The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-10

Some of the Plans That Will Be Advocated in
the Present Legislature.

A good many bills intended to regulate
the supply of textbooks in the public
schools are reported as ready to be offered
by members of the Legislature, which
meets to-day, and the probabilities are that
the textbook question will prove prom
inent feature in the deliberations of this
session. Some of the bills have for their
object the diminishing of the frequent
changes in books now made in city
schools. Others propose changes IN
the methods of furnishing books TO pupils,
and one, at least, contemplates the owner
ship of the books by the State and their free
use by all the children in the public schools.
The recent session of the State Board of
Education here gave opportunity for col
lecting the views of several PROMINENT State
educators and all of them, without any
exception, expressed opinions adverse to
the State taking upon itself the burden of
preparing the books for school use. Il base
my objections to that plan,' said one of
them, mot only on the expense that would
ground that the State cannot, in the nature
will be as good and as
cheap as those turned out by private par
ties: mean that If, as is proposed by some
of the school-book reformers,, the State is
induced to go into the publishing business,
having people to write textbooks and hav
ing them printed by the PUBLIC Printer. to
be distributed at cost, we shall have books
that will be unsatisfactory at any price,
active and potent opposition to the public
school system than any that now exists.
Two States have tried the plan-Minne-
sofa Which owns the copyright Of her
fishes her own books throughout, and in
both cases it has proven unsatisfactory"
What would be the cost of getting out n
full set of schOol-boOks by the Slater
economy used in doing the work. The
Pleasant bill, as L understand it, contem-
plates an expenditure of $4,000
for. the manuscript of twenty
books, or. in other words, the payment of
about $500 for the copyright of each. The
printing would vary with the material used
and the size of the edition. The bound re-
ports of the various State officers now cost
about 80 cents apiece, but neither
material, letter-press nor binding compare
with that of the modern schOol-boOk, which
has grown to be marvel of cheapness,
durability and completeness, so far as let
ter-press and illustrations are concerned.
A set of State books, if issued and placed
worth of textbooks now in use in
the State, and they would not hold their
own year against the products of private
publishers. Beside the original outlay and
books, there would have to be contract of
several years duration made with printers
and publishers for the State series, and re-
volving funds of several hundred thou
sand dollars would have to be supplied
to get the books from the printers hands
through the hands of State agents and
township trustees into the hands of the
children. Of course, the money paid by
the children would come back to the State
ultimately, but the funds speak of would
HOY To a cd IN no MI iv,O
alton. Iithere are any funds for that purpose
i do not know where they are to be found.
The State Auditors estimate for the fiscal
year of 1889, based on the present valuation
and liabilities incurred, show deficit over
the receipts of this year of SS7S, GO, and the
calculation for the years 1889, 1890
and 1891, show a total deficit for those
years of q. go, no, or more than an entire
years revenue of the State"
What plans do you regard rs feasible
for 1essening the cost of school bOokss"
Il would alter the law so that the city
districts would be under the same restric
tiops as 10 changing books that how govern
the country districts. The latter cannot
change their books Oftener than once in six
years and there are no complaints there as
to too frequent changes. Then would give
the school trustees express hOrity to pur-
chase books for their schools in large GUAM
titles, SO as to get the benefit of
the best discounts given. They have this
power now, but are afraid to use it for fear
their action would be criticised and their
motives miscOnstrued. With frequent
changes forbidden, and the fullest oppor-
tunity for buying to advantage given, the
public would be in the best posi-
BILE condition to escape oppression on the
one hand and extortiOn on the other.
What about the plan to keep the owner
ship of the books in the hands of the State,
and furnish their free use to pupils in the
public schools"
THAT is a question of itself, but it does not
affect the cost of procuring the books. If
the plan of compulsory education is adopted
as a measure of safety to the State, free
textbooks will have to be adopted as part
of the system, Meanwhile, it would not be
counties inclined to try the free textbook
system buy the books and furnish their use
to pupils without charge"