Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1904-01-19
SURE TO PASS
The House Is CantriII's SCHOOL,
Book Bill
Complete Victory For The Bril-
liant Young Senator From
Scott.

Frankfort, Ky, Jan. lS.-That
the Cantrill School Book Bill in all
its essential features will become a
law there is no doubt whatever, as
enough members of the House have
examined its provisions and ex
pressed their entire satisfaction 10
make certain it's passage this week.
The important features are
adoption by majority of the 1l9
county boards, thereby securing
uniformity and the fixing of a max
imum price.
Several gentlemen appeared be
fore the caucus committee and urg'
ed that the adoptions be placed IN
the hands of the State board instead
of the county boards, but the com
mittee opposed the idea Of central
ization. some members because they
favored the county board ldea as
beluglmore Democratic, and other
members SAYING they were not in
favor of changing this feature Oh
the Cantrill Bill because they did
not believe any other kind of bill
could pass.
Several members expressed the
opinion that adoption by State
board could not even pass the
House, where the majority for a
good book bill is overwhelming.
in fact, 1t is GENERALLY conceded that
the Cantrill Bin, in all its essent-
lal features, is the strongest and
best book bill that was ever pres
ented to the General Assembly.
rhis statement was made TO the
Courier-Journal correspondent by
two of the legislators, 'who shaVe
been amorg the most sincere and
consistent champions OF school'hoo
legislation.
Changes MADE.
The CcurierJournal thus points out
tue charges made: Under thes law
governing the subject the present
text books are selected by the County
Board of Examiners, composed OF
the county Superintendent and two
strictly moral and well educated
persons holding county certificates
OF the first class, State certificates
aud State diplomas from some
literary institution Of high training
who before entering upon their
duties shall subscribe to an oath
faithfully To perform theiriduties as
prescribed, but the common school
law simple prescrihes the subject
which shall be taught in the schools
while it devolves upon the county
Boards to adopt or prescribe the
text book to be used, each in its own
county. The selection is, however,
to be made from lists OF publication
filed 10 the office OF the SnperinteD.
dent Of public Instruction at Frank
ford by the publishers thereof with
the price at which they propose 10
furnish the same. The details Of
these regular regulations devolve
upon the State Board OF Education,
which consists of the superintend-
ent, the Secretary of State and the
Attorney General, The defects OF
the system are that there is not
sat6cient uniformity il the text books
adopted, and that for lack Of prop
er competition the prices of such as
are used are too high.
AS remedy the Cantrlll Bill
provides for a State School. book
Commission, consisting OF the Gov
ernor, the Auditor OF Public Ac
counts, the Treasurer and the three
members of the State Board OF Ed
ucation. Upon this commission de
wolves all the duties heretofore per
tanning to the State Board of Ed
ucaton in receiving propositions
Iron publishers for their books and
a