Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-07
.srArE J. ADOPTION Do, slLl.
supsrintsndsnx sheakIy Preparing ON
Ia Do Away With County aaa ndafs.

Supsrintsndsny Sheakly Preparing One
to DO Away With County Scandals.
Des Moines, Sept. 6.-Superintendent
Sheakley of the West Des Moines
schools who is chairman OF the legis
5lative committee of the State Teachers
Association, is preparing bill for
state uniformity of state books. which
he will have introduced at the session OF
legislature next winter.
Mr.. Sheakley has and is still gather
ing great deal Of data to be used in
support Of the measure from states
where uniformity is in use and from
prominent educators who favor the
system. His bill. when completed, it is
intended shall combine the good points
of the several bills now in force in diff
ferent states.
council, of which the state superlnten-
state university, state normal school
and state agricultural colleges will be
members ex.officio. In all probability
| 1T will be composed Of seven members.
How the other two will be selected has
not been determined as yet.
To this board will be entrusted the
work of selecting the texts for period
of years with a probable minimum
period of fixed years, the game as in
counties having the uniform system
under the present law. Restrictions as
to time to be consumed in making the
adoption, advertisements for bids, mer-
its of texts the character of bids, ETC.,
will be provided.
! 1t is the intention also to exempt
from the state adoption the graded
schools. The bill will provide that the
adoption shall not extend to cities or
towns or school districts maintaining
a system of graded schools and will
|relegate the question of adoption of
texts to the directory boards of these
a districts. This is a question that will
probably be determined by meeting
of the full membership Of the legisla-
tive committee.
There is some talk Of eliminating the
graded school exemption and substitut-
ing in lieu thereof provision to the
effect that the state adoption shall not
apply to cities OF towns with popula-
J ton exceeding a certain number.
!. Provision viii also be made that the
| books shall be furnished to the pupils
. without charge, and in the same con-
nection 1t is likely that compulsory
educational clause will be inserted II
!, the bill requiring that children of schoo
. age will be compelled to attend schoo
a stated number Of months each yeal
) until they reach a certain age.
1t is also the intention to incorporate
in the measure clause doing ava,
with county adoptions and requiring
the board of directors of school dis
!, tricts exempted from state adoption t
} apply a uniform system and furnisl
3 free books in their district, givin,
I greater latitude to them in the matte
g of changes so that the compulsory edu
/ cation section can be applied to tn
t cities and towns.
t Before the measure Is presented I
. the legislature it is likely that it will b
n submitted to the meeting of the Stat
: Teachers Association in Des Nome
next December for its endorsement, an
that the association will be given an OPP
), portunity to discuss changes or amend
!. ments that may be deemed advisable.
: That the state association will en-
dorse such q measure is certain. At tn
!, time the committee was named 1t wa
y with the understanding that 1t woul
! prepare draft of measure of TIL
!. kind. It is composed of member
! known to favor free text books, stat
uniformity and compulsory education
q and they were selected over candidate
q who opposed the measure and made
- fight against it at the last session {
the association.