Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-30
NEW LAWS FOR THE SCHOOLS
State Teachers Association Will Not Press
Many Changes.
coRBE1TS PLAN FOR LEWlNG TAXES
Scheme by which mn EUunltInu"n
May lie Secured md More Reg
ulnr Attendance at Country
Schools stimulated.

LINCOLN, Dee, 29.-(Spccial)-M the
meeting this morning of the educational coun-
ell OF the Nebraska state Teachers aesocta-
tion. the report of the committee on lcgis-
latou was taken up, In presenting this re-
port state Superintendent Corbott said that
teacherg fail to realize how little they count
in the estimation Of the solons OF the lcgis-
lature. What the teachers suggest may
have but little weight and for this reason
| it would be best to concentrate on one or two
good things and use all honorable efforts to
secure these. The report recommended that
the present free high school law aud free
| text book law be let sevcrly alone for tho
present. The pressing need OF more effective
| means OF securing attendance In the schools
was recognized, but no change In the present
law was recommended. II was the opinion
OF the committee, however that the school
| law should ; so amended as 70 remedy soma
| OF the c is rowing out OF unequal taxation.
| Districts with a levy fully up to the limits
| of the law were not able TO MAINTAIN goou
schools, while others could support Ialr
| schools on a very low levy. To remedy
| this evil II was recommended that the law
! be amended to permit county commissioners
| to make a general levy of mills for school
| purposes, one-fourth OF this TO be DIVIDED
among the districts equally, and three
| fourths to be divided in proportion to tho
| aggregate days of attendance In school IL
| was argued that this change would cut both
| ways, remedy unequal taxation ana secure
| prompt and regular attendance In school, the
attendance to be kept up to high standard
| from the selfish motive of drawing more
money. Counties with large populations, like
| Douglas and Lancaster, might be made eN-
! empt from the operation Of this law The
| plan proposed appeared TO strike popular
| chord and the report was adopted ana the
| committee authorized to do some work in
the direction of securing legislation looking
| to this end.
The same committee recommended that
graduates from the department of pedagogy
| of the University of Nebraska be given state
certificates good for three years. An amend
ment, which was referred to the committee
on legislation, was offered by j. {. RENTER.
1t takes from the county districts the power
| to recommend a course of study, and re-
quiros them to follow that prepared by the
| state superintendent.
TRAVELLING LIBRARIES DISCUSSED
The second annual meeting Of the Nebraska
Library association was held at the Univer-
sity library this afternoon at o'clock.
The subject discussed was Travelling Lii
braries" Miss Edna D. Bullock, graduate
of the New York State Library school pre-
scented a paper, n synopsis OF which is here
given:
a travelling library is a small collection
| Of books which travels back and forth
from some central point 20 localities that
need the books. They remain from three
| to six months in place ana then return
TO the center from which they started.
The idea Is not new, but Its most valuable
INTO Int O. practice in New York state The pub
lie libraries department of the regents.
from twenty-five to 100 books and lends
them for six months TO the trustees of
regents Where no such library exists the
| officers of university extension center,
study club, Chautauqua circle or twenty
library. a guaranty for, the safe return
rowers must pay the cost of transportnti ion.
| Some of the libraries are of "A general char
acter, and others are on special subjects
etc. They have travelled from end to end
Of New York i9 state iii, II the the past
dacks to the school districts on Lake Sem
eea: The ,, demand I6G nd, has'een great and very
ing IN .llae|head library IN Albany. L IL
mission to help t5S I2goPiSS 9i Ncw NV
that they may be moro intelligent citizens.
1t is their further mission to foster tho
6raries The experience of the Empire
state furnishes abundant proof that both
cling Libraries The selection OF books is
made with a view to the needs Of the rural
districts where books are scarce. Careful
statistics of the circulation Of these books
have been kept. The circulation of 300 vol
of 800 readers to each 100 volumes The cost
of the first ten libraries. including cost OF
books, selection. preparation, catalosulns,
was $4,000. In the four years of their
travels these 1000 books have undoubtedly
is making s. 600 20 a long ways-fmther
than any otler $1,000 appropriated for edu-
cational purposes by the Empire state prob
MICHIGAN TRIES IT TOO.
The plan having been a success in New
IsiatTire appropriatfd an annual 5000 for
making loans from the state library and an
Thirty-one OF these are now selected and
catalosued and In circulation circulation ,,., tro,,-
cling libraries and the coming legislature
is to be asked TO establish them through
in Wisconsin are the results Of private
philanthropy and of the unsclilsA zeal OF
has given c' thirty-foGr travelling libraries 10
Dunn county. They circulate from tho
ominee. oraS' Of" Of Which wi Mr. Stout is trustee.
Mir. Witter of Grand Rapids has sent sew
sntcen libraries travG,ng IN MGod Wood county; county,
county %6ile the logging e5mp,Sy viii Po
; The low aieglsatars, i. isd5 made an
ing libraries Tae state librarian is even
now preparing them for circulation.
prlaton ria on" Of $1,000 for iSa5 $500 for 1896 and
, 5000 annually thereafter ,. ,,.
, gurated system of trave!ing, libraries
Thls system Is to be extended as soon
| as the Legislature places funds at the com
mand of the librarian.
, Pennsylvania librarians are preparing to
ask for travelling libraries for that state.
, An annual appropriation of $500 would
, give Nebraska an efficient system or traV-
! cling libraries. Such "A system, wei admin
istcrcd, would be prominent factor In
the educational progress OF the state, ana
. would certainly lead to the establishment
of public libraries.
II has been found that the various study
clubs throughout the state had difficulty
in getting books to pursue their studies.
The Federation of Womens Clubs has cs-
tablished n small library TO supply this
deficiency TO the auxiliary clubs The
, movement for university eNlenslon would
be materially strengthened II travelling IL
brarics could be secured for the use Of tho
study ccnters The club and subscrlption
libraries already In existence IN the small
towns would soon feel an Impetus and take
steps toward becoming free libraries, ana
: towns now without libraries would soon
4 fall INTO line and make a beginning of a
G The subject OF travelling Libraries for
. Nebraska is commended to the attention
= of every Ncbraskan who IL interested In
I keeping our state In the front rank OF edu-
I catiOnal progress.
G This was followed by an interesting dis
! cusslon on ways and means OF putting into
= operation a system OF travelling Libraries In
/ | Nebraska.