The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-19
THE SCHOOL BOOK LAW
Atchison Globes Comment on Action
Taken in That City.

IFrOm the AtchisOn Globe, February 17.l
The members of the school bard met
last night and passed resolutions op-
posing the proposed legislative act that
calls for complete change of the school
book system. The people do not like
a change of text books and every
member of the board knows it Should
this proposed measure become a law, a
commission made up of politicians,
would be appointed by the governor to
choose the text books and to regulate
the course of study, for every school in
Kansas. The people would not have a
voice in the matter and the commission
could adopt as inferior text books as 1t
chose. The cost of a complete change
of books would be so enormous that it
would take ten years before the eX-
penses of inaugurating the system
were paid. The people have demanded
home government for ages, and this
would be blow at branch of home
government most vital to their interests.
Under the present system they elect
school board, and if the members do not
regard their interests they have a re-
lief when the two years term expires
Under the proposed system, the schools
would be controlled in the interest of
politics.
The resolutions adopted by the Atchi-
son board of education were as Follows
Whereas, There is now pending be-
fore the legislature of Kansas a bill
providing for state uniformity of text
books; and
Whereas, Selection of text books for
the entire state, and an arbitrary en-
fOrcement of the same, must not only
fail to meet the varying needs and de-
mandS of school work in different To-
calitieS, but also menaces the people
with absolute confiscation of all the
text book property in their hands by
one sweeping change; and,
Whereas, Judging from the expert
81 fI,n -No4 %lo%
adopted uniformity of text books, there
seems to be no adequate promise of
better school work by such state uni
formity, but on the other hand the pos
tive calamity of robbing our schools
of the benefit of American competition
in the improvement of school texts;
and,
Whereas, The Atchison board of ed
ucation has a just pride in the fact that
under existing laws and by local selec-
ton from the entire list of books ex-
tant, guided by knowledge of our needs,
the text books in use are supplied to
the children through the ordinary and
natural channels of trade, at prices
which compaFe most favorably with
those prevailing in states operating
under a state supply system, therefore
be it
Resolved, That this board views with
distrust and alarm any legislation
which seeks state uniformity of books,
as creating a dangerous legal mOnop-
Oily dSalHSl Ilo pIOSiSSS VI tic SOhOOAo,
against the principles of local govern
ment and against the interests of econ
omy and is in direct opposition to the
initiative and referendum to the state
constitution now pending in the legisla-
ture.
Resolved, That in the event of such
| legislation, we respectfully petition the
legislature, and especially the senator
and representatives, from Atchlson
county, to except cities from its opera
ton.
Resolved, That a copy of these reso-
lutions be presented to our senator and
representatives, with the request that
the prayer of our petition be brought
before both branches of the Legislature
in the most effective manner; also,
that a copy be given to our daily pa
pers for publication.
w L. BAILEY, President.
MARY c. PARK, Clerk.