Kansas Educational Progress \\'
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
kansas educational progress \\'. C. Kamp'>chroeder at tcndl·d a Fourth Congre'> '>tonal l)i,trict dinner in \'r.ichita October 20, 1967. \\'. C. Kampschroeder died in a \Vichita hospital on ~o \ ember 8, 1967, from injuries suffered in an auto accident five days earher Ills assistant \1urle ~ 1. Hayden was ap pointed December 5 to complete the unexpired term of the last elected State Supenntendent in Kansas. \Iurie \1. Hayden ~ con gratulated by Go~ ernor Robert Docking after be mg named State Super intendent on December 5, 1967. kansas educational progress 1858-1967 ..........ii A brief rev1ew of education in Kansas and the ro]e of the State Department of Public Instruction in educational progress from 1858 to 1967 PH!p.tn•d lm \V. C. KA\tt•sCIIIIOEur.n. State SuJwrir~tt r~dc11t of PulJlic Iustructiort 13) Am L r. "l'JJJI()( Kl\10111 0~ June, 1967 kansas educational progress 1858-1967 published by the State Department of Public Instruction 120 East Tenth, Topeka, Kansas 66612 June, 1967 Art and D esign .......................... ............................ Paul R. Pickerill Photography...............................................................Harold Caldwell Editing and L ay ou t..................................................Arlin R. Morgan This publication is made possible through grants to the State Department of Public Instruction by the U. S. Office of Education under authority of E. S. E. A. Title V. TITLE PAGE PHOTO—The Kansas Education Building, located at 120 East Tenth Street in Topeka, was first occupied by the Department of Public Instruction in October, 1966. This move marked the first time since 1951 that the entire Department had been housed at one location. The building, which had been used by an automobile agency, was completely remodeled to meet needs of the Department with office facilities, a modern system of temperature control, appropriate redecoration inside and out, confer ence rooms, storage, and adjacent parking space. The new quarters provide more than 32,000 square feet of gross floor space, which enable the Department to provide many services that were not possible when the staff was operating from five different buildings. 2 foreword There 1<; '>lrong evidence th,tt educational progreso; m :1\. ,lllsas has not \wen adequ<ltel> tr<.>ated in <111\ formal publicatiOn Issued hy tlw 'ilale super intendent of pubhc mstruct10n. There arc C<'I tam regulatOr) supen ISOr), c:onsultativc, and lc.tdersh1p I unctions "l11c h 1<.>late to the off1cc of state supNintendcnt oJ puhltc mstruction T hese <ll <' prcscnhed hv the state constitution and st.ttutory authont) .dong '' tth p<)\\ ers granted thmugh the dewlopmcnt of rules and regulatiom. There,., olniously .l need for a trea tise dealing e'>pc•cJall~ wtth these Junctions Then, too c:l.mfication of the role and relatioml11ps of the st<tte superin tendent '\ith the state board of c•ducation and the state board of vocatwnal <·clucalion is IH.•Cd<'d prior to th<' Implementation ot \mendmcnt o 3 "hiCh amends the original Article \'I of the tate ( omtttutwn. The 196~ Sesswn of the state kgisl.tturc '' tll prO\ tde the nc•ceso,an legislation to make the amendment operative not later than Januar) 1 1, 1969. It is fitting that an 0\ cn•iew of the offi<.ial '>t.tte agenc\ for cducatwn he .lccomplished at th1s parttcular time. \Y1thout question the person best qualified to prepare such a tre.tttw IS \lr. i\del F Throckmorton '' ho served seventeen years plus eight months as state <;Upt•rintcndent of public instruc tiOn He ".ts approached. and he accepted the responsibiltl\ to do the tl<'ccssary researt'h for and the'' ntmg of the manu'>cnpt. The pubhcation of Kamas Educat wrwl Progress will add much to the h1stor) of educatiOn m t Ius state. W . C. Kampschroeder State Superintendent of Public Instruction 3 table of contents PACE foreword 3 introduction 0 education in Kansas, 1858-1914 8 The State Agency for Education 14 the middle period, 1915-1944 26 New Educational Developments 30 the state department of public instruction, 1945-1967 38 Educational Progress 3 A New State Agency for Education 44 Improved Department Status 47 The State Department of Administration .56 The State Superintendent in 1967 57 The Educational Secretary 59 Looking Ahead 61 Internal Organization of the Department 63 The Division of Instructional Services 66 Textbook Adoptions 68 The Curriculum Section 71 Special Education 74 Guidance and Counseling Services 76 Titles I and II of Public Law 89-10 77 The Division of Administrative Se rvices 78 School Finance Section 79 School F acilities Services 79 School Lunch Program 80 Statistical Services and School Finance 0 Civil Defense Adult Education 82 School District Unification 2 Division of Ce rtification and Accreditation 9 Teacher Certification 9 Elementary and Secondary School Accreditation 93 Driver Education 95 Kansas Junior Colleges 96 State