Henry Cherry Educator-Politician" (1968)

Western Kentucky University TopSCHOLAR® Faculty/Staff eP rsonal Papers WKU Archives Records 6-1968 UA36I/2 Carl Chelf - Henry Cherry Educator- Politician Carl Chelf Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/fac_staff_papers Part of the Education Commons, Political History Commons, Political Science Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Chelf, Carl, "UA36I/2 Carl Chelf - Henry Cherry Educator-Politician" (1968). Faculty/Staff erP sonal Papers. Paper 18. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/fac_staff_papers/18 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by TopSCHOLAR®. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty/Staff eP rsonal Papers by an authorized administrator of TopSCHOLAR®. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A SSLSCTI73 VIEW OF THE POLITICS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IK KENTUCKY AND TH3 HOLS OF H, H, CiUSERT, SDUCATOa-POUTICIAK Carl ?• ChslX A Preganted to tho Faculty of The Graduate Collega in the Univsrsity of K-sbraska In Partial Fuifillaiant of iiequiramsnts For the Dogree of Doctor cf Philosophy Dspartmsnt of Political Scionco Under tho Supervision o* Dr. Jasper B8 Shannon , Nebraska f 1968 TA3L5 OF CONTENTS Chaptsr I Introduction. ».<.,........*... 1 Pattern of Educational Dsvelopment in Kentucky Stats Colleges becoa-s Universities Chapter II Political BaCKground of Education in Kentucisy • 11 Social arid Political Beginnings in Kentucky Early Educational Efforts Civil War's Impact on Politics arid Education Development of Higher Education Effects of Populism on State Politics Chaptar III Professional PrQ3sure and Educational Davolopaent 36 History of Educational Organization in Kentucky Early Efforts at Teacher Training Development of tho K2A. Pressure for Creation of Stats Normal Schools Educational Improvement Coamisaion Chapter IV Founding the Konral Schools ...«•••••• 86 Norcaal School Legislation Opposition to Normal Schools Location of the hoir.al Schools Opsr.in^ of tho Jlorsal Schools Chapter V Ksnry Hardln Chorry: "lorsal School Lsadar. 117 Boyhood and Early Education History of tha Southern Nor:nal School Southern Mortal under tlis Chsrry Brothers H. K» Chsrry'a Educational Pidlosopliy Chapter VI Collets President and Politician. ••••».» 150 Chsrry and Kis Techniques Early Growth and Dav3lopmont of Western Cherry's Caspai^ns for Public Offico Wâterii Bscomoa a Teachers Colloga Chaptar VII IU }U Chorry and Higher Education in Kentucky • 224 Chsrry's Educational Leadership Cherry's Influanco on Western Cherry and the State Collaâ Systea Tho Politics of.Hishor Education Appendix A Stato Central Cosiraittoa of the ElCe ««...• 251 Appendix a State Normal Schools in 18?5» ......... 252 Appendix C Normal School Foundations and Statehood Dataa • 253 Appendix D Western Enrollments, 19O7-1937*. ..•*.*.. 254 Appendix E Financial Receipts of Western, 1906-1937• ... 255 Appendix F Characteristics of State Legislators* • • • • • 256 Appendix G Member® of Western's Board of Regents, 1906-4937 257 Bibliography. ••...• , 258 PREFACE During the last two decades, sines the launching of the first Russian Spitinik jarred Americans out of their cospl&cency, scores of books and articles hava been written stout American education* Every- one froai the top professional educators to top- man in the military has had hie explanation for why "Johnny can't read." Too such of this writing has been mora emotional than it has b-aen thoughtful. This particular study is not aimed at pointing out any of the shortcomings of American education or adding to all the literature explaining the proper goals and objectives of our schools. This is a study of the role of polities in education—more speci- fically, the role of politics in the founding and development of a state college. It is not an expose* or an inside story of tha sensa- tional, "now it can ba toldB type. It is simply an analysis arid an attespted explanation of the interactions of the various elements in the policy-making proeess-^-public op5.rdon, interest groups, individuals, legislators—»in the founding and growth of a state college. The study will trace the evolution of an idea or public interest into public policy. This transformation of & public interest through periods of sharp disagreement, indifference and even skepticism into a public pro* graa is an excellent example of the political process and its functioning. Out of sometimes bitter argument and sharply conflicting ideas thera slowly emerged a legislative programs. This is a rather ambitious undertaking sinea at the present tine not much work has been dona on th® relations of politics and highar II education. Only in recent years have the historians and political scientists directed their attention to this significant phase of our eocial and political development. These two fields have in the past been regarded as incompatible, and traditionally politics and education hav© baan studied separately. For decades the study of American education has been surrounded by a non-partisan atmosphere, and