The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-06


The Puget Sound Schoolmasters' Club
which represents nearly every city and
town of the state. west OF the Cascades,
met yesterday in the rooms OF the board
of education The club discussed and
adopted resolutions on the school text
book question, condemninfs the series
now in use in this state. The state board
Will meet in Olympia tomorrow. A part
Of the business to come before II is the
awarding of a contract for furnishing
public school textbooks for the next
five years.
II was stated at the teachers meet
ing yesterday that the contract will be
let TO the Wes.land Publishing Com
pany. which is said to be composed of
Tacoma and Seattle parties and one
state official. Members of the club stated
that all other competitors. including
wsll-known Eastern publishing houses of
established reputation, had retired from
the field in disgust. seeing that they had
little chance against the publishing COM
pany named.
The Teachers Club claims to be in
possession OF information to the effect
that a grammar Is about to be adopted
that has no standing whatever. Mem
befs stated yesterday that this grammar
was pushed to the front and an used ed, once
board of education. and that the old
plates have been purchased for use In
x history Of the United States. the
teachers claim, has been decided upon
which, using the words Of a. prominent
educator ysstersday, nc teacher IN the
to be printed from Kansas plates
A geography which failed OF adoption
By the board Of education Of California.
n said TO have been selected. This geo
graphy Is still In manuscript form. and
hsA, It is said. never been printed or
SohoolmastePs Make Charges.
A spelling book. according to the School.
preparation by supt. Hughes. OF the
was said against the spelier, a. supt
how to spell. but the practical success OF
now text book is said to be always an
open question.
metic is being prepared in the OFFICE Of a
certain state official. Advance sheets, IL
IN said. SHOW the work to be set In solid
nAnion and gotten up with minimum of
expense ~ the main point OF considera-
The first two readers. the schoolmasters
elaim, are to be the work OF Mrs. Carrie
Shaw Rice, of Tacoma, who was once a
member OF the state board OF education.
II II said that the plates for the readers
ebovs the second are to be imported from
4 well-known King county educator
stated yesterday that some Of these text
books are already In the press He says
that thera are $4,000 school children In the
require four books. and that It IL a physi-
cal imposslbility for any publishing con-
c4fn IN the state 70 run of $4,000 text
books BY September l. the beginning Of the
81: fG aSCv.s s:sC ,s ms, w;r: un.n
BY the retiring president. J. M. Widmer:
REGULATIONS Passed.
''whereas. 1t comes to the knowledge Of
the schoolmasters' Club through the pub
Ito press that textbooks prepared and pub
lishsd In this state are to be offered for
adoption by the state board OF education;
Whereas Such books as wa have seen
are poor In mechanical construction and
~ no means. equal to those offered in the
open market, and
Whereas. The subject matter OF some
OF these books has never had any school
room test, az not even had the indorse-
ment OF any educational men generally in
thte or any other state; and
whereas. We are crsdibly informed
that in some instances plates OF books
have been purchased which have failed to
r nnd m. market as for themselves in other
schools OF this state; and
Wheress The adoption OF inferior
books At this time entails necessarily in
many. localities where the school cannot
ftse above the incubus OF the book; there
fors,
coaxagemcnt OF home production and the
eprthsrancs OF local publications other
things being equal still, we most earnest
" assert and respectfully request that the
chidren or this state are entitled to and
should have the best books the United
States can produce; that the past three.
years has seen such strides In the book
pakers art that the opportunities are now
greater than ever before for the present
state board Of education to give the chill
dren books that are gems OF mechanical
construction and scientifically pedagogio
In subject matter.
Resolved, That We believe that the hes,
criterion by which the .seeeptaeility OF a
school book may be Judged Is its general
we throughout the country at large. ana
Resolved. That We respectfully urr.
that the question OF home production -
not allowed 20 50 influence the board as 10
Jeopardise the true interests OF the cause
Of education IN this commonwealth. as We
tsli~ve that It's adoption viii"
Luncheon Served.
After iunehean at the Rainier Grand no.
tel the club held a business neetins in
the hotel peflots The following oficer.
yere slected; President. /. l.. nenbow.
sevetsS & n Young local committee
map. 6. Feass The next meeting will
be held In Tacoma. and following tAs Gus.
tom OF the club, tho officers ara an fror,
THAI city. The members Ia Attendance AZ
the meetings were;
Ssattls-J Nj. widmcr. J NJ shlclis y
HARVARD. . a Taylor. J. Goutd
Charles Fsgan. 1. n. Shaw. s Y. Yarkes
W. Y BRbcock. Dtwin Twituiyer " g'
mccarthy. W y. Richari4on J H. tsirtls
r. i. Bailey, ~ Kiliea. C IT. Cotton W
q HarsIsnft; l.; II Stafford David q.
fenton, r. W. johnson. bertrand John.