The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-23
STATE UNIFORMITY.
Some Objections to it offered by w.
P. TOmlinson.

IFrom the Topeka Daily Democrat
The School Book Question-one of vi
tai interest to the people of Kansas-is
now before the legislature. The bill
that on Saturday passed the senate pro-
vides for state uniformity OF school
books.
There are two sides to this school book
bill when you come to look at it The
what is right. But what is the right
thing to do, is often the perplexing
question.
The first consideration is that of econ
omy. Pass a text book law Of the kind
proposed, and the chances are that eve
ry school book in Kansas will have to
be replaced with new ones. This means
a direct outlay by every family of from
one to five dollars, and the chances are
that the new books chosen by job-cOm-
mittee will be inferior to the old ones.
The next legislature will do the work
over again, another set of new books,
and so on. Then, is state uniformity of
text books advisable? We think not.
If we take the opinions OF leading edu-
Gators as expressed from time to time
we are compelled to say that state uni
formity is not advisable. So far as
Kansas is concerned, we have no safer
or wiser cOunselOrS than John McDon-
aid of the Western School Journal ex-
State superintendent Winans, ex-State
superintendent Gaines, ex-State Super
intendent Stanley; Chancellor snow;
President Fairchild, of the Agricultural
college, and many other leading Kan.
sas educators who have always opposed
state uniformity, but all have favored
district control or district ownership,
that is free books.
Now the question is: If a member of
the legislature wanted a job of carpen-
tering done, would he go to black
smith printer, or would he go to
carpenter? If a member about to ap-
proach the pearly gates, wishing to seek
comfort, consOla ton and advice, would
he send for road OverSeer, or a rail-
road superintendent, or for a minister of
the Gospel? We think the answer is
implied in the questions. Then, it fol-
lows, if legislators want advice on edu-
cational matters, can they not well af-
ford to go to educational doctors such
as we have named?
John Mcdonald has well said: ''It
should ever be kept in view in discuss
ing this subject, that the adoption of
state uniformity will virtually be
confscation of all the books now in use
in the schools"
The value of the school books thus set
aside has been estimated to be about
$500, 900. We ask: In considering this
question have members of the legiS1a-
ture placed due weight on the great ex-
pense that must of necessity follow the
passage of the state uniformity bill now
before the legislature?
Even granting that saving would be
effected, that the new books would not
cost as much. is it the part of wisdom
to force such an expense upon the peo-
pie of the state, even though the times
were more propitious than they are?
When the people of Kansas realize
what has been done by the passage of
such a law, what will they say? What
have they right to say? Let mem
Der of the legislatur go to the Topeka
board of education with a proposition
to replace all of the text books now in
use with new ones such as are contem-
plated by the passage of this law, and
he will find that his proposition will
not meet with any serious considera-
ton.
Tho o1cu-ar will he. We can NOT af-
ford to create among the patrons of the
schools such commOtiOn and distruSt
as such a change as you propose would
create Our course of study has been
prepared with great care and we can
not afford so serious an interference
with the work and machinery of the
schools this change would OF neces-
sity occasion
political standpoint, the narrowest
possible view that can be taken of so
broad question, can the PopuliSt par
ty afford to pass a measure that VIII
entail so much expense and create con-
fusion and dissatisfaction throughout
the entire state?
Why did the Populists in the Abb
lene convention last August indorse
the Peoples party come to Topeka to
pass measure every feature of which
is antagonistic to the referendum spir-
it?
But members say, there is a demand
for school book legislation. Then, let
US say, there is the wise, safe, indepen-
dent and inexpensive course of district
control, OF which the prominent edu-
Gators above named, and leading edu-
Gators of other states as well, are able
and intelligent opponents.
District control secures to the schools
all the elements of cheapness that can
be gained by state uniformity without
any of the attendant elements of job
berry and corruption that are inevita-