Scholarships 97 Adult Education 98 fed era 1-state re lations 102 appendix 10 index 114 5 introduction Dr. I . \\. Brooks turm the State uperintendcnt s offic..c O\ cr to Adel f. fhrotkmorton Ill Januaf) 1949 This re\'ie\\ of educution in Kausas '' luch al o pr( ( nt tJ r I f t state .tgency for education fa11s mto three arl d f I rn•Tl IS5S to 191-1, the foundatiOns of th .,tat 1 l 1 The offices of .. ta.te and count\ sup(: nntend nt " r trirb w~re organued and prO\""JS n m.ld{ f the School Fund CommJ'i 1 n '' re te l t fund, a state board of educahon '' f rm 1 mission \\as 'i t up to admn 1 ter lfnnn The second, which was a kind of middle period, began with formal establishment of the State Department of Education in 1915. From that year until the Department was restructured in 1945, and designated as the State Department of Public Instruction, the groundwork was laid for achiev ing many important objectives that were not immediately attained. Through out the middle years state superintendents; educational organizations; and study groups, some of which were formed by legislative action, worked for a better system of school district organization, higher qualifications for teachers, equitable and adequate financial support for schools, high-school extension courses, improved instructional programs, vocational education, better working conditions for teachers, and a stronger state agency for education. The third period, which opened in 1945, introduced what has been re ferred to as an educational revolution in Kansas, so pronounced were ad vances made subsequent to that year. Between 1945 and 1967 most of the goals envisioned during the 1914-1944 period were realized, and the en deavors of more than three decades were rewarded. Better organizational patterns for school districts evolved, the degree standard for all beginning teachers was reached, a school foundation finance act provided more ade quate sources of school support, area vocational schools were established, the 1941 teacher retirement act was greatly improved and supplemented with social security benefits, additional services were provided by the State Department of Public Instruction, a state system of junior colleges was developed, and a constitutional amendment approved, which sets up an elective state board of education with authority to appoint a state commis sioner of education. This account of educational progress in Kansas has many shortcomings. In the interest of brevity, numerous significant details have been omitted, and but scant recognition has been given to legislators, organizations, and individual citizens for dedicated service that made possible educational gains of the past two decades. Neither have state superintendents or staff members been given the credit due them for their contributions to the ex pansion of educational opportunity in Kansas. Fortunately, photographs of all territorial and state superintendents are available, and have been reproduced in this publication as part of the official record. One objective sought in presenting this outline of educational de velopments, with some documentation, is to provide a starting point for other and more detailed studies of education in Kansas. Perhaps a review of this nature will help mark the close of the era in which elected superin tendents of public instruction served as the chief state school officers in Kansas. ---- A. F. T. 7 chapter i education in kansas 1858-1914 "Sd10ol houses or rude pattern, huilt or log or .. od, prang up c\ery- .. \\ 1u•rc. \\ hat is thought to ha\ t> bt•en the first frpe school in Kansas for white children on I~ \\as estahli hed in 1851 at ( amcil Cro\ e a trading post on tlw Sa uta Fe Trail in\\ hat is n<m ~I rrb C unt) . Ahout fifteen children of go\ enmwnt emp1o\ ees tradt rc; and families comwctecl \\ ith Indiau affair') attend{ d tl h c. I \\ lnch wa~ held in the Old Ka\\ ~li sion building and tam~ht l ) \Jr T . S Huffakcr. 1 This was a stormy, unsettled period with pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces contending for control of the Kansas Territory, which was formed under provisions of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. As evidence of these struggles, three constitutions were adopted by the voters before the Wyandotte Constitution, under which Kansas became a state, was approved. In spite of these difficulties, a legal system of schools existed in the territory al though the quality of instruction and the number of schools estab lished depended on the interest and support provided in each local community. Life was hard in this undeveloped region where survival depended on courage, brawn, and endless toil, with academic achievement playing a minor role. The task of starting a school in the northwest part of the state in the 1870 s typifies the prob lems faced bv pioneers as they sought educational opportunities for their children: “The pioneers brought with them a desire for education and the hope of religion.