The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-28
THAT ALL CHILDREN
Should Be Given a Free Educa
ton
From the kindergarten to the
State University.

the fact that many districts in Kansas
struggle increasingly under the heavy
burden of sustaining schools which are
anything but satisfactory. He said that
the attendance in many of these cases
does not justify the maintenance of the
schools still the pupils are entitled to
the best instruction possible.
superintendent Stryker thought that
weak districts should be consolidated
and graded schools established in the
country districts. He said he believed
that the state should furnish free tut
ton for all the children in the state
from the kindergarten to the university
superintendent G. c. SwingIe of Riley
county followed with a discussion of
"A Uniform School Tax Law
E. T. Barber of Halstead read paper
on "A More Efficient County High
School Law" He insisted that the con-
flicting interests of different places him
der the establishment of the county
high school He believes that the course
OF study should be extended to cover
four years and that no teacher should
be employed who has not taught for
| five years, two Of which shall be in
some high school.
Principal William G. Riste Of the
Thomas county high school was next
on the programme. He said:
There seem to be an unwritten law
that teachers be changed as often as
possible in the rural schools The in
! terestS of the schools are neglected by
| both teacher and county superintend-
-ent. The reason that there are so few
/ boys in the high school is because there
| is so much fooling' in the grades re-
4 sulting from a poor course of study. We
/ nave long felt that the rank and file of
] our teachers are ready for a radical
! change in the course of study based on
/ psychology and methodOlogy. Among
all educators the consensus is that the
/ course of study should be the result of
/ legal enactment. We would recon-
! mend that the teachers association pre-
sent to the legislature the following:
] 1t shall be 0IlfV of a.
| ents to establish uniform course of
study.
Teachers shall be required to follow
| said course of study.
| Failure of any officer who shall re-
1 fuse to furnish such course of study or
/ any teacher who refuse to follow it pen
/ atty shall be the forfeiture of his or her
! office"
In the general discussion that follow
/ ed, ex-Superintendent Stanley urged the
/ teachers to stand together in order to
secure any measures from the legisIa-
ture. He believes that the following
( questions should be the subject of leg
islation: County high schools should be
/ established, free from the local. strife
/ for location, which always kills them;
teachers should be licensed to teach
! without further examination after they
/ have shown marked ability in previous
/ examination and successfully taught
for term of years.
superintendent Fairchild said that
any course of study is simply a means.
1t may be made a valuable means and
| a strong factor in upbuilding a school
| He added that he had never yet found
course Of study that met the needs
| Of his county.
President A. R. Taylor of the state
! normal, said the course of study is in a
large measure advisory. "a teacher
should be permitted some liberty but
that liberty should not be used so free
ly as to destroy the spirit of the course.
We are inclined to put into 1t our own
individuality and force into it the needs
of our own locality when the ideal
should be universal and above preju-
dice and sectiOnalism."
| Superintendent Stryker closed the dis
cussion by saying that the reason teach
ers have failed to secure legislation is
that the people al home have not been
! educated up to the needs of the school
The people of districts should assemble
and give definite form to their legisla-
tive demands.
One of the most interesting papers
read was by Mrs. w. A. Johnston of To
! peka, wife of Associate Justice Johnston
/ of the supreme court, on Travelling
Libraries" She said in part:
| THE question that interests women
! most and the question that interests
teachers most is education. The up-to-
date nineteenth century girl never lays
her books aside, for when she leaves
: the school room she becomes the club
woman. The woman's club has come to
Kansas to stay. The ideal home is not
where the father knows only business
and politics and the mother only
victuals and clothes. The home should
, be a common ground, where all should
receive mental uplift. A committee OF
Topeka women has asked that a pOr-
l ton of the state library be used as q
J circulating library. The request was
1 granted. The books are sent to towns
villages and country neighbOrhOOCIS
2 They have been successful in their mis-
sion, creating taste for good books anG
: stimulating the neighborhoOd to estab
/ lish library of their own This is moi
an untried plan; twenty-five states have
state circulating libraries. For the PEG
pie it is productive of incalculable bene
: | fit and far better than allowing the
t | miles from the mass of the people of the
, | state. They are equally successful il
t | the sparsely settled west and the dense
. | ly populated east.
f "A work for the state should be car
5 ried on by the state and we will ask tn,
- | legislature to make appropriation fol
4 | travelling libraries.
2 "Win not each of you when you q
- back to your homes make it your es
1 pecial care to bring this subject within
t the attention of your representative anC
g | senator and gain their promise to d,
) all they can to give library privileges t
e every man, woman and child in Kan
= sas?
= THE boys and girls in your schoo
e rooms today will be the citizenship o
a tomorrow and there can be no NOR
). fitting preparation for it than the US
and appreciation of good books"
This closed the regular programme
President John Macdonald announce,
that the Baker reunion would be held a
T the First Methodist church from to
@ this afternoon. Refreshments will b
served.
y agricultural college will be held this even
Il ing after the lecture in the parlOrs of tn