The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-17
CATCH TRUANTS.
State Educational Committee
Wants New Law.
Provide For an officer to Catch
Runaway Scholars.
THE CHANGES WANTED
Effort VIII Be Made to Improve
Reform School.
Plan of School Taxation is Not
Satisfactory.
THE CHANGES WANTED


Frank Nelson, state superintendent Of
public instruction, is preparing his an
nual report, in which he win make sug
gestions and recommendations concern
ing the Improvement of the school work
of the state. Last year the State Teach
ers' association appointed a committee
on legislation, consisting of Mr. Nelson.
John Macdonald of the Western School
Journal, Supt. J. c. Short Of Saline
county, Supt. L. H Hammer of Coffey
county. and Supt. A. B. Carney of Con
cordia- The committee has already held
one meeting and partially outlined its
work, and another meeting will be held
early next month Mr.. Nelson IS enthu-
Siastic over the outlook and believes
that with organized effort some very I'M
portant school legislation can be secured
during the coming session of the legisla-
ture-
law" said Mr.. Nelson to a State Journal
reporter, enacted in 1874, but 1t has
been a dead letter during all these years
The provisions are such that it is almost
impossible to enforce it. One OF the
needs of our state is q practical COM
pulsory attendance law, and we propose
to see if something can not be done
along this line this winter Many OF the
best states of the union have compulsory
laws which are productive of much good
to the school interests, and there is no
reason why Kansas should not be in line
along this phase Of our educational
work.
I'VE expect to amend the present com
puIsog~y law in several ways continued
Mr. Nelson For instance, IN the law
which we have in view, we hope to have
provisions made for the appointment OF
truant officers The county commission
ers upon nomination of the county su-
perfntendent, shall be authorized to ap-
point these officers, each truant of11cer
to receive about 81 per day for actual
service rendered in the discharge of his
duties, the same to be paid by the
county treasurer from the county fund
Provisions should also be made re-
curing the teacher to make monthly
report to the county superintendent be-
fore receiving his months salary OF an
cases of truancy in his district. The
county superintendent should then re-
port such cases to the truant oIncef-
This plan would make the work very
effective and would no doubt Dring
about the desired results
1.-The right which the state has to tax
the people for the support OF schools car
ries with It the right to enforce attend
ance in the schools The lost boy costs
more than the saved boy.
MANY of the teachers and educators
have felt for some time the need OF q
manual training department IN cohhec
ton with our state reform school and
this will be one of the measures that we
will try to secure during the coming ses-
sion of the legislature. We hope to IN
the state association of charities in this |
movement. The boys at the reform |
school should not only be taught to be- |
have but they should be taught work |
along those practical lines which viii |
enable them to prepare themselves Tor |
some particular line Of skilled labor. A
correct conception of labor is the true |
basis of morality
'.An effort will also be made to secure |
legislation relating to school taxation |
The subject of school revenue is one of /
the most important effecting our work !
at this time. Under our present system, |
the revenue of our schools is derived |
from the local district tax, supplement
ted by a small additional tax from the /
state and county funds. Practically all /
the revenue is derived from the first |
source. According to our present law, /
each school district in the state, having |
a good and sufficient school building, is |
required to maintain q term of school |
at least four months This without re- /
gard to the assessed valuation of the /
district and in spite of the fact that the /
stronger districts receive a much great /
er amount from the state school fund |
than the weaker ones. A district with 1
small valuation can maintain only a /
short term Of school and very often Sc /
cures a poorly paid and inefficient |
teacher. And even under these adverse |
conditions. such a district is compelled |
to levy a tax to the full limit allowed by /
law in order to meet the legitimate ex- /
penseS of the school. On the other hand, |
districts with larger valuations are able /
to maintain a long term of school and |
pay for an efficient teacher with levy /
sometimes as low as two or three I
mills.
There must be a remedy for this I'M /
just system" said Mr.. Nelson with a /
great deal of emphasis. Under our |
present system, the burdens of educa-
ton are very unevenly distributed
What remedies are you going to Sug- |
gest2" asked the reporter
The committee on legislation re-
piled Mr.. Nelson, has given this ques-
ton much thought and study and we /
expect to petition the legislature to give |
Us a two mills state tax to be distribu-
ted in each district. the number of teach
ers to be determined on the basis of go |
children Of school age, or fraction there
of not less than ten, this tax to be dis
tribUted al the time of the distribution I
of the semt-annual state school fund. /
This is the outline in general We also /
hope to secure a county levy of not less /
than three nor more than five mills. We /
viii bend our energies for the securing
of this tax legislation which means 50 /
much to the school interests of the /
state.
we also expect to secure a rnodifea-
ton OF the state uniformity law al /
though no definite plans have yet been /
decided upon 1t Is very apparent that |
a revision Of the prices must be made /
in order that better books may be Sc
Worthless books produce worthless re-
suits good book is at all times a good 1
Investment"
This probably means that for the bene-
tit of the book companies the price of /
books will be raised, to obtain "a better /
book"