The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-19


books-in all, not less than one round
million in dollars, when all the waste
trouble and outlay in connection with
the change are taken into account. The
school book trade of the state is not
less than $3.50 600 to $3.50, 900 a year. The
average life of a school book supply is
three years, so three times the supply
for one year would be rendered value
less in putting the new law in opera
ton; then to replace this loss would
bring the whole cost to the above fig
ures. When, in the late campaign,
and by whom were the people of the
state promised this burden?
Secondly such legislation is meant
that a board of eight politicians are bet
ter qualified to select books and make
contracts than are the people of my
county or the people of any other local
ity in the state. At present everything
connected with our public schools is
supported by taxes voluntarily voted
upon the people. and the management
of the schools is under the control of
each locality supporting it. Now it IS
proposed to confer upon a centralized
board of politicians the power to pre-
scribe the books that shall be studied
by all the children of the state, destroy
self-government in school affairs and
violate every principle of pure democ-
racy. We are to levy taxes to build
school houses and equip them, hire
teachers and provide for the other ex-
penseS of our schools, but surrender to
a commission the right to prescribe the
the schools supported by the money we
tax ourselves to raise. And in such
schools we are to be prohibited from
using the books which, in the judgment
of the community, are best suited to its
needs. This is the Capitalization of
power as great and dangerous in its
scope as any which Russia exercises
Third-There is no demand for such
legisla ton. In 1895 my own county vO-
ted on the question of county uniforni-
ty, and of 167 districts over one hundred
voted against it or failed to vote at ALL
The balance voted for it upon the con-
dition that the books used in their re-
spective districts be continued in use
for the entire county. This has been the
result the state over In twelve years
only about Sc counties have availed
themselves of the law, and this in spite
of the efforts put forth by publishing
houses, who profit by replacing the text
books of rival publishers with their own
publications. Year after year the peO-
pie have voted against county uniform
ity for the reason that they do not care
to surrender to a county board, of their
own selection, the right to make con-
tracts and prescribe books for their
schools
If the principle of referendum should
obtain and this question be submitted
to a vote of the people it would be de-
feated in Kansas by 200. 900 majority.
The history of education in the Uni
ted States diSclOSeS the fact that no ed
ucators of prcminece have ever raised
their voices in favor of such measure
but, on the contrary, they have, with
out exception, opposed state uniformity,
as does superintendent Greenwood. of
Kansas City, eX-Superintendents Spear,
WinanS and Stanley, Chancellor Snow,
President Fairchild. John Macdonald,
and other leading educators of our own
state.
When the text book question was con-
sidered at the holiday session of the
State Teachers association, there was
no sentiment favorable to state uni
formity, either by state publication or
state contract through a commission;
but, on the other hand, those who ia
vored any change from the present
county uniformity law were for district
ownership with the adopting and con-
acting power vested in the local school
boards. A committee to advise upon
needed school legislation, appointed by
the associa ton, was composed of ex-
State superintendent Gaines and Stan
ley, c. G. Swingle. superintendent of
Riley county schools; ]. c. Mack, sup
erintendent of Harvey county schools;
T. S. Johnson, superintendent of Mitch
ell county schools; Chancellor Snow,
President Taylor, Superintendent Dav
idson of Topeka, and Prof. Guy p. Ben
ton of Baldwin university and the sent
iment of the committee was strongly
opposed to such legislation and in favor
of the laws commended by Governor
Leedy.
Such laws stihe competition and
breed monopoly Minnesota created
such a commission to make selections
and contracts; the commission shared
in the profits of the monopoly they Gre
ated and Continued contracts in force
for three terms of five years each before
the people could relieve themselves of
the government octopus they had I'M
Willingly created. The books of their
schools were unrevised and inferior and
the educational system of the state be-
came debauched, and this in the inter
est of political jobbers. Finally, by an
almost unanimous action, they threw
aside the contract system and adopted
optional district ownership in its stead,
and it is this last law which the COVER
nor commends in his message
The same history of the state publish
ing scheme, tried at an expense to the
people for more than million dollars by
California, is true.
In fact wherever any of these So
called panaceaS have been tried, they
have been breeders of jobbery, corrup-
ment.
Governor Leedy commends the laws
of Minnesota and Nebra ska. and he is
right, for legislation should make every |
school district of the state an indie |
pendent customer and every book pub
Usher an eager competitor for the trade |
of each district. 1t should not give the |
trade of the entire state to a single |
combina ton and forever shut out all
variety and improvement. |
r. w. TURNER.
THE SCHOOL BOOK QUESTION.
Presented From Various
Sources in Opposition Anticipated