Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-11-19

system pursued in the United States?
Replies from nearly every State and
Territory are contained In the report
Alabama never had any law on the sub
ject Arkansas district boards adopt
text books from a list recommended by
the State Superintendent The Super
intendent states that it fails to give
even county uniformity and that the
boards are easily influenced by book
agents to make changes He favors
county adoption and free text books.
California prints text books. Uniform
ity Is secured, of course, and free text
books recommended. Connections has
always had text books selected by town
boards. and is, it may be supposed
a picnic ground for the book agent
Delaware tried the plan of State pur-
chase OF text books. Now the State
Board OF Education adopts books every
i've years which pupils buy from deal
ers. The system is not satisfactory, and
district or county selection and pur-
chase to furnish to pupils free is ad-
vised. Florida in 1883 adopted county
selection to continue five years. Every
county except seven adopted the same
series Georgia has the county system
and it is reported to work we'll Illinois
leaves local boards to select and pupils
to purchase text books. Iowa has dis
trict selection. The Superintendent
opposes State uniformity and favors free
text books. Maine has the town system
of selection to continue five years and
the books to be furnished free Mary
land up to 1888 had uniform books
adopted by the State board, which were
furnished free to indigents The sys-
tenn was convenient and economical, but
very unpopular County boards now
make selections, purchase and distribute
the books and may sell, rent or make
them free. Massachusetts towns
select purchase and furnish free
to the children all books and sup
plies. Minnesota has the five-year
district selection. Montana has a uni
form system of text books adopted by
State board. 1t meets popular approval
Nebraska has selection by local boards
empowered to furnish the books free.
The Superintendent indorses the plan
as the best. Nevada has a uniform
series adopted by a State board. The
Superinte ndent gives dozen reasons
why 1T is the best system. New Hamp-
shire requires school boards to furnish
text books free, and the Superintendent
says they cost one-sixth less than by
purchase at retail. New York has q
local option system, and several cities
have adopted free text books North
Carolina has uniformity by State board
selection, which the Superintendent in
dorses. Ohio has the system of district
selection, and change toward free
books selected and furnished by the
local boards is proposed. The Superin-
tendent opposes this proposition be-
lieving that ''the State should do moth.
ing for the citizen that he can do for
himself" Which belief would REQUIRE
the abolition of his office and public
schools altogether. Oregon has
from the beginning had State
uniformity, satisfactory to the
public, but the Superintendent
states that county uniformity would
perhaps meet all demands best. Penn
sylvania permits local boatds to pur-
chase and supply text books free.
Rhode Island has local selection, and it
is satisfactory. South Carolina has
county selection from multiple list of
books adopted by the State board. Vir-
ginia has had the South Carolina sys.
tenn, but change to the adoption Of
single series by the State board has
been determined upon. Washington
has uniform system adopted every five
years by the State board, and it is sat-
isfactory. West Virginia has State
uniformity, except that the largest
cities may make their own selection.
Wisconsin has the independent local
option system. Texas has the question
under consideration. but the book
agents have concluded that the State is
too new and too rich in possibilities to
give up just yet Dallas (Tex.) News