NE of the, great questions confronting all students of municipal administration is: How can we develop a class of trained officials for our cities and towns, who will bring to the administration of our local affairs a practical knowledge of the things necessary to insure the highest degree of efficiency? In every one of our local communities we have an abundance of raw material out of which may be made officials more or less expert, men (and women) intelligent and honest, earnest, and eager to

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... ender public service, yet ignorant of the best methods to pursue to accomplish the highest results. The problem, therefore, is how to shape this raw material into a finished product that will serve the public needs in the way of educated officials, educated in the special business of municipal administration. We have found comparatively little difficulty here in California in securing the election of a fairly high class of public officials. This is due to the fact that we have absolutely non-partisan elections and have succeeded in eliminating the political boss from our municipal affairs. We have, therefore, secured the foundation upon which to build a system of municipal administration by trained officials, and even now are engaged in introducing an educational system so that these officials may eventually become trained to the efficien't discharge of their public duties. We cannot train a man in a year or two years. Nearly all of our elected officials now hold for four years and some for six. We are gradually reducing the number of elective officers and making administrative officers appointive to serve during good behavior or under a merit system. Thus we provide sufficient time for an official to train himself if he possesses the necessary ambition. As one of the means employed to furnish the training of officials comes the work of the League of California Municipalities. This association was found in December, 1898, nearly fourteen years ago. At that time there were about one hundred incorporated cities and towns in the state and the idea was suggested to the mayor of a small town near San Francisco that it would be 'a good idea to have an organization of city 0 The first requisite is to secure long terms for our public officials.