The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1891-02-24
TIKI BOOK BILL.
An Interview with Professor
Smith on the Pending Meas
ure SPECIAL Order for
Thursday.

TO reuce the price thereof. will be
made he special order of business in
The MIsouri legislature next Thurs
day. keowing it to be matter of
great intenst to Sedalia, a BAzoo
representatve called upon Superin-
dent A. j. snith this morning and
interviewed hun as follows:
''Has your Attention been called to
the bill now peIling in the house of
the general assembly, providing for
uniform course of text books TO be
used in all the pubic schools of the
state ?"
Eyes, and have arefully exam
iDed the provisions of the proposed
act. There undoubtedl, exist reason
able grounds of complain, against the
excessive and unusual chapes for text
books in our schools. More money is
paid now for books than formerly and
active competition between publishing
houses compels frequent revisDns of
the same text, so that book is avail
able for few years only. 1t is not
possible, as in former years, for the
same book to be used successively by
the several members of one family.
Constant improvement in methods If
presenting facts, and constant changes
in facts, as understood, render fire.
quent revision necessary if the besl
work is always to be in the hands of
the child"
"Do these facts warrant the pro-
posed enactment?"
II think not. Our people
should be willing, and doubt
less are willing, to pay enough
to secure the very best. 1t is the use
less waste that they object too, and
looking at the matter in this light we
see grave objections to this bill. At
present We have district adop ion,
and if school directors would observe
the provisions of the law as it now
stands, this waste would be inconsid-
cradle. Teachers and children are
generally permitted to buy anything
they choose to get. Each teacher is
lncliued to introduce his favorite text
book, and very soon there is hopeless
confusion growing cut of this mixed
condition. The directors often know
no more about the matter than any
other patron of the school. This con-
necessary expense, but renders eff
cient teaching well nigh impossible"
"Would not the provisions of this
bill correct this very evil ?"
"Not necessarily. The present law
is not observed, the new law would
meet with the same treatment. The
provisions for enforcing this law seem
inaduqeate. The same thing has been
tried in Minnesota with more stringent
regulations, but up to the present time
is but partially successful | inquire !
some years ago particular
ly into the workings of
the Minnesota law. The leading
teachers and superintendent looked
upon it most unfavorably and have
known but little advanced in Its favor.
Look at the immediate effect of the
bill. The books must be introduced
by Sept. LIST. The commission can
scarcely complete its work before July
LIST. and may not until Aug LIST. The
operation of the law then Immediately
confscates the books in use. This
would be a direct loss to Sedalia and
Pettis county of possibly $4,000 and
to the state at large of s500,000. Is
it possible that this uniformity of
text books in five years will save one
half of this amount ? As matter of
fact under most favorable circum-
stances it will not save one fifth of
that amount. Where then is the |
gain Besides it will be impossible |
to reach all districts by Sept 1st. with |
these books. The schools would be
under the necessity ofpostponing their
opening indefinitely, or If beginning
with other books only at last to sacri-
fee them. Instead of diminishing
the expense, it seems TO me that it
would greatly increase it,"
lis that your most serious objection
to the law p
SIT is Objectionable because it Gre
ates monopoly with a minimum
of benefits. The effect upon the
quality of text books would be very
great. The policy if generally success
full would hamper aud eventually
destroy all competition, and both in
respect to subject matter and work
manship would work injuriously. 1
am of the opinion that district adopt
ion for term of years with proper
penalties for violation of the law is
the best for the schools. This law has
been tried In several states and has
not worked well in any of them. 1t
was tried in California but never