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DELEGATE MAURER: Mr. Chairman,
I certainly agree as to the importance of
the post of state superintendent of schools,
but I would call the attention of this Com-
mittee to the executive branch article, sec-
tion 4.21, and in the middle of that article,
referring to the governor, it says, "acting
alone, he shall appoint each chief adminis-
trative officer serving under a board or a
commission, which is the head of a princi-
pal department, except the head or chief
administrative officer of an institution of
higher education, or of the state public
school system.
I believe that there is a protection for the
state superintendent of schools, and I op-
pose the amendment.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Wheatley.
DELEGATE WHEATLEY: Mr. Chair-
man, ladies and gentlemen of the Conven-
tion, I will be very brief. As I said before,
I think the substitute that was offered
made it very difficult to vote against it.
However, I feel in this case we are being
uncomplimentary to the executive article
and as Delegate Maurer points out in 4.21,
we do say acting alone the governor shall
not appoint the head of an education de-
partment, but we do not say in what man-
ner he shall be appointed. We hope that
this article would lay to rest that question,
the question that was resolved in Maryland
in 1921 as a result of an education survey
commission which said that the superin-
tendent, who is the state's educational ex-
ecutive, should be chosen not by the gov-
ernor alone, but by a board, as far removed
from political influences as possible, for a
term either indefinite or long enough to
avoid danger of political complications.
This recommendation was subsequently
followed.
I say by this amendment we put to rest,
and to quote Judge Sherbow, give psycho-
logical assurance, that this is not the be-
ginning of another battle but the recogni-
tion of one that has ended. For that reason
I urge support of this amendment.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any other dele-
gate desire to speak against the amend-
ment? Delegate Singer.
DELEGATE SINGER: Mr. Chairman,
it is not our intention by our amendment
that was just adopted or on this amend-
ment to give psychological assurance to
anyone. Our purpose is to provide the best
type of educational system that we can for
the State.
Delegate Blair says do not delete this
feature. We are not. On the contrary, we
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are not adding it to the constitution. We
have had it in statutory form for many
decades. It has worked and has worked
well, I will agree. There is no indication of
any need to elevate this into a constitu-
tional provision. There has been no indi-
cation of any interference. There was no
testimony as such. There was no indication
of legislative dissatisfaction with this
method. I submit to you that we shall allow
a system which has worked well to continue
without tampering with it now, and not try
to make a decision at this point as to how
the system shall be forever.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Vecera.
DELEGATE VECERA: Mr. Chairman,
fellow delegates, I think in the legislative,
executive and judicial article we have
placed many things which give psycho-
logical assurances. We have created many
posts that should not have been in the con-
stitution, we have detailed many, many fac-
tors throughout the constitution. Now it
seems to me when we come to the question
of education, which will literally affect
many thousands of children, we are cutting
to the bare bone what we should put in the
constitution. As Delegate Maurer indicated,
this is a very important post, and I think
we ought to give it constitutional recogni-
tion. We ought to establish some guide lines
for education. Education will change over
the years and become one of our most im-
portant assets in this country, and not only
that, education will cost us billions of dol-
lars in our budget. I urge you to study
carefully the considerations before you, not
to consider the weekend coming up, as
many of you are, and I have been hearing
talk about getting out of here as early as
possible. I do not think this is really justi-
fied as far as education is concerned, and
that you consider the questions very care-
fully.
I urge you to adopt this amendment.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any other dele-
gate desire to speak in opposition? Delegate
Mentzer.
DELEGATE MENTZER: I just won-
dered if I was going to get an answer to
my question of Delegate Kirkland.
THE CHAIRMAN : As soon as the Chair
has recognized everybody who desires to
speak, I will afford you that privilege.
Does any delegate desire to speak in op-
position? The Chair recognizes Delegate
Pullen.
DELEGATE PULLEN: Mr. Chairman,
I promise to be brief, and I hope and be-
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