Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-04-24
SCHOOL library LAN'
State Board Of Educational Examin-
ers 10 Formulate Policy For Its
Enforcement.
The Law Much More General in
Scope Than at First
Supposed.
Other New Educational Laws and
Their Frovislons-State Teach.
ers' Certificates.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, April 24-The state board
of educational examiners will have a
meeting at the Office of the state SUPER
intendent next Thursday to decide
upon the policy of the board in regard /
to the new laws passed by the last I
legislature. The most important Of
them is the school library bill, which
appears to be more general in
its scope than was at first supposed. |
IT is made mandatory upon countryfl
school districts to set aside annually /
from to 10 cents for each child of
school age in the district for the pur-
chase of books for a library. The Ii
brary is to be kept in the school house
when school is in session, but during
vacation it is to be in the hands of the
secretary or some other person whom
the board may select. This would indi-
cate that the library is to be a circulat-
ing library for the use Of the people in
the district, and provision is made that
the books may be SO used. This being
the case, the books to be selected will
lnot necessarily be exclusively for
| school use, but will be such as will ap-
4 peal to the people of the district. DUR
ing vacation the library might be kept
/ in the postoffice or in a country store
where 1T would be handy for the peo-
\ pie to get the books.
The law limits the district in the pur-
chase of books to list to be recon-
mended by the state board of educa-
tional examiners. If the books We're
INTENDED only for the use of country
schools under the provisions of this act
4 the preparation of the list would be a
very simple matter, but the law per-
mits the board of directors of any in-
4 dependent district to come under the.
4 provisions of the law. \ vote of the
i people is required. 1t is entirely8in the
4 hands of the board. This gives the di-
! rectors in cities and towns an oppor-
/ tunity to establish good sized libraries.
4 as the tax in such districts would
Iamount toa considerable sum. These
districts would not Want to be limited
A to a list of books that would be ample
& for the country districts. School Ii
Il braries are already established in near
4 ly all Of the cities and towns, and
lthey are provided With the elementary
books which are required in the coun-
A try schools. In WISCONSIN, Where such
a law has been in force for more than
twenty years. good libraries have been
q built up in all the public schools. The
i list of books from which the directors
'atsmays make selections for the libraries
8 is a very large one and includes several
I Thousand volumes. The board Will da-
Etermine whether it Will prepare a list
u like this and permit the country schools
lias Well as the city schools TO select
fromsit or whether several lists Will be
lprepared, one for country schools. one
for high schools and another lniscel-
s Ijlaneous list for city schools alread,
! having libraries.
School libraries are already numer.
Gus in Iowa. The legislature two year:
ago passed a law permitting boards ol
directors to spend s2a annually for Ii.
: brares. The number of boards thai
have availed themselves of5tilis law i.
comparatively small. State Superin
.a .aItendent Barrett made a thorough in
! vastigation last year of the number o
school Libraries now in the state.
Library interests have been greatl.
. stimulated in northwestern Iowa b.
= the donations of Hon. George w
: : Schee. Of Sheldon. who has givel
= something lilse. s12i0no fof the esta bllsh
!. ment of teachers libraries in variou
: counties. He offered 10 give $500 I
: every county that would raise a lik
;, sum to establish libraries for teacher
!. and about twenty-four counties i
northwestern Iowa have availed them
selves of this offer and have now i
use excellent libraries for the assist
g ancesof the teachers
"a State superintendent Barrett hold
). that the new music law is absolutel
J mandatory infrequiring teachers TO az
le Iquaint themselves With the elementar
le Eprinciples of music, TO be able to teac
o, music and to teach it in any and ever
Il public school in the state. The e,
q emption in the law in favor of tt
4 teachers does not amount to as muc
IS as 1t was supposed when the bi
T. passed. Teachers are not to lose the
lie certificates or have their standing r,
lie duced on account of inability to sin
l. but there is no discount on the requir
e. ment that they must understand Il
principles of music and be able
teach music. Mr.. Barrett has advise
county superintendents to introdu
n- music into the county institutes tn
year. so as to help the teachers in pr
s. E5parins for this work, which will 4
he new to many of them. Music is O.
Is of the best things that can be intr
r. 5ducea ina teachers institute sa
"a Superintendent Barrett. II never sa
a teachers institute that had mus
that was not lively. 1t is great he
to the work. and While some of t
an counties are a little cramped for fun
tn with which to carry on their regul
"a; work. am sure that nearly allof the
'e- will find the means to introduce mu!
into their institute courses. I think I
new music law is good thing and
must enforce 1t and make the most G
s,v of it that we can
ms
Inn Another duty that the board of G
ucational examiners will have is to {
eide on Its policy toward the gra
uates OF. state institutions applyi
nd for state teachers certificates.
he Legislature repealed the law VIII
lEives 70 Eraduates oe the State Morn