universal rule in these is for the people to elect local boards of education The boards ther select the local teaching staffs and have full control over the schools. That is democratic government The average voter understands that he has not the facilities or the time for passing upon the qualifications of people for technical work but ht ought to have the knowledge necessary select petent and honest men for board of education that would give the time and ability necessary tt master the problems that confront them
 ANOTHER HONOR FOR COOLIDGE.