Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-03-27
w. q. MERRITT
DEFINES HIS POSITION
VALDOSTA, ca, March %,

In your paper in regard TO my position on
the state uniformity schoolbook question.
The statement is entirely unauthorized,
and do not know from whom your re-
porter could have received such informa-
ton. saw 1t at the time, and did not in
tend to refer to 1t, but this statement has
been widely copied. and other 0nauthor-
lied statements about my position on this
question have been printed in various pa
pers in the state; therefore, wish to de-
fine my position clearly on this question
in your paper, since The Journal was the
first paper have seen that made an eff
fort to give my position on this subject.
In my opinion, state uniformity has both
advantages and disadvantages. Many of
its opponents claim that state uniformity
will not cheaper school books. They are
wrong in this, and have been proved to
be wrong in half a dozen state adoptions.
State uniformity will cheaper books and
will unity the work Of the country schools
to a considerable extent. It has disadvan-
tages, however, from an educational
standpoint. in that it may unity the work
in a state system OF schools to an extent
that is really harmful and hurtful Diver
sification Of methods and Of school books
is as important in school matters to obtain
the best results as 1t is important for
farmers to diversity their crops and Gull
tivate such crops as are best adapted to
the soil.
be adopted in Georgia, unquestionably all
communities that levy special local tax
to support their schools and have school
terms longer than those supported by the
state alone, should be exempt from the
operation Of any state uniformity act
When any community, whether II be
county, city, town or school district, is
willing to tax itself for a longer school
term, it should have all the encourage
ment and latitude possible in the manage
ment Of its own affairs.
NY position is, and has been all the time,
however, that the school laws OF Georgia
can be much better administered than
they have been recently, whether there
are any changes in existing laws or not.
II is easy for any one to say he could
accomplish wonderful results provided ne
could get such legislation as he wanted. 1
realize that the state school commissioner
has no voice in legislative matters, except
in an advisory capacity. If the majority OF
the people Of Georgia want state uniform
ity. they can undoubtedly get 1t by in
structing their representatives in the leg
isIature to vote for II. If elected state
school commissioner, shall certainly not
lobby for or against any bill on the SUD-
ject, but should be glad at all times TO
give any information possible TO sucn
members Of the general assembly as might
ask It'll mean information on both SIDES
of this question.
do not consider state uniformity OF
school books the paramount issue or TINS
campaign. 1t may be all that IS clalneo
for It by its advocates-that II would
cheaper books and unity the system. max
ing IL possible to have uniform course
of study in the various counties.
It is not however. a panacea for all our
ills. Even If it should be passed by the
next legislature and enforced to the letter,
and our other school laws be administered
as they are now administered. the educa-
tional situation in Georgia would not be
relieved one iota.
,rhere are other and greater issues In
voived in this campaign than that OF uni
form textbooks. While many OF its advo-
Gates claim that IL win cure all our his,
that II is the "sine qua non' Of educa-
tional success, / cannot agree with them
to this extent. / am perfectly willing tnat
state uniformity should be tried in Geor-
gia IL applied only to those schools that
are supported entirely from the state fund.-
but I am unwilling to put myselt In the
position of holding the schoolbook ques-
ton to be of such Importance that II
should be considered to the extent or neg
lecting all other matters, many OF Wnicn
I think more important
Georgia can have magnincent system
of state schools either with or without
state uniformity. The question Of how or
nv whom the school books are selected In
the state has nothing to do with the edu-
cational results. Those states which have
the best public school systems have wide
Nv varying school book laws. Ohio and
some other states have splendid systems
of public schools under county and city
uniformity laws. Pennsylvania, Massa-
chusetts and most of the other New Eng
land states have splendid systems Of pub
lie schools under the free textbook law
adopted by local district school boards.
nd
louisiana have state uniformity Of school
books laws and am not at all sure that
the system Of schools in these states is
any better than it is here in Georgia.
Florida has a county uniformity law;
Mississippi, like Georgia, has county uni
formity laws. but the cities and towns IN
these two states make separate adoptions
If they so desire. Alabama has no general
textbook law at all. each teacher using
whatever books he desires. except IN
few counties that have local acts. and In
the cities which have local systems. So
far as I can learn, the public SCHOOLS IN
Alabama are about as efficient as in any
of the states which adjoin her, all OF
which have different school book laws.
A careful investigation and study of
these different systems has convinced me
that the mere fact Of having state uni
formfty like Tennessee, or county Uniform
ity like Georgia, or free textbooks select
ed by district boards, like MASSACHUSETTS,
neither adds to nor takes from system Of
public schools. Good teachers, such as we
ought TO have in every school in Georgia,
could teach successfully without any
textbooks, almost, and what textbooks
used and how they should be adopted are,
TO my mind matters of minor Importance.
I am unable to see how candidate for
the high office of state school commission
er Of Georgia can possibly make state uni
formity OF school books the paramount
issue in his race, no matter whether he
favors state uniformity or opposes IT. If
the people Of Georgia want uniform
textbook law, all they have to do is to
elect legislators pledged to It, and I give
my promise now that I viii not lobby
against such a bill, or make speeches be-
fore any committee opposing 1t. If had
no higher motive in Offering myself to the
people Of Georgia as candidate for the
office Of state school commissioner than
to try to secure the passage OF a uniform
textbook law, or to try to defeat the pass
age Of such law, should certainly have
never entered the race. Yours truly.
u .