The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-17
OF UNIFORM TEXTBOOKS
For the Public Schools of Alabama

Editor The Advertiser:
 The just recognition of the capital i'm
 portance of education which Is made in
 the new constitution and the zeal which
 the present representatives of the people
 are manifesting in fulfilling the high duty
 of enacting initial and precedential laws,
 lead us to hope that no nasty or ill-ad-
 vised action will be taken on any educa-
 tional issue. Such an issue is the bill
 now before the Legislature advocating
 uniform text books for the public schools
 of the State. This bill involves con-
 alterations of grave import in education
 and in government alike.
 As a question of government, it would
 deny the people of community the
 right of local selfgovernment in an im-
 portant issue touching the education of
 their children. If the people have the right to institute local taxation for the
 support of local schools. by what argu-
 ment can they be denied the right of local
 choice of text books? The local com
 munity should have the democratic right of local self-government and control in all matters touching their local welfare
 and this is as true in matters of educa-
 tion as In matters of taxation. It is
 scarcely conceivable that an enlightened people in modern democracy would per init to pass from their immediate control
 the selee ton of text books that shape the
 moral and intellectual life of their own children.
 As a question or education, the meas
 nre is equally iniquitous. It would say
 These books shall be taught in the public
 schools of Alabama, ard only these. Ii would establish a censorship of text books Who, then, would be the cen sors? And what assurance would the people possess that these cenSors would hcations. infallability and uncorruptibili- ty? Granted that such censors could
 be secured; where then would be the freedom or the teacher! Has he no d. Ew.NA errtN 1l efficiency of d teacher are conditioned upon liberty to teach the truth as he sees
 1t. and to select for himself such text
 books as present the truth Tn his light
 This Fundamental right of the teacher, the proposed law would deny. That every l man may worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience is a truth of scarcely more moment than that every teacher may teach the truth according to
 his own understanding. As we'll prescribe the manner In which God shall be wor- | shipped as the mode in which truth shall be taught.
 This proposed law, then, would deny the people the right of self-government and | local control in a vital issue touching the | education of their own children; 1t would l establish censorship of textbooks, fet- tering freedom of teaching and placing a stumbling block in the way of progress and, finally, 1t would usurp the inalien- able right of the individual teacher to teach the truth in the light Of his own | understanding.
 The advocates of the measure claim that it will lower the cost of textbooks Lowering the cost of textbooks Is cer. | tainly a praiseworthy aim, and one which
 should receive the judicious consideration of the people. the representatives of the people, and those to whom education is a
 high calling. But Is the proposed meas ure the wisest means of attaining the end? Would not the law itself be 8 source of greater evils than those 1t would repair? We deceive ourselves if we be- l lieve that the evils of the past have died
 with the past. They still live; but they | come disguised in quite different skins Censorship of the press for the suppres. the party in power will scarcely be at | tempted again among Englishmen; but | censorship of textbooks under the | sophism of saving and of uniformity iS
 only an old belief clothed in materia | garb. An evil law is law that involves | unseen issues, and opens the way fol evil practices. Already the book agents are Rocking at committee doors bidding | for a monopoly of uniform textbooks | economic condition for just prices?l Al | though the argument has not been urged l in Alabama. 1t is current that uniformity of textbooks will facilitate learning anC advance the cause of truth. Some seen | to see in the idea of uniformity a hop' of great promise But 1t is an ancien hope. Other people have urged uniform I ity as the only way of righteousness ant conformity as the sole means of saliva
 tion. History shows the futility of suci | a hope. Liberty is the source of prog ress; and liberty has never been througi | uniformity. Fortunately, truth is not uni form with the books of any age nor quit