state officials, including the governor and the state superintendent of education, sometimes of citizens appointed for this purpose alone by the governor or (in four states) by the legislature.  In only one state is it elected by popular vote.  In all states there is also a chief educational officer, usually called state superintendent or commissioner of education or of public instruction.  In several states women hold this position.  The state superintendent is sometimes elected by popular vote, sometimes appointed by the state board of education or by the governor.  Under the state superintendent there are deputy superintendents, heads of departments, and supervisors of the various branches of educational work.  The diagram on page 293 shows a plan of organization proposed for one state by the United States Bureau of Education.

RELATION OF STATE TO LOCAL ORGANIZATION

The extent of the supervision and control exercised by the state department of education over the schools of the state varies within wide limits.  In some cases it is very little.  In many states there are state courses of study that are followed more or less closely by local communities.  In a number of states the textbooks used by all schools are selected either by the state board of education or by a special state textbook commission.  In New York State the examination questions used in all schools are prepared by the state educational authorities.  Some states furnish text books free, and in a very few the state even prints all textbooks.  It has not been easy to work out a well-balanced plan of state administration of schools that would ensure a thoroughgoing education for the entire state, and that would at the same time leave sufficient freedom to local school authorities to adjust the work to local needs.

HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Many of the states support higher educational institutions, such as state universities and state agricultural colleges, at which attendance is free for citizens of the state.  There are also special state schools for defectives, such as the blind and the deaf.

POLICY OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT TOWARD EDUCATION

The national government gave its first support to public education by the Ordinance of 1787 under which the Northwest Territory was organized.  It provided that “religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary government to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged.”  As new states were organized, sections of the public lands were to be reserved for school purposes.  Grants of public land were also made for the establishment of agricultural colleges and experiment stations.

THE UNITED STATES BUREAU OF EDUCATION