The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-07
UNIFORM TEXT BOOKS.
THE MATTER TO BE AN ISSUE IN
THE NEXT ELECTION.

State School Commissioner Bradwell
to Force the Issue TO the Front-A
Claim That the Buyers of School
Books Can Be Saved 100000 Per
Year.
ATLANTA, GA, Jan. Elm all proba-
bility one of the leading issues, if not in
fact the leading issue before the legislature
at its next session, will be the adoption of
a uniform system OF text books for the CON-
mon schools Ct the state. This issue has
been sprung time and again, but always
without practical result. With the begin
ming of bis second term of Office, however,
State School Commissioner Bradwell. who
raised the issue Immediately on taking hold
of the reins Of the educational depart
ment of the state government, by
bringing it before the legislature, has deter
mined TO make this the fight of his life. In
discussing the situation as regarding the
money expended by the citizens Of the state
for school books to-day Commissioner Brad
well said that he could give figures TO the
legislature showing that be could save to
she state 5000 600 year by the establish
ment Of a uniform system OF text books for
the common schools. II he can do this he
certainly has the argument OF the question
on his side, and when the issue Is made, as
he stated he intended to make it, before the
people the importance OF the movement at
once becomes apparent.
TO BE POLITICAL ISSUE.
Comm issioner Bradwell is not yet pre-
pared to give the details of his plans for
bringing this question squarely before the
people Of the state who are directly affected
IL h,t ~ svf. at hat will ha doua
10 a way that will force the members OF the
general assembly and those who offer as
candidates for this Office to face the issue
without a chance to dodge. For
years the eastern states most adj
vanced in educational work
have had uniform system of text books.
and the correctness of the plan is the argu-
ment that the commissioner will use, as we'll
as its economy. If once public interest is
aroused on this question the commissioner
thinks that it will not be difficult to prove
TO the people who are compelled to do the
buying every year, that they are spending
q great deal OF unnecessary money In order
GO keep their children in school, often the
expenditure of this money for books made
necessary on account of frequent changes
In the books used IN different
counties being a real hardship to
the poor, who will sacrifice other comforts
in order to give their Children the benefit of
. common school education. Commissioner
Bradwell 10 very plain in his statement Of
the situation. He charges that the big book
nonopolies are responsible for the present
system. which permits of practically un-
limited "extortion" from the public, who
are helplessly compelled to purchase any
and all books which they may succeed in
having adopted through school boards
that are too easily imposed upon
and, as he says, presumably made to believe
that every change made is q change for the
best, which changes the book concerns and
their Hobbies, which the commissioner
openly charges have long played an i'm
portant part in the text book question,
bring about as regularly as the years come
and 90.