Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-11-25
SCHOOL ROCKS.
Additional Legislation Apt TO do More
Harm Than Go0d-1he Dangers.
tQuesfion OF Competition Va. Monopol5-Dis'
trict Uniformity Dosirnble-Free Books
the UltImatum.
Special to the Gazette.

Special TO the Gazette.
AUSTIN. Tex. Nov. 24.-Tbe question
81 taxes for schools and uniformity OF
school books will cut prominent figure
in the legislature as well as occasion
q al OF buncombe and blather. There
seem to lie general and well
d fined purpose TO do some
thing, and each one with an
idea on the subject differs at some point
from everyone else, so that widespread
coudition Of muddiement appears 10 ex-
list on the subject. The general trend of
thought, or rather OF mems notions
'or Tiers does not appear TO be
much Il any real thinking on
.he subject outside of the few
eouversunt with such matiers-is that
tate uniformity of school books is the
CRYING DEMAND OF THE HOUR.
This seems to be the popular notion,
brig mated or at least prOpagated and
extended by the Farmers Alliances.
many of which have pronounced in
It's favor. II is based on the
mistaken notion that it will give the peO-
pie cheaper better books. although
1t involves tue destruction Of COMPETE
lion which of Itself is the best and ouly
safe guarantee of both cheapuess and ex-
ccueucy III tex books. Others are equal
iy earnest in advocating state publication
without thinking of the enormous
outlay involved, aud the other more i'm
ioriunt fact that corps of learned men
must be employed by the state to pre-
pare and write a fun series of all
The text books needed In the
schools, great undertaking in
Itself, and one too that may
give US very poor class of books. A
man employed to prepare a reader, q
rrammer or an arithmetic of any grade
for 50 much cash in hand is far less
likely 10 lrins forth work of merit
than one whose reward is dependent on
THE EXCELLENCE OF HIS WORK.
OF all the text hooks written 10y learned
professors and others the fewest number
have given satisfaction or gained pOpu-
larity. In tins too, as IN prices, compe
tiiion must have full swing TO secure the
best results. In the judgment of men of
experience and knowledge, neither state
uniformity with its cast iron and un-
chauGeHbly system, Dcr state publ
cation should be thought of. Both are
held TO be bad, and especially the latter,
which they look on with abhOrance. l
have talked with number of
this class of men, and found them all OF
one opinion about it. They don't, u
rule, regard the question of uniformity
in text books AS a matter OF auT import
ance, or very slight at the most. 1t is
understood that If anything nee Is to be
done in this direction it should be con-
fined TO
DISTRICT UNIFORMITY,
that IS school tlistrIc! uniformity. In his
last circular. issued in August, Superin-
tUndent Cooper appears TO favor this
plan, and il / mistake not the present
superintendent, Professor p itchett,
consider. II the best mode or
dealing with the school bool; ques-
ton. The truth of the matter
Is This question of school books has been
ngltuted and talked about and =" orried
over in all OF the states to q gre alter or
less extent without resulting in any def I
mite or entirely satisfactory plan. The !
discussion OF il has resulted IN one thing |
chiefly, and that is that the largest !
possible share Of liberty should be |
allowed to the individual and TO the |
community Whenever the freedom OF |
the parent or of the teacher to purchase |
and use the books Of their choice, has .
been curtHilpd or destroyed,
TROUBLE AND DISSATISFACTION
have resulted. No hide bound or iron
clad rule will give satisfaction. Minue-
sofa uud California have state publ
cation, and would DO glad TO he rii
of Ii, hy all accounts. II is far from
being the blessing il was cracked up
TO De. Th- books are inferior. distaste-
Tul 10 the 1, IcherS md almost, if not
quite, rs expensive rs better hooks sold
by the publishing houses of the country.
Such at least appears to be the evidence
on :nut subject.
In this matter Of text books, Texas Is
no worse of than any one of the other
forty four states in the Union. Every
school and every parent in the state has
nccess 10 the best and cheapest school
cheap and of as good q quality as any
body else can get them no matter where.
There ia
FULL AND FREE COMPETITION
open to all, and the principle of the
home rule and the widest freedom exists
for all. To attempt the destruction of
these principles by delegating 10 the
state all power IL the premises and es-
tabIishing school book monopoly, is
not wiSs, 10 say the least OF il. So
think those fully able and competent tsas;
pass upon the subject. There may be q
few OF this class who think differently,
but have not met them. Professor
Cooper sIden of free text books seems to
be only an extension or incident of the
plan of general uniformity. And if one
be good thing, the other should also.
True enough, he does not think free
books practicable at present, the state is
not ready for them; but does
think them "tho final solutiou'' of
the question. Yet he is opposed to gen.
erAl uniformity. IF this whole question
of school books were left right where it is
now, no harm whatever would result
TO any parent or child in the
state. Legislation might do some good,
and again II might rnuddle matters.
SIX MONTHS SCHOOLS.
There is, however, another subject
that calls for legislation, and that
is the question of maintaining
schools for the constitutional period
Of six months annually. This is not
beng done because of the lack of money.
l he constitution requires it. the state
/. mocrutir convention promised It, and
1 he school authorities are clamorinR for
II. Yet strange TO say We hear far
more about uniformity of books than