1927 The Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide Page: 116
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116 THE TEXAS ALMANAC.
these school offices proper attention. The
voters are called upon to consider so
many offices and candidates that they can
not concentrate upon these particular of-
fies, and as a rule generally concentrate
upon only a few offices of a political
character, such as Governor and Attorney
General.
More Interest in Trustees.
"That system is best which produces
the best results. The appointive system
is proven meritorious by its fruits. It
will not take the schools away from the
control of the people, but instead will
make popular control more complete and
certain. The people will elect the County
Trustees in a spring election, when it is
possible for them to concentrate upon the
one matter laid before them. They can
hold these trustees definitely responsible
for whatsoever they may do in choosing
the superintendents and otherwise.
"The people have an empty and almost
barren thing in the opportunity now af-
forded them to choose the State Super-
intendent and the County Superintendent
in elections replete with distracting in-
fluences. To this situation there can be
well applied a statement made by Wood-
row Wilson in advocating the commis-
sion form of municipal government, under
which all city officers save five are ap-
pointive. Mr, Wilson met the contention
that this would take a right or power
away from the people by saying: 'It is a
travesty to give to the people a power
that they can not use.'
"The people now have the power to
elect County Superintendents, but they
are blocked from using it advantageously,
and the situation as to the State Super-
intendent is becoming perilous.
Higher Education,
"n the field of higher education, this
commission is submitting measures which
it believes will co-ordinate the institu-
tions of higher learning and improve the
management thereof.
"One of these measures provides for a
State board to pass upon the lines of serv-
ice of the respective institutions, in order
that all necessary lines shall be covered.
but without unnecessary duplication, and
that each institution may be protected in
the lines assigned to it. The acts of the
board shall be subject to legislative re-
view.
Too Many Higher Institutions.
"In this connection, this commission in-
vites attention to the recommendation of
the survey staff that no additional insti-
tutions of higher learning shall be estab-
lished in Texas, at least not until the ex-
isting institutions shall be properly
equipped and supported, and to the ob-
servation of the staff that 'the resources
of the State are not exactly unlimited.'
The staff also remarks upon the large
number of State institutions of higher
learning in Texas, saying that some of
thse evidently were established for po-
litical reasons.
"Attention often has been called to the
fact that Texas has no great, outstanding
institution of higher learning. That is ap-
proximately true, but it is not because the
State Government is niggardly; rather, it
is because this State has dissipated its
revenues among a large number of insti-
tuti ns, instead of concentrating them
upon a few, as is done in States that have
furnished the outstanding examples.
"Many States rank lower than Texas intheir per csapita expenditures for higher
education. Among these States of lower
rank than Texas are Ohio, Missouri, Illi-
nois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsyl-
vania anid New York. New York notably
has made slight excursions into the field
of higher education. Illinois and Wis-
consin each has centered its higher edu-
cational endeavor almost exclusively in a
single great institution - its university.
Other States have done similarly.
"Recognizing the fact that the estab-
lishment of additional higher educational
institutions is sought in part for reasons
other than an interest in education, this
commission strongly indorses the recom-
mendation of the staff that no more .such
institutions shall be established by the
State until the existing institutions shall
be properly equipped and supported. It
calls attention to the proposed bill that
would regulate the employment of any
funds provided by the State in the estab-
lishment or maintenance of junior col-
leges and urges the enactment of this
measure.
Longer Terms for Boards.
"This comirr ssion presents measures
providing for longer terms of the boards
of regents and other governing bodies of
the institutions of higher learning. The
constitutional amendment fixing the terms
of these officers at six years was adopted
for the purpose of stabilizing the man-
agement of these institutions, to prevent
any one Governor from revolutionizing
the management. It is notorious that it
has not produced that result, for every
Governor serving two terms appoints a
majority of each such board, and in case
of vacancies in his first term, he may ac-
quire complete control of a board within
that period. The measures submitted by
this commission provide for terms of tern
years, lapping; and also that vacancies
shall be filled by the remaining members
of the board. These measures also seek
to define and to properly restrict the
functions of the members of such board,
so that actions shall be taken only by the
boards as a whole and not by their in-
dividual members, leaving the executive
duties to be performed by the officers
chosen by the boards.
Equalization of Opportunity.
"The third ill from which the schools of
Texas suffer is the almost lack of any-
thing in the system to promote equality
of educational opportunity, which is an
ideal of the people of Texas.
"This commission, in drafting the meas-
ures that it now submits, has proceeded
in the belief that there should be such
opportunity in all the levels of education
from bottom to top, and that it would be
futile to attempt equalization in the
higher levels without also attempting it
in the lower levels.
"Opening the doors of high schools, col-
leges and the University does not of itself
afford equality of opportunity for ad-
vanced education. There must be equality
of opportunity in the elementary schools
in order that there shall be equality of
opportunity in the higher schools. The
higher schools are effectually closed
against the child who has not been pro-
vided with a foundation through elemen-
tary training. Moreover, we must con-
sider the fate of 'the child who does not
or will not go beyond the elementary
schools. The child who has been well
trained in the elementary branches has
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1927 The Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide, book, 1927~; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth123785/m1/120/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.