Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-28
SUGGESTS TEXTBOOK REFORM
Member Holman Calls for Special Meeting
Of School Board Committee.
REQUESTS EXPLANATION OF BOOK DEALS
objects 60 superintendent Makins
Purchases without Consulting
the Board and TO Certain
Books now in Use.

The text book committee Of the Board
Of Education will hold a special meeting in
a few days to consider matters in reference
to the books now used in the city schools.
The first step for such a meeting was taken
yesterday morning by w. R Holman, who
requested the chairman. J. J. Smith, to
issue the call. Mr.. Holman said:
II have been on the board only a short
time and the conditions existing in the
schools are being unfolded slowly. have
learned some things which in my judgment
require attention and ] purpose having
some Recommendations from the text book
committee presented tofthe board Its
next meeting, A few days ago I called on
the secretary Of the school hoard and re-
quested him to supply me with a list OF the
books authorized by the board for use in
the schools. / was informed by him that 1t
would be almost impossible to prepare such
a list, as no especial record Was kept OF
the books authorized.
Later / found facts which led ne to be-
lieve that such record will probably have
to be compiled from the books actually In
use. II appears that some books were pur-
chased on the recommendation Of the text
book committee that such books be used
and that In some cases the matter never
came before the board to be made a part of
It's record.
There is another matter which demands
attention. A short time aso the superin-
tendent OF schools purchased from an agent
Of a book concern 1000 copies of a certain
text book for which cash was paid. At the
same time the school board owned 5000
copies OF the same bookfor which the com
gpeny would have paid s cents apiece In ex-
change for the new books. This would
have amounted to $3.50, but through the &C
ton of the superintendent the board has
paid for the rev books and still has the
5000 old books on hand.
objects to superintsndent's Method.
"It appears to me that the superintendent
has been in the habit Of purchasing books
according to his own ideas OF the necessi-
ties Of the case, not consulting the COM
mittees. 1 intend to offer a resolution be-
fore the meeting of the text book commit
tee to the effect that the superintendent Is
requested to make no purchase of books
without an order Of the text book commit
tee or the Board of Education, and thai
before any new books are purchased an In
voice Of books to be discarded be taken
and the old books unchanged on the most
favorable terms.
There is another matter which 1 an
looking up at the request of patrons Of tn,
school and that is the United States his
tory now in use in the grades. 1t Il
claimed by some that the book is toC
elaborate and intricate for the use o
pupils OF that age; that in it's mass of fact.
and dates the important epochs of histor,
are not made sufficiently prominent anC
that as much emphasis Is placed upon tn,
date Of the discovery Of Labrador by Cabo
as IL placed upon the date Of the discover.
Of America by Columbus; that this ten
dency continues throughout the entir'
book. hlling the mind Of h pupil with
lot Of half-digested facts and leaving hin
with a clear idea Of nothing. Whethe,
the criticism IL Just or not do not know
but this will be considered, together Will
objections to certain other text books nov
in use."