The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-27

legislature should raise the maximum
price of books 33 70 per cent to cover
the increased cost of labor and ma
terial since the enactment of this law,
| the annual cost per pupil would not
exceed 21 cents. One dozen eggs
would more than pay for this differ
ence. Is there a farmer in Kansas so
| reduced in circumstances or so indif-
ferent to the welfare of his child that
he would not willingly contribute one
dozen eggs, or one pound of butter
that this child might have the best
books on the market to aid him in
securing an education?
Objects to State Publication.
Another phase of this question that
is receiving consideration from various
parts of the state is the proposition
that the state itself shall publish our
| textbooks The objection to this plan
is that attention is centered in the
printing of the book rather than on its
contents. and every teacher knows that
| the latter is Vastly more important in
! the usefulness of the textbook. Those
who advocate the printing of books Dy
the state seldom stop to think of what
they are to print. The writer of school
books is of more Importance to the chill
drenr@ than eheE printer And authorship
alone Is no guarantee of a good book.
After experience of 20 years in the
school room my observa ton leads me to
conclude that the only way to deter
mine a good textbook is by testing It's
actual service in the school room. In
places where the state has attempted
to publish its own books it has resulted
invariably in lowering the standard of
the book, instead of lowering it's cost
1t is practically impossible for a COM
mission to do anything but experiment
in selecting book, where the state at
tempts to do the printing for selection
is made generally from manuscript Of
fered for publication
The increase of the maximum levy
for schools asked for by cities should
be readily granted by the next legisla-
ture. The cost of conducting and
maintaining schools has steadily in
creased during recent years. The ono
item of expense remaining stationary
in most cities is the salary schedule.
There is a decided inclination to in
crease salaries of teachers in all cities
where this has already not been done,
at least to an amount commensurate
with the increased cost of living. In
fact boards of education are beginning
to realize that unless this is done the
efficiency of the teaching force is GER
tain to be reduced even from present
standards Boards of education are now
levying all they can under the law In
order to meet this anticipated expense
1t will be necessary for the coming leg
that can be levied AS this request
comes from boards of education rather
than teachers, backed by the sentiment
of the community, there is no valid rea-
son why the request should not be
granted.
THAT citizens of any community
should have as good schools as they
care to sustain is safe principle to fol-
low, especially if these citizens pay the
expense
Approves High School Law.
THE indorsement of the Barnes high
school law by 43 out of 80 counties vot- |
ing on the proposition is a matter Of |
congratulation This is the most impor- |
tant school legislation secured in re- |
cent years 1t indicates that the people !
of Kansas are in favor of higher ecu- |
their w "a he
is fairly presented. In many counties |
wnere the law was rejected the cause
may be assigned to a lack of informa- |
on the proposed measure This |
law, where in operation, will be a
healthy incentive to every pupil in the !
county in which the law prevails, and.
in course of time viii strengthen the |
teaching force. If we add to the 43
counties sustaining high schools under
the old law it will readily be seen that
the greater part of the state has pro-
vided for a free high school, and when
we consider that these high schools are
estab lished in the most populous coun-
ties O. the state We may conclude that
three-fourths of the children of Kansas
will now have the advantages of higher
education. When the remaining coun-
ties of the state are added to the list
and it can be said that every child in
the state has an educational ladder
reaching from the kindergarten to and
through the university without a miss
ing round. then may Kansas boast of
having the simplest, the most economic
and the soundest system of secondary
education of any state in the Union"
Announcement was made of two COM
mittee appointments last night They
were: Resolutions: s. D. Whittemore
Topeka; c. NJ Mitchell, lola A T.
Walker, Lawrence; Richard Price,
Wichita; Geo. A. Allen. Jackson coun-
ty. Awards: H. Vealch. Atchison;
superintendent Hauey. Smith county;
Fred Hinshaw, Wabaunsee county: c.
s. Bowman. Lawrence; s. ID. Null,
Stafford county.
After the close Of the meeting in rep
resentative hail., the teachers were met
In an informal reception in the rotunda
of the state house.