educators have shied away from both polities and political scientists. One reason for this ha3 basn tha fact that political scientists thsiaselvoa, with only a few exceptions, have virtually ignored ths subject of education, only seldom deeming ita functions worth more than a chapter or two in state and local government textbooks. Another reason ia the fact that professional educators have not aada any efforts at political analysis of their own trade, but have instead been much more interested in propagating th© myth that education is completely non-political. The reason for this is that politics has become a tamiahad word in the American vocabulary and is abhorred by many educators. To many Ameri- cans th3 word politics is synonymous with self-seeidng, power-hungry, unprincipled individuals. To describe tha educators' activities as being political would bo to place thss in a poor light as far as aiany of the public &r& concerned. So they prefer to be "educational etates- menn rather than "politicians." It is quite natural for those engaged in a particular profession to regard it as being unique and based on hi^h principles, ouch groups which have, or think they have, a unique obligation and a special competence to serve tha public, tend to feel that they owe it to their constituency to "stay out of politics." Thus our culture is stesped Ill in tha notion that in matters spiritual and intellectual neither tha crassnesa of the market plae© nor tha power-seeKing of the hustings should have any substantial influence.1 This doss not necessarily naaan that the avoidance of a recognition of tha political nature of education has been cynical or naiv©. To a nsarko4 degrees it has been an outgrowth of our culture and was dictated by prudenca on the part of educators. Bailey and his colleagues who have studied this matter have this to say about the situation: There is irony in tha fact that school systoms and school problems have rarely been studied as political phenomena. More public money ia spent for education than for any other single function of state and local government. No public school in America exists without state legislative sanction. All over the United Statoa school boards ara elected or are appointed through a highly political process- often juost supremely political vhen called "non- political. w Educational planks aro increasingly found in partisan platfores at all levels of Ameri- can politics. Tha 3izs, location, costs, looks, and facilities of school buildinga are frequently jaatters of high political controversy. The size, scope and influence of stata departments of education are inevitably conditioned by political forces. « . In short, education is one of tha raost thoroughly political enterprises in American life.2 In reality education in the united states iu about as non-political as Lyndon Johnson. Education and politics are so interwoven it is im- possible to understand ona without understanding the other. Stephen Bailey et al,. Schoolmen and Politics; A Study of State Aid to Education in the Northeast (Syracuse? Syracuse University Press. 1962)/ p. viii. 2Ibid., p. viii. IV This is really no causa Tor great alars because politics does not necessarily aaan the dirty business ©any people iaaadiately think of when they hear the word. Khan someone a&ya education should be "non- political," what ha is really saying is that education should not be a partisan matter or an area exploited for political patronage. This is Bouna reasoning) for the use of the schools for patronage purposes could destroy •theia. But tha term politics as used in this study has a rsuch fuller meaning than this. Politico, according to Harold Lasswell'^ clasoic definition, is the study oi" infiuencs arid tha influential* In this respect, politics includes tha iaa.Kin.3 of governmental decisions and the struggle to gain or retain the power to taaK© those decisions. In thi<5 much broader sens a, politic 3 i3 concerned with the forces and influences which shape and determine public policy. In our nation these policy decisions are not mado in a vacuua but &rs tha product of a coi&plox system involving many forces and presauros both fait and anti- cipated* Groups and individuals oxort their pressures on this process through many channels. Education is, of course, one of the H*any participants in this intricate political process. Governmental decisions pertaining to education ar© tha result of the great faultiplicity oi" preoauros and influences brought to bear in thi3 complex systaa. Organized groups of educators and educational clientele wield their influence with vary- ing degrees of success* Those concerned with educational policy have no choice but to neôtiate with political officials who are at the same tijae being pressured by other interests that desire other goals— higher expenditures for urban transportation, for batter highways, for mental health or for lower taxes. John K. Galbraith wrote in The Afflugrvt Society: Education, no less than rational defense or foreign assistance, is in the public dosain.

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