The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-01
SUPERINTENDENT MEET
HEADS OF COUNTY SCHOOLS DISCUSS
TEXTBOOK DEFECTS.
Fault Found In Papers Read by Mem.
bers of the AssOciatiOn-TwO
Sessions To-day.

The County superintendent Association
convened in the Statehouse yesterday
morning for its annual meeting. The SUI
perintendents will hold three days meet
ing.
w. E. Stipp, superintendent of Law
renee county, opened the programme with
paper on Should There Be a Change of
Text-books?'' He found fault with the
first, second and especially the third read
ers, and the fourth, and fifth, it was de-
clared, could be improved on. He said the
biographies are not well arranged and are
weak in political geography. He thought
that fully 80 per cent. of the teachers in
Indiana want new language and grammar
textbooks. He expressed himself as be-
ing very doubtful if revised textbooks
would give satisfaction, especially if re-
vised by their authors, who already had
put into them their best effort and inspira-
ton. He preferred new books.
Superintendent w. +. Landes, of Marion
county, discussed the needs of improving
educational organization in the townships
and also methods of arousing greater in
terest He thought that the main essen
tails were good township school buildings,
well-trained and better teachers than are
found in some country schools. the teach
ing of music, elimination of teaching nom
essentials, the consolidation of isolated
schools, providing transportation for the
scholars and the establishment of town
ship libraries.
The discussion was carried on by ]. R.
Wilson. of Boonville, president of the asso-
citation, who thought the supervision of
providing school books for the schools
should be taken out of the hands of the
State Board of Education, and the county
superintendent given voice. He urged that
a bill be framed, and law enacted, plac-
ing this work in the hands of the county
a
He favored making the State superintend-
ent of public instruction the chairman of
other eight members appointed by the
Governor
MR.. OCHILTREES VIEWS
Calvin Ochiltree, of Fayette county, dur
ing the discussion took the ground that the
schools in many counties-at least his own
could be made more efficient if the school
work was organized with the county as the
unit instead of the township. In Fayette
county, he said, the tax levy for school
purposes ran from 10 cents In some town
ships to % cents in others. If all of his
township trustees would come together and
| agree on a uniform rate, they could keeI
| all of the county schools open nine months
| on a 23-cent levy. Grant Gossett, of Foun.
| tain county, said that joint township insti.
| tutes had been Successful in his county.
AT the afternoon session papers were rea6
| by superintendent w. S. Gibbons, of Fui
| ton county. on Value of Concentrated
| Schools; Harvey Z. Cushman, of Greene
| county, on Higher Educational STANDARD
for Teacher and Trustee" and +. ]. Young
| of Allen county, on Have We Outgrowr
| Our Present Country Institute System
| Those who took part in the discussion wer'
| superintendent James ID. Hostetter, Hen
| bricks county; John A. Greenstreet, Henry
! county; Louis III. Hamilton, Jasper county
/ Elijah NJ. Farland, Martin county; James
| 8. Ensle, Vanderburg county, and Charles
| A. Robertson. Crawford county.
| The superintendent will hold two ses
| sions to-day in Room 81 at the Statehouse
| The meeting will close Friday.