The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-11-10
BOOK VIBRATIONS
SCHOOL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES WANT
SCHOOL BOOK LAW CHANGED.
A Report on Iuemcicncy of Some In.
diana Teachers Causes a stir
Officers Elected.

The town and city school superintendent
in annual session elected officers yesterday
as follows:
President-Edward Ayres, of Lafayette.
Vice President-W. H. Hershman, of New
Secretary-w. p. Burris, of Button.
Treasurer-H. G.. Woody, Of kokomo. =.
Executive Committee-B. f. Moore. OF
j. F. knight. of LaPorte; d. K. Goss, or
Indianapolis; w. c.. Bellman. OF Hammond;
w. II. Hester, Of Evansville; j. M. Study,
of Richmond.
The chief discussion of yesterday was pro-
voked by the report of Superintendent j. w.
Carr, of Anderson, on the "Hindrances TO
High Efficiency of Town and City Schools"
Superintendent Carr was the chairman or a
committee appointed last year to investigate
the condition of the Indiana schools and to
collect educational statistics. In order that
the committee might receive the beneit or
a diversity of expressions on the school
question Superintendent Carr addressed let
tiers to the superintendent and patrons or
thirty-eight Indiana schools. Each of these
officials and patrons was asked for an
opinion as to what he considered the great
est hindrance to his town or city schools.
superintendent Carr, in his report to the
association, showed that inefficient teach
ers had much to do with retarding the
progress of schools, also lack of proper
supervision, incompetent school boards ana
lack of a proper educational sentiment on
the part of patrons. The had
found, through correspondence with Dusl-
ness and professional men, that politics,
church and favoritism in other forms pre-
vailed largely In the majority OIL Thnsa
OF the superintendents who had reported 10
the committee complained that people IN
many localities were indifferent to the Wei-
"a ra of tho school. and that the atleDQdnce
was needlessly irregular on account OF
social distractions.
length by the superintendent. There ap-
peared TO be a desire on the part OF the
older educators, to suppress the report, put
intendent Worries, of the Department OF
Public instruction, asked permission TO use
consent of the meeting was inaily gained:
The question of introducing new books
into the State schools was brought up yes
terday afternoon but left unsettled. Many
of the SUPERINTENDENT were In favor or
changing the readers and Biographies. They
e%entended t that 6 the books Tb n9w w ss eo msde
cradle objection also to the grammars, put
no decided stand was taken against the
to the discussion Of teachers license and
textbooks. 1t was proposed by some 70
make radical changes In the gr 1ysat ec,t or
and town superintendent with power to
grant licenses to their own teachers met
with some FAVOR, out tue TeSOlutFOu Z. eiid
effect was not put to a vote. The majority
of the superintendents admitted that the
textbook question had grown to be a vex-
atious one. and 1t was suggested that the
school law touching textbooks might
be modified by the Legislature.
There was also a decided express
sion in favor of free textbooks.
A number of the superintendents
thought that the State should supply the
schools with a uniform text for the Use of
pupils. A resolution providing for a meas
ure of this character was adopted by a vote
of rs to 10, and a legislative committee,
consisting of superintendent ID. X. Goss,
J. n. Study and r. ]. Hamilton was named
to present it to the General Assembly. The
question of compulsory education was in
troduced but met with much disfavor. Two
or three of the superintendent expressed
themselves as prepared to vote for a meas
ure that would compel school attendance
in Indiana, and urged that a bill providing
for such a law be prepared and sent to the
next Legislature. The suggestion met with
so much opposition that 1t was dropped.
The majority of those present said il would
not be advisable to advocate a movement
of this character at the present time.
The following committe was appointed
to submit a course Of study for city schools:
Superintendents r. A. Ogg, W.. r. Snyder,
w. H. Sims, W. c. Bellman and w. p.
Burris.