Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-06
STATE ADOPTION eiLl.
supsrintendent sheakIy Preparing One
to Do Away With County Scandals.

10 70 away win county Seau00uos
Dee Moines, Sept. 6.-Superintenden
Sheakley Of the West Des Moines
schools. who is chairman Of the legis-
lativa committee of the. State Teachers
Association, is preparing bill for
state uniformity. of state books. which
he will have introduced at the seseion 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.
1t will provide for state educational
council, of which the state superinten-
dent of schools, the presidents of the
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 same 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
Tho mil
adoption shall not extend to cities or
a system of graded schools and will
relegate the question of adoption Of
texts to the directory boards of these
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 or towns with popula-
ton exceeding a certain number.
Provision will also be made that the
books shall be furnished to the pupils
without charge, and In the same con-
nection it is likely that a compulsory
educational clause will be inserted in
the bill requiring that children of school
age will be compelled to attend school
stated number of months each year
until they reach certain age.
1t is also the intention to incorporate
In the measure clause doing away
with county adoptions and requiring
the board of directors of school dis
tricts exempted from state adoption to
apply a uniform system and furnish
free books in their district, giving
greater latitude to them in the matter
of changes so that the compulsory edu-
cation section can be applied to the
cities and towns.
Before the measure is presented to
the Legislature it is likely that 1t will be
submitted to the meeting of the State
Teachers Association in Des Moines
next December for its endorsement, and
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 measure Is certain. AT the
time the committee was named it was
with the understanding that it would
prepare a draft of measure Of this
kind. It is composed OF members
known to favor free text books state
uniformity and compulsory education,
and they were selected over candidates
who opposed the measure and made a
fight against it at the last session Of
the association.