The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-19
After Two Years. Trial They Are Almost IMAM
imous in the Opinion that II Should Be
Modified or Repealed.
Interesting Debate and Resolution
Adopted at Their State Convention.
Hampered by the Worthless Text Books FOisted
Upon Them-County Superintendents
and the Fair Building.

of the superintendents OF city and town
schools of Indiana was largely attended,
and was devoted for the most part to the
discussion of the school book law. James
+. Scuil, of Rochester, fs the associations
president, and r. w. Wood. of Aurora,
the secretary. The system of books fur
nished the State was the first topic up for
discussion, and when 1t had passed through
the various hands waiting to give it o turn
ing over there was hardly enough of 1T left
to be called with truth "mangled remains"
superintendent Ogg. of Greencastle.
opened the subject by reading paper enti-
tied Legislative Work in Regard to the
Indiana Series of School books" He made
no extreme statements. but insinuated in o
guarded manner that the law was defective
In many respects and that it should be
amended by the coming Legislature. His
objections to il were that the books fnr-
nisbed were not all of them up to mod
ern standard. and that teachers were ham,
pered in being compelled to teach scholars
of different capabilities and greater and
less degrees of intelligence from the same
books.
He was followed by Superintendent Tay-
Tor. OF Warsaw, and be expressed himself
very forcibly. He said that he thought
the most urgent measures should be taken
looking toward a repeating or modifying
of the law. The contracts for readers,
Biographies. arithmetics and copy-b books
ran out shortly after the meeting of the
next Legislature, he said. and he, for one.
did not want 10 see them renewed for an
Otner i've years.
Superintendent Black was next to apply
the knout. He said: I'VE want books that
are up to the times, that are modern. We
want something from W hich we can teach sc-
curately and not simply books which have
nd Ian hsua
these 10 because they are cheap. I'd rather
my pupils had to pay little more and get
something nearer the worth of their money.
The fact is have been compelled to sub
stitute some books as 1t Is. and do not be-
heve We ought to retain them."
THEY SEEMED To BE UNANIMOUS.
superintendent Sims. of Goshen, ex-
planned how, in his estimation, the law
worked harmfully and was of the same
opinion as those who proceeded
him in that he thought it ought to be
altered. He said that it was
impossible for q central board to select
books which would be suitable for all of
the different communities throughout the
State. What might be all right for one
would be all wrong for another. lie
thought that the books TO be used should
be regulated by the local school corpora
tions. and even purchased by them, If need
be. and to remain their property. He did
not believe the expense would be much
greater than it is now. and thought that if
1t was it would be money well expended.
A few hard knocks from the shoulder
came from superintendent StratfOrd. or
Peru. He said: The Indiana sohool-book
| law is not q law for school men. l do not
believe there is O single city or town super
intendent in the State who 0beys il TO the
letter. / do not, and do not see how any
one can AID get satisfactory results The
law was formulated at the instigat;on and
he NJ N faY w In WARS
ised that the present law, If passed, would
decrease these taxes. / presume that it
has to certain extent, but at what cost"
superintendsns Thomas 10, Of Eikhsrt
teacher who could get anything out of one
of the readers used. the whole principle
is wrong" said he. He said that when the
cost, direct and indirect, was considered.
he believed IL 20 be as great as under the
old system, and that 1t worked a much
greater hardship In the city districts than
In the country.
Superintendent Ogg again addressed the
gathering. and said that while he believed
the state board. from the experience it had
had this time, would furnish better books
next. it would be advisable to try and have
the law amended, if possible, so as to
eradicate the evils that had been suggested
by the debate.
superintendent Rainy, of Upton, was in
favor of uniformity, but not OF the present
kind. lie said: I'VE have tried to use
y
satisfaction. L believe that the superIn-
tendents want free books, and | believe
that now is the time for us to
take steps for the procuring OF them. An
other of the superintendents to confess
that he had not lived up to the law was J.
III. Study, of Richmond. who said that he
found it i'm possible to do so.
Superintendent Sims, of Goshen again
spoke against the existing state of affairs
aud his remarks were hot and to the point.
He sald Il have tried TO live ND to the
law, and now that l find so general q
breaking of it, am going back home and
contrary to our best judgment
in a matter of this kind when our opinions
ought to be above those of any set of legIs-
latorsi The whole law was gotten mp for
no other purpose than to catch votes. When
you want TO catch the average Hooser you
want To strike him in the pocket. be-
lieve we can get n free book. because the
people are for any thing that is free. They
want free things. We have had u recent
illustration of that which is pretty con-
elusive"
superintendent Ayers of Lafay ette, Carr
of Anderson and Weaver of Marion were
the only ones W no spoke IN defense OF the
law. They claimed that the reason that it
was SO disliked vas because Ii was so little
understood, and they believed that IT was q
blessing TO have the present settled
uniformity rather than the jumping from
one book to another, as had been done he-e-
tofore.
After the discussions were ended q mo-
| ton was introduced that a committee be
appointed to draft resolutions, to be pre-
sented TO the Legislative committee. out
| lining the objections TO the present law
| and suggesting some changes on which
| that committee might work at the next
legislative session. superintendent Ogg,
Wilson and lay lor were appointed on that
| committee. That closed the morning SEES
| sion.
| The committee reported immediately
| after dinner, aud their resolution was
| adopted. 1t. in a general way. recon-
mended that the law be so amended that
| county superintendents might have the
power of indicating what books they de-
| sired used in the schools under their juris-
| diotion; that school supeTintendents might
| be allowed to use any books they saw TIT
| intermediating with the course prepared,
| or supplemental to il, and that the stand
/ ard of books be raised. Ii contained MOTH
ing radical. but suggested that II no amend
ments could be obtained a repeal of the en-
! tire law wouid be preferable TO letting il
stand.
Superintendent Taylor read a paper on
| kindergarten schools. and the time after
that until adjournment was taken up IN
tenn of marking tardinesses and absences.
| A committee. consisting of Superintendents
| Oeg Jones and Study. appointed to
make a report on it, and the meeting ad-
| journed. the report of the committee TO be
| received in writing at some future time. A
majority OF those IN attendance lett Tor