The advocate and Topeka tribune., 1893-07-12

8nQS0OWS buS WElJ0I w 10 OnOAOuSAAy
familiar with the various phases OF
the question. It will pc seen that he
took issue at that time with the views
we had expressed favorable to a
school book board and state contract,
and further investigation of the sub
iect has satisfied us that we should at
least "go slowly" in the direction we
then indicated. The writer says:
Now, Mr.. Editor, must disagree with
you in the establishment Of state school
book board, or on the making Of q state con-
tract. wrote friend in Missouri, inquir-
ing what success they had over there, and
he sent me a copy Of Missouri paper, under
date of January 13, 1898, which contains
an article on their school book law, which
is well worth considering. II is too long
for me to expect you to reprint il in the COL
umns of the ADVOCATE, but send you the
paper to read, and viii embOdy in this COM
municatiOn just few extracts, 80 that the
readers of the ADVOCATE may see the trend
Of the feeling over in Missouri.
The letter disproVes the assertion that the
books in Missouri are any cheaper, with but
two exceptions, than they were before the
state contract was made, as the following
extracts will show:
''These books, and these only, are cheaper
in price, but these are also more Cheaply
made. They are poor material, poorly
bound, poorly graded and unsatisfactory in
every way.
''For years these same books have knocked
at the door Of every school house in Mis-
souri,, without receiving a welcome admis-
sion anywhere. They would drop out Of
nine-tenths of the schools in single year
if the people were permitted to exercise
their own choice. Yet this is the character
Of legislation to which the governors mes
sage points with pride.
(which is the cheaper, book that can be
used only one term at 80 cents, or book
that can be used two terms at 60 centsp
This is the situation.
"SOme time since il was the writer's pleas
ure 70 visit school where some Of these
books were used. On the desk Of one Of
the pupils lay Reed & Kellogg grammar;
beside 10 lay one Of the recently adopted
texts on language. One had been in the
hands OF the pupil three years, the other
about three weeks. The former was in q
fair state of preservation; the latter was in
such q dilapidAted condition as to be almost
useless. The former costs 60 cents, the
latter 80 cents. Which was the chesperP
Where is the 81 per cent. savingG
"How long are the people to be hood
winked by such humbug2
y \ 4
"Why, Mr.. Editor, the people have paid
out more money already to make the change
Of school books than they would have paid
out in the whole Ave years if there had been
no law passed and no change made. twill
have cost the people over $1,5Oo,0O0 when
the entire change is completed, and there
was not quite $24O 900 per year sold in the
state, or in that part Of 1t over which the
law has jurisdiction.
''Instead Of it's being q saving TO the peo-
pie, il will prove the Oostliess period, for
school books, Of any that has ever been
known since il was admitted to the union.
"Wherein does il promote eduCationf
How does it promote it1 The truth is, there
has never been law on our statute books
that will operate with Suoh disastrous effects
upon the educational growth Of Missouri as
this text book law. Il is plain to see that il