The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-02-17
CORRESPONDENCE
The County Superintendent OF Schools
The Way to Procure Cheap
School Books.

TThe following letter WAS not meant
for publication. but it is well written, and
refers 10 very important questions now
being discussed, and so We take the lib
erty of printing it.-EDITOR ANTI Mo-
NOPOIIsT.
Feb. LIST, 1876.
Editor Anti- Monepolist:
I have it in mind to write you con-
Scerning some of the questions coming
~before your committees; and II they
shall be in any wise acceptable. or pro-
duc:iye OF good, shall be abundantly
repaid FOR the hour spent in writing you.
Let me premise by stating that 1 have
been shperint= ndent of schools in this
county for four years, (next March).
lst. Let the county superintendent
be elected as other county officers. save
that the candidates must be possessed OF
a certificate, as now required by law.
and that the state and the schools have
for the present year, the ser 'ces
of those who have y tull knowledge OF
the present condition Of the schools and
the teachers, rather than those Of an
inexperienced person, "who will require
nearly year to obtain this knOwledge.'
Let the present superintendent remain
in Office until the new shall be elected.
The present system has resulted IN
throwing out OF service some OF the best
superintendents in the state; tor in-
stance, Sanford Niles, OF Olmsted coun-
ty; VIM. Prentiss, OF Cottonwood coun-
tv;'and suppose in other cases others !;
these two were thrown out by boards oi
committees of differing politics.
As to the pay of the county superin-
tendent, let II remain rs now, save that
for districts having no schools he he paid
20, such district to have tine OF $40 or
more assessed upon them Tor such lack
OF duty, half to go to the general fund
or toward the school book expense here
after to be mentioned. \ superinten-
dent should take teachers magazines.
read much OF the best of newspapers anu
periodicals and te able to lose postage
and u lew cents weekly IN the way oi
aiding the poorer theachers to such text
. books As they need
End. The school book question. one
OF the greatest inportance,-d do not ask
the publishers to relax their efforts to get
up good books and attractive, but take
this course: Let the state buy of the
publishers 1T the SO or 45 per cent. Oft
from the retail price, and hold in stock
at three or four places throughout the
state. Let districts obtain their supplies
through the county superintendent. pay
ing enough to cover all expense ard
triile over In this way the whole ex-
pense of the department OF public in
struction may be paid. the same books
be had. and the rate be at the least cal
culation rs per cent. cheaper than now.
I do not like the idea OF complaining of
book publishers when two-,hirds of the
real profits go into the hands OF local
stationers and book dealers. Under
stand me, do not mean that the state
give the books to the people, but furnish
them ut from 20 TO IS per cent. OF the list
price.
Again. throw out the present readers.
v;ein2 in size and cost with the family
Bible; DO away with costly grammars.
Take language lessons; brief histories !:
concentrated Yet null arithmetics; such
books rs are now being sent forth by
several good houses. and you will have
less complaint.
am truly and respectfully yours.