Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-06-20
ONE SIDED
Superintendent Makss Tribune Article Net at Every Point and
Refuted by DR.. c. F. Wlcox-Markss Misleading
Figures Shown in Their True Light

The book the state has adopted was
displaced by the city after trial for
I'VE years-a significant fact This
displacement received added emphasis
from the fact that the Natural Geo.
graphy was not able to muster one vote
IN the salt Lake City board. Mr.. Marks
says.
In the subject Of geography the
state has made decidedly the better
bargain from the financial standpoint"
In the left hand column he gives the
total cost Of the McMurry series
adopted by the city as $3.50, and Of the
Natural adopted by the state as
N.4g; but he entirely neglects to ex-
plain that the sells charged up to the
cost of the Tarr-McMurry series Is
divided among five different books
which make up the series. while the
sl.4S charged against the Natural geo.
graphies Is divided between two books.
SO the total cost per book. or, to put II
differently the toio cost per child
OF the Tarr- MoMurry series. is much
less than the total cost OF the Ma
tural series adopted by the state. Tn
der the free text-boaa plan employed
In Salt Lake City 1t does net take any
more Of the Tarr- McMurry books which
are bound In five different volumes than
IL does Of the Natural Biographies
bound in two columes.
Mr.. Marks would evidently like to
convey the impression that the whoe-
sale changes made by the state az tre-
mendous expense 10 the parents oC the
children. have been duplicated By SINH
lar Wholesale changes In the city. Here
again he Is playing upon the general
Misunderstanding OF the public regard.
ing the differences between the sys-
TENS employed IN the city aud those in
the country A universal change of
books such as the recent textbook con
yention made, is a grleyous burden up
on the people The complaint sworn TO
by Stewart 7, Tanner IN the Injunction
proceedings, alleges that "a Out OF 81
books were changed In the case Of a
family having 10 or T. children, this IS
very serious matter, but the condi-
lions In the city are entirely different.
In the first place, the city children do
not buy the books; they are purchased
by the board Of education and loaned to
the children free OF cost. In the second
place land here comes a seeming para
dox) change VI books under the free
textbook plan Is accompanied by no
expense, II II be- conducted judiciously.
Not only this. but Il may even be so
planned as to result In positive saving;
and this | understand Is the agowed
purpose OF the board In Salt Lake City.
Take the matter Of histories for the
sake of Illustration. Let us suppose
that the board has on hand 5000 old
histories, that $3.50 OF these are In an
old and diiapldated condition, AMI
would have TO be supplanted by new
BOOKS this fail under any conditions.
Now. II the board Of education changes
TO another book on the same subject.
the publishers " the newly adopted
book will make an allowance for the
cent OF their original cost and
credit the board Of education
with such amount at the final
settlement 4 year from this fall
the other $500 may have become worn
out and they, too, may be turned IN,
and exchanged 60 The same way. IL
Is by no means necessary 70 make
changes abruptly under the tr,'e text
book PLAN the chances may be made
gradual. as the old books wear out IL
other hand. the board would be COM
pelled 10 replenlsh ihc stock from the
old series OF books and TO throw away
all the old WOrnOIt copies In cthr
words. they would have TO pay fun
price for o fresh supply Of the nc
series. N no chnng were made.
So while AZ NAV true on lis face,
that the city board rs made as wide
and far-reaching pH 1ges as the state
board. the inforcne that II has been
equally exuayagaW IS by no means
lust one. As q matter Of fact. the city
board has exercised @ high degree OF
economy aud good Judgment, While the
state text book convention has been
extravagant far heyond the limits
reached by any similar body ever sit
ting IN the State nl Utah.
CHARLES r. WILCOX