The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-01-07
DAILY LAW
MEANS A CHANGE
In the Method of Selecting
Text Books.
Gov. Geer Replies Effectively
to the Just Opinion
of Judge Lowell.

Gov, Geer has just received com.
munieation from Judge Lowell declin-
ing the appointment as member Of
the Text Book Commission, but is
not yet looking for another man TO
appoint in the vacancy. In speaking Of
Judge Lowell's declination and his rea.
sons therefor, Governor Geer said:
al am very much disappointed that
Judge Lowell declines to serve the school
interests Of the state in this capacity,
but his somewhat extended criticism of
my lack of Judgment in appointing him
shows his misconception of the obiec-
tions which the Daily law was intended
to overcome. The law which it super
seded provided for the very system Of
selecting text books that Judge
Lowell says should be continued. II
educators should be allowed TO select
books, there could be no objection
whatever to the old law, which placed
the matter directly in the hands Of the
county school superintendents OF the
state and the State Board of Examiners
really the best body Of practical edu,
Gators in the state. And one good fea.
ture OF it was that those men did the
work absolutely without additional cost
to the state. But change was demand.
ed by the people, and the legislature
provided for change in obedience to
the demand, and instructed me to carry
it out in detail Now, ii simply trans.
fer this duty from one body of men to
another body Of the same kind OF men,
against whom the protest was made,
fail to effect any change in the manner
of selecting text books and have not
fulfilled the trust reposed in me.
"There is no better body of men aud
women in this or any other slater than
the schoolteachers, nor any class doing
more for advancement OF mankind, but
since the DAILY law decided that the
system Of allowing the selection OF text.
books TO be made by a board OF the best
teachers in the state was not satisfactory |
and should be changed, hope | will not
be blamed for supposine that a changeis
intended to mean a change Ask the
average school man what is the best |
book on the market, and he will have
nm answer ready at once, for his very
experience has led him To conclusion.
aud man whose miEd is already up on
A question is usually excluded from aid
ing in it's decision. In fact, | believe |
the Judge has uniformly enforced this
rule of practice himself. II
m educated business man does not know |
any more about school books than a |
lawyer does OF medical books or farmer |
Df theological treatises, then no business
man should be placed on the connie
sion, and we simply have continuation
If the old system. / have made no
protest against teachers selecting school
BOOKS, but the DAILY law did, and am
to carry out its provisions
The Oregonian said yesterday. "The
Textbook Commission was wanted be-
ibBNlH VI
he work OF the county superintendents
n the selection Of the books. This is
undoubtedly true, and yet there is not a
etter body OF educators in Oregon than
he county superintendents. II they
ould not select books in satisfactory
ianner, what body Of school men could /?
have simply held that the DAILY law
leant change, that il all.
"The protest that came up from the
)mmon people was not against the
Iaracter and quality OF the matter con-
lined in the books, but was against
leir cost. OF course, there are men who
re willing TO pay any price for school
Doks, but among them are not 10 be
und those who are digging ont stumps
the foothills, nor farmers who are
ruggling to raise large families. II
as in their interest that the new law
as enacted, and they should not be lost G
ght OF in it's administration. And the S
,sire TO secure an impartial jury is no C,
scredit to the teachers, who are W
cognized by everybody 10 be the most q