Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-07-14

Prof. VIM. Stryker, state superinten.
sdent of public instruction has addressed
the following circular letter to county
superintendent and school officers land
we are requested by Supt. Shell to pub
lish it. Besides other valuable lnfor-
nation, it gives list of books adopted
by the School Book Commission:
In compliance with section 10 of Sem
ate bill No. 531, this statement of con-
tracts entered into by the School Text
Book Commission ID sent you. / have
thought proper, also. to give fnll infor-
nation concerning the purchase, sale
and exchange of books. Two copies OF
this should be sent to each district
clerk before the annual meeting. The
hrst two pages should be read at every
school meeting and the third should be
filled out by the clerk in duplicate, de-
tached, and delivered to you, one to be
delivered to the person having charge
Of the depository for the county.
Exchanges will be made at the county
depository and no books will be receiv-
ed in exchange, except those named in
the blanks, filed out as directed and
left by you at the county depository.
The law provides that publishers
shall take up books now in use" and
exchange therefor new books az so per
cent of the contract price as shown on
page three, and that only on applica-
ton of the district. The blank attach
ed, when properly filled, IS the applica-
| ton. Individuals may make exchanges;
but it is suggested that arrangements
be made at the annual school meeting
for such exchanges as may be desired,
and that all be done through the dis
trlct board, or some other person au-
thorized by the district so to do. Full
particulars should be obtained from the
county depository by the person having
this in charge before receiving books for
exchange. Book dealers must make
whatever arrangements they can with
the publishers tor stock on hand, either
old or new. The law makes no provls-
ion. Most Of the new books now in the
| hands of dealers will be taken by the
publishers named on page three, at the
contract price of the books adopted:
but this must be by special arrange
ment.
By August Is depository will be es-
tablished in every county in the state.
A letter addressed to Topeka to any one
of the companies furnishing books will
reach the proper person and receive
prompt attention. General repositories
for all of the books will be established
IN Topeka by August Is. Persons other
than the repositories, desiring to order
books from the various publishers, may
if they desire, make the order of the
one from which they wish the most,
and it will be treated in every way as
| though that one firm furnished all of
the books ordered This will greatly
| reduce the expense and trouble of or
dering books and make it much easier
to make up a ten-dollar order. For
further information concerning books,
address the publishers.
Samples of all books adopted, to
which all are to conform, are kept at
| this office. Any complaint as to bind
| ing, printing, paper, stock, etc., of
books, should be reported Immediately.
In response to repeated inquiries, the
| following opinion is given: The text
books adopted by the School Text Book
Commission must be used after Sep
TENDER l, 1897, in every public school of
the state, except where contracts have
been entered into in writing under pro-
visions of the county uniformity law.
Such contract, to be valid, must have
been made by a legally elected county
text book board at regular meeting
called for that purpose, and holds only
for the remainder of the five years for
which the contract was made. The
proposition for county uniformity must
have been voted upon and carried in a
majority of the districts of county be-
fore text book board can be legally
elected. A copy of the school laws for
1897 should be in the hands of every
district officer before or at the time of
the annual school meeting. Attention
is called especially to the provision for
optional district ownership of text
books. 1t IS to be regretted that the
conditions whereby this may be obtain
: ed are not much easier. Nearly all the
large cities IN our union, many states,
and many districts In our own state,
have tried it, and it has proven gen.
orally satisfactory. Pupils are all sup.
piled with books; the cost is much less;
the work of the school is much more
satisfactory, and, judging by the ex-
perience OF other cities and states, the
attendance in the schools of the state
would be increased by from 10000 to
10000 by Its general adoption for the
state. Books are an essential part of a
free public school system, and should
be paid for by taxation, and for the
same reason that desks, maps, etc., are
1t is urged that a vote be taken upon
this proposition upon this and subse-
quent meetings, in tie belief that it
Will within few years became general
throughout the state. Respectfully
yours, VIM. STRIKER,
State Supt. of Pub Ins.
Following are the books adopted by
the School Textbook Commission:
! CRANE & CO. TOPEKA ks