The Iola register., 1891-01-30

tHdG system tue Des6 WulCH ihsuI0o
the largest returns in proportion to the
amount invested.
The first is the idea that is usually
meant by the average individual, and
by the politician, when using the
word Economy. They measure all
values solely by monetary standard.
1t seems to be human to do so. We,
as Americans, are always too anxious
to reap our harvest; we look for what
we are pleased to term practical re-
suits, and We want them immediate
ly after having made the investment.
1t is the same principle that prompts
the child to go out to its little garden
the next day after having planted the
seeds and dig them up to see If they
have begun to grow yet.
From this standpoint it is argued
1 that the state can print the books and
thus deprive some individual citizen
of manufacturing and selling them.
i Here are few questions to ponder
before swallowing this theory.
Can the State manufacture them
and deliver them to the pupils as
eheaply as private firm can?
i What is to become of all the books
now in the hands of the pupils? Are
they to be thrown away? If so will
not this alone be great waste of sew
eral thousands of dollars2
Has it been satisfactory solution
in California? For an answer to this
1 refer you to the previous papers.
Ifadvocates of this plan are really
in earnest why stop with text books?
| AS the cost of school furniture is
very great, and the profits vastly larg-
er than Oh school books, why not have
the state manufacture apparatus, and
supply the schools at cost?
The child's clothes cost more than
all other items of expense! The profit
OH clothing is larger than OH text
books, why not have the same plan ex-
tend to clothing?
Why should we economize by saving
dimes at the spigot while we are losing
dollars at the bung?
No one can successfully claim that
the State can supply us with better
text books than we already have. The
only advantages urged i'm favor of this
plan are economy and uniformity, and
uniformity is urged only as a matter of
economy.
If we are to be actuated in this mat
ter by the idea of economy, then there
is nothing in any text book but the
printing, paper and binding. If we
are to work ON this line we may as
well use patent almanacs for text
books and thus save the State any ex-
pesse whatever. For doubt not but
there are many firms who would be
only too glad of all opportunity to
place school text book matter into
their free almanacs if they were only
assured the books would be used.
If we are to be actuated by The other
idea of what true economy is we must
consider the results obtained as well
as the results desired; we must cousid-
er that the brains necessary to edit a
set of our text books are not contained
in any one skull, and that this brain
power must be of the very highest Or
der, and as such it cannot be employed
for mere pittance. But suppose we
employ the very best talent in the
country to prepare us set of text
books; suppose we get set of text
books the equal or superior of any
text books now published, at the pres
ent rate of advancement in all lines of
human industry where would we
stand in ten years? In twenty years
it would be still worse and would con-
tinue to grow worse as the square of
the distance increased by the passing
of time. We would simply crystalize
i'm our tracks and there we would re-
main throughout all time.
Egypt, at one time advanced to the
highest point attained by civilization,
at that time, then the State took
charge of all other affairs, religious,
financial, political, and educational.
The state prescribed the exact ruts in
which they must travel. There she
stands to day, in this nineteenth cen
tury, a perfect pantomine of all her
ancient glory, while her present in
habitants pass in and out amongst her
venerable ruins and relics like q |
swarm of rats around an ancient barn. |
China is to day an exact counterpart
of what she was centuries ago. Att
one time she led the whole world i'm
science, literature, art, civilization.
Why did she stop and stand still in
her tracks for almost countless GEN.
turies? Why? Her politicians said
"The State must publish the school
books" and it did; they said "The
State shall formulate our religion. our
politics, our social customs, it must
make automatons of the people" and
it did and is doing SO to this day.
Why do they not change? They |
can not. Why? Because it would
cost the wealth of nations to do so, as
a matter of financial economy it is an
impossibility.
If we desire to produce this result |
in our own State, If we desire to crys-