685331 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1941 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. C State control over public higher educational institutions_ III H Foreword WHEN, by the tenth amendment of the Federal Constitution, there were left to each State of the Union the right and the responsibility to organize its educational system as it saw fit, the way was opened for establishing the beginnings of State policy with reference to public education. Moreover, the grants of land made for educational purposes and the creation of school funds, in the use of which local district shared, brought early into the educational picture some form of State regulation. The receipt of aid from the State was accompanied by the necessity of making reports to the State, and this in turn evolved into compliance with other State demands as well. As a result, State officials were appointed to receive reports from the school corporations and to deal with them in matters relating to the apportionment of funds and other items of State policy. The early duties of the officers thus appointed were largely clerical, statistical, and advisory with reference to the application of the State school law. But out of them grew the comprehensive structure of the modern State education department, with its chief State school officer acting in many cases as executive officer of the State board of education. Today myriad responsibilities of administrative, supervisory, and advisory services replace the original simple functions of tabulation of records and management of funds. State educational administration has become a challenging opportunity for exercising constructive leadership in the State's educational affairs. Because of the individual authority of each State for its own educational program, practices and policies differ widely among them on many respects. Yet in the midst of differences there are also common elements of development. The United States Office of Education, in presenting this series of monographs, has attempted to point out those common elements, to analyze the differences, and to present significant factors in State educational structure. In so doing, it accedes to the requests of a large number of correspondents who are students of State school administration and who have experienced the need for the type of material offered in this series. The sources of information have taken the form of both documentary evidence and personal interviews. During the year 1939, more than 20 representatives of the Office of Education were engaged in visiting State education departments throughout the country, conferring in each case with the chief State school officer and his assistants. Working in "teams" of from 2 to 7 persons, they spent several days at the State offices of the respective States, seeking accurate and V |