The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-24
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
Edited BY D. D. Hornaday, Co. supt.
County Uniformity.

The following communication was
received by one Of the teachers OF DICK
inson county, in answer to an inquiry
concerning the success of County Uni
formity Of Text Books in Riley county:
MANHATTAN, Nov. 24th, 1855.
T II FNGLE:-Dear Sir-Agreeably
to yor request l send few statements
on the movement for County UnltormI-
ty of Text Books in Riley county:
This county was one Of the fIrSt 10
rnoye in favor of uniformity. For sew
eraI wears the matter has been under
discussion. Our teachers almost unan-
imousIy have favored it. Other active
and procrcssIve friends Of education
have stood by the teacher in advocacy
of it. A petition circulated through
the county last winter received almost
a thousand signatures in one week.
The measure proposed was explained
and reasons were given showing ltS de-
sirableness in district meetings all OYel
the county. 1t is believed that III every
district. where this was done 10y lhe
friends OF the measure, a majority WIS
carried in its favor AS soon as II was
know that the county had voted IN Ia
vor of if. an election was duly called TO
choose a Text Book Commission. In
this as in other matters all undue haste
was avoided. DeIibeTati0n and care
marked every step in the movement.
The committee elected was upon the
whole well chosen. Some weeks before
its meeting leading publishing houses
were invited to send for examination
and comparison complete sample sets
of text books. Some in response sent
partial sets, some complete sets, some
sent single sets to the County SuperlIl-
tendent. and others sent sets to each
member of the committee. And sur
prising as it NAV seem. some houses
sent agents to represent them and show
I'D the merits of their books. These
agents 10y the way are as rule, gen
tlemanly set of men. They treated the
committee handsomely. Our local Del
monicos were drawn upon with gener-
Gus hand.
The committee as whole was both
prepared and competent to make a Ju-
dicious selection of books, not through
favor OF undue persuasion OF interested
parties. but on the merits Of the books.
The list is, in the main, a good one: a
marked improvement on the series here
tofore in use. 1t is possible that d few
people in the county may at first, recall
citrate little against the exchange on
account Of the expense involved, but
they will no doubt cheeTfully acqulese
in the movement as soon as they lind
that they are bound to save money by
it in the long run.
The following advantages we snail
have secured as soon as the books are
generally introduced into the schools OF
the county:
l. Uniformity Of books. The poor
man obliged to move often from place
to place in the county, will not hereaf-
ter be obliged to throw away his child
ren's text books and buy a new supply
every time he migrates.
.. Better books than we had before.
Heretofore we have had in the county
some very good text books and some
very Door ones. Now all alike have
good text bOokS-bOOkS on an average
far superior TO those formerly in use.
D. jUllOIlu pIiCCS' AliO 1OC''l1 N'Ot
in country store can no longer add to
the regular retail price of his little stock
of school books from twenty to thirty
per cent for his own special profit. lie
must hereafter sell at the regulation
prices or 90 out of the business. This
matter is secured by bond and guaran-
tee of the house furnishing lie books.
4. Lower prices. The committee
have secured from the several houses
prices averaging from ten to twenty
per cent. lower than the regular retail
price heretofore paid, and from twenty
to forty per cent. below the prices
asked by sundry small dealers in the
county.
Upon the whole the friends of this
measure in Riley county are quite en-
couraged over the results thus fal
reached, and look for future advantages
from ii if possible more important than
those already secured.
W II. LEE.