676 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXX. No. 776 



most corrupt and most inefficient of Amer- 

 ican institutions, the city government, do 

 it ? " Probably tbe querist is not aware of 

 the form in which the question might have 

 been as aptly put some years ago by a worthy 

 predecessor in the same position in the same 

 city of Los Angeles, and with the same feeling 

 born of equivalent experience, but with tables 

 turned. There was a time here when " the 

 most corrupt and most inefficient of American 

 institutions" was the board of education it- 

 self. And the present so-called " non-par- 

 tisan" board, honorable and capable and effi- 

 cient as it is, must he regarded, in toto, as 

 almost unique among the boards of its class 

 in this city. There was a plenty of vicious 

 candidates to run against these men; and 

 there would be many now of self-seeking poli- 

 ticians, if the people had not at last awakened 

 and come into their own. 



This, then, is the conclusion of the whole 

 matter. There is no process or method or 

 subterfuge, no manner of means whereby the 

 lifeblood of the common school system may 

 be kept pure and wholesome, save in the 

 healthy growth and expression of public senti- 

 ment. No politician can withstand this 

 weapon and no unworthy person can secure 

 the power to harm, if all who love and revere 

 the true spirit of American institutions will 

 simply recognize their own relations to the 

 schools when they cast their votes. With good 

 officers in place, it matters very little what 

 body politic assigns the funds; it will be well 

 done by either one. With bad men in power, 

 it matters not, likewise; for no good can come 

 of it, anyway. As a matter of business wis- 

 dom, the authorities most closely in touch with 

 the needs of the school ought to be given the 

 most extensive powers relating thereto. But, 

 with efficient public servants, the best possible 

 arrangement is one which throws the initiative 

 power and responsibility upon the general in 

 direct command. The least possible inter- 

 ference consistent with resources and environ- 

 ment makes for the greatest economy and 

 efficiency in the end. Boards of education, 

 city councils and similar representative bodies 

 should be mainly counsellors and legislators. 



and the bestowal of patronage should be be- 

 yond their reach. 



One peculiar feature of our school system is 

 positively ridiculous when thoughtfully con- 

 sidered. This is the eligibility of the notori- 

 ously ignorant to positions demanding knowl- 

 edge. A man unable to read or write may 

 readily acquire power to decide upon the 

 teaching of reading and writing. Educational 

 qualifications are demanded of teachers, and 

 now of public servants in most positions of the 

 most ordinary importance, outside of educa-- 

 tional boards of control. There can be no field 

 where lack of such a requirement is more 

 lamentable than in school supervision. 



The vast influence of the National Educa- 

 tional Association in harmonizing and adjust- 

 ing the diversity arising from varying state 

 and local systems amply justifies the hope that 

 a more concentrated and authoritative de- 

 partment of the government, well supported, 

 as are other more narrow and more clannish 

 interests, might accomplish far more than can 

 be predicted in set terms. And the greatest 

 of its aims should be to collect, arrange and 

 disseminate accurate information regarding 

 all phases of educational problems. The de- 

 partment of agriculture, ably conducted, has 

 not only built up a cult of investigators, but 

 in connection with the training of these, it has 

 revolutionized agricultural education in the 

 whole United States; and these important re- . 

 suits to the rural districts are far more already 

 than has been accomplished by all the worthy 

 work of mere educators and their machinery 

 in the same field. Educational experiment sta- 

 tions, sorely needed, have failed for lack of 

 support. Agricultural experiment stations, 

 fostered by a government department, have 

 waxed strong and forced their way to recogni- 

 tion and reputation among the farming com- 

 munities. We need strong support for like 

 investigations in human culture. 



For the crime, disease and ignorance of this 

 generation, history is responsible, all credit for 

 slow and sure amelioration being likewise 

 credited to the account. For what remains 

 after us to clog the veins of humanity, we must 



