The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-29
nd the legislature of 1901 will doubles
rovide literally for my successor.
Need of Befter support.


fore. 1t is my belief that our state has
more students in her higher institutions
than has any other state of like popula-
ton. This condition arises from the ex-
cellent administration of the several
schools and the organization and cooper
alton running through the entire school
system. The legislature wouH strengthen
the work of the higher institutions by pro-
fiding, upon some equitable basis, an an
nual state tax for the support Of the state
educational institutions, just as there now
exists an annual tax for the support of
the common schools. This plan would
largely relieve the legislature from the
customary biennial log rollingr which
often demoral!zes the Influence of the en-
iire legislative session. 1t is moreover
N the way OF dormitory equipments.
student has the same right to demand
from the state the same home comforts
as he would enjoy at any OF the other in
situations. The efficiency of our school
system VIII be Increased, also, by closer
relation between the several high schools
OF the state and the higher institutions
ana the board of control should exercise
q more positive and .defintive policy of
relations to the higher institutions. The
STANDARD should be high and the ideals
should be realized. This can only be
reached by state control and supervision.
Text Books Discussion.
Third-The law governing the adoption
or text books should be modified so as to
repeal the maximum price limit provided
by the present law. The evils resulting
from this provision are accredited By
many TO the system of state uniformity.
But 1t Is manifest to any person that a
COCO book presented at price above that
specihed by law cannot be adopted under
any system or by any authority. The last
legislature attempted to rectify the condi-
lions, but q conflict of methods resulted
IN nothing being accomplished. One plan
was to repeal the limitation clause, leav-
Ing the adoption to the state board of ed
ucation; another was to refer the adop-
ton to the individual districts, and aban-
don the state uniformity idea. The law
as 1t passed permitted the cities and
towns TO select their own books but left
the rest of the state under the old law
with it's undesirable provisions, and at the
same time made the conditions more OBJ
noxious by reducing the contract period
that anything would do for the rural dis
tricts, but the towns and cities are of
little better fiber and deserve special priv
iieges The governor very justly vetoed
The public mind has been violently agi-
lated by the recent text book discussion
and those responsible for this agitation
would have us believe that state uniform
lily has brought untold evils upon society
AT the same time II is doubtful II there IL
citizen of the state who will assert that
our schools, our teachers or our educa-
tionai spirit is excelled by any other state
In the Union. The benefits Of state con-
troll ana state administration should not
be disturbed by destroying state control
OF text books II is my sincere belief that
q better school system can be developed
by the state than can result from each
district acting upon an independent poll
ley. Moreover, IN the text plays such an
important part II fills such latge func-
ton that the constitutional duty of the
state to maintain general and uniform
system of public schools will be plainly
Violated by failure to provide for uni
form text books.
Methods Of Teaching.
Fourth--The educational world has in
dicated considerable disposition to modify
the. customary method OF teaching science
and geography In the common schools.
Text book work is not so much of fac
tor as II has been, and more and more the
schools are disposed to take on the prac-
teal and applied part OF scientific knowl-
edge. This appeals to the experience OF
the child In the garden. on the farm and
at every point of contact with nature. 1t
leads To sympathy with the resources
of our state and their possible develop
ment. In many states course OF agri-
culture has been recommended for the
rural schools. This Is excellent, but not
sufhciently broad to include the interest
OF all classes or pupils. Cornell university
of New York, issues n limited number Of
nature study bulletins TO the teachers of
the public schools. 1t may be possible for
our state To- build better than other states
by appropffating to the state university
and agricultural college liberal amounts
larry to the pupils of the state for use az
supplementary reading, etc. These bulle-
tins should cover the subjects of plant
and animal life. geological and geographic
cal phenomena. mineral resources, the
simpler principles underlying agriculture
and such other knowledge as will lead TO
love OF the commonwealth and develop
In the minds OF the children a sympathy
with the very life OF the state
f1fth-Fhe plan of levying and appor-
tIoning the state school tax appears TO be
kindly received by the entire state. II Is
manifest that under this state tax better
results have been reached than wera real
lied under the plan Of local levy. The
schools being firmly organized on the
principle of state support | believe the
legislature will find, after due considera-
ton, that sim better results win be
reached by increasing the state tax from
thus creating a larger fund for the weak
school districts
In connection with school support It
may be well to refer to the union high
school plan now provided by law The
desire 10 furnish the facilities for high
school training to rural communities
should be given every possible encourage
ment. Much annoyance has arisen during
the past two years by the indefinite meth
cd OF forming union schools" ana IL may
be wise To consider the plan OF giving az
rectiy sle0 annually To each district for
every grade Of high school work MAIN
tatned. the average attendance Of which
grade being not less than five This
change would simplify the whole matter
and would give the same announcements
10 secondary education In case such
change Is made Il should be provided that
no district can charge tuition for fugtruc-
q ton IL n ~t. H.,