The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-06
THE SCHOOL BOOK BILL.
Supt. Baker and thu Savannah Teac h.
ers Opposed to II.

Supt. Baker and ths Savannah Teach
ers Opposed to II.
= Supt. Baker of the public schools is op-
passed to the uniform text book law n low I'M
der consideration by the Ieglsla ure, aud has
so written State Commissioner Bradwell, who
suggested the bill Suot Baker saws the
bill would be q disadvantage to the public
schools of Savannah and other cities, aud
would seriously retard them in their work
1t might be of some advantage to the coun-
try schools, but this he doubts very much.
The bill provides that the state board of
education shall contract with soma pub
fishing company to furnish all the books
used in the public schools of Georgia for five
years The books to be used are to he Sc
lected by the state board of education with
Chancellor Boggs of the state university
and some city school superintsudenta The
books selected are to be used for five years
Southern authors are to be preferred. ANY
county declining to accept of the books Sc
lected forfeits all right to its portion Of the
state school fund.
The reason for the law is the constant
changing Of books which has been going on
in the majority of the schools of the state
since the war, necessitating the purchase
made and an additional expense to
the parents or purchasers of the books.
Each teacher now has the right to select
the books he prefers for his school, and
it is only necessary for book agent to CON
vince teacher that the new series of books
which he represents is better than the old
one for the teacher to order a change. and
the parents are put to the expense Of buying
new books. As the ajority of the country
schools change teachers every year or two,
and each teacher, a matter of course
prefers a certain class of books changes are
frequent. 1t il very natural that some
such law should have been suggested.
Supt. Baker says the law is not needed in
Chatham county, because there has been
little or no change in the system of books
used in this county In the last twenty years.
Supt. Baker said: THE boards of educa-
tion and teachers in the city schools desire
to get the best books, no matter where they
are published. l have always preferred
southern books when meritorious, but in
some stances l can call to
mind they are not the best
be advantageous to the country schools it
would work great injury to the city
schools. We want the privilege of making
our own selections.
In other states where laws of this kind
prevail different series of books are placed
upon the list, leaving it optional with any
board Of education to adopt the series best
adapted to their particular school. From
time to time similar laws have been enacted
in many states, but their operation has been
so Objectionable that they have been
generally repealed. | do not believe the
teachers of this state desire such law. For
three successive meetings of the Georgia
Teachers Association this matter has been
under discussion, and by almost unanimous
vote it was decided that a uniform text
book law was inexpedient."
Supt. Baker has written Maj Ryals about
this bill, and he has promised to eudsavor
TO have Chatham county excepted in case
the law should pass.