The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-04
SCHOOL BOOK QUESTION.
M.DOxALH-S LOCAL OPTION BILL
UNDER DISCUSSION.
Sentiment in the House Fayors Civ
ing Cities the Right TO Select
Their Own Text hooks. and the

Special Dispatch to the 0St-Inteiligencer.
OLYMPIA March Gone af the big
questions 10 be solved by this legislature
is that Of the selection Of school books
for the school c1iidren ST the state With
IN few days the contract with The pub
fishers of the books now in use will ex-
pire The present Law provides fer the
selection of the text books by the state
heard OF education A bill which was
considered by the house this afternoon is
designed TO repeal the state uniformity
law, at least as to cities and towns main
tanning a high sch2ol. and substituting
therefor LEGAL option en- the part OF the
educational Authorities in the selection Of
text books . rr-~- .. -, 80 ~ s-e.,t-a * =.
The bin under discussion today is H. b.
1873, by Mcdonald of King. 1t originally
provided fer the appointment of local
boards in cities of le,s1 and oyer, main
tanning high school where the text books
are free, who shall select the books for a
period Of five years. The bill came from
the educational committee with two re-
ports. the majority favoring Indefinite
rostponement and the minority recon-
snending the 'ssassasc Of the e.lI.
Mcdonald; ch Ar srionezt Il spetshll. and or
tanned the substitution OF the minority re-
port ana its adoption. An amendment
proposed from the committee, limiting the
operations Of the act 70 cites o. 1o,0(9 and
over, Was made the occasion for speech
BY Bellows 'of Clarke. In which he Went
into the whsa- 'eoatrTNersy on the aues
ton OF schoo! books. Bellows declared
tina. the present books are .uttcgls unfit
and the cosrsg Of study neither rational
or psychological. He said that children
IN the primary grades Were given words.
To learn which were Obsolete or not In COM
mon use. Bellows remarks aroused much
comment
The SYSTEM We have now is very had,
he said The scllildren are given. MssEds
20 learn that are worse than useless. They
do no, aid them in building up a vocabu-
larry, and they are thus "a positive injury.
Here are some samples found IN the spell
river. gee (bG.ter clarified by hoil!ngl
shaw M grove or thieket). mack mot in
WebsteT's dictionary. bomb adler tone
who throws. bombs, .Ynres tthe name Of
r.acel, etc.
Bellows. az he read the list aened any
member to defire the meaning of the words
before he read them given.
Bellows ended by demanding that a bin
he enacted giving every school district the
right 10 CHOOSE Its hooks
( The bill was advanced to the third read
ing; ana viii probably pass tomorrow. AT.
rr..seu. il provides for the formation of
boards in cities maintaining a high schoal,
Consisting of member NJ the board of d.
rectorS. the city superintendent or princi-
pal the principal OF the high school. one
principal appointed by the board of d-
rectors ard q citizen 10 he named by the
beard whe shall choose the text books to
be used in The district for a period of five
years - ..~-~~4-
Mcdonald in replying To Bellows said
that the bill had been made applicable to
he cities having high schools. and that he
was willing etfotiEh TO Ncspt any amend
ntentz the house should desire TO have in
carporased in the bill.
: r. 30 by Mler--Creating a new capt.
tel comm ssion consisting Of l.. e. Gilman
Land Commissioner Bridges, and A. A.
Philips, Of Olympia, was taken up under
suspension of the rules.
Eeslig SAID: THE governor today. told
me- he would ysto this bill. | say this to
gIve the friends OF the MEASURE an or
pcftunity to allow the governor to APP
point. | am assured he viii name a good
commission
Fa.knor urged the passage Of the bin
which carried e TO g.
The house also passed the following.
H. II. eSs by EngiehaYt-tfisin min
ing ana sfrigetlns companies The right 10
appropriate water for frrigasirg from
any river. sTssk NJ stream In the STATE
and giving ssss9n companies The righ, 10
take By condemnation. 49, r~se-89@~e
III. +. g%i By fig3ehart-tssving mining
ana srrlgating companies the right 10
enter on lsnA and survey fhe same. for
the establishment OF irrcating bitches
canals. ctr. aea empowering such s-0rs1-
iaui&s 10 raise me waters in any lake
used. fog reservoir ard ID condemn the
land szTroun3ing 4 under certain eond.-
lions.