The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-07
IT IS HIGH TIME TO ACT.
Supt. Stanley of Lincoln County Calls
for. Meeting of Text Book Board.
Lincoln. KAN. Jan. 4. 1901

Lincoln, ran, Jan. 4, ISuo.
To the Editor of the State Journal.
In a recent Issue of your paper I no
ticed a controversy Of the teachers of
the state in regard to a set of charts
published and sold by the United States
Agricultural society of Chicago, III.
There were several of these charts sold
in our county last April. The price
charged was 1880 and the agents pur-
sued very peculiar means to secure the
orders Of the districts for their goods.
In following up the accounts in the
State Journal of what the resolution of
the teachers asked, I noticed that
superintendent Dayhof seems to create
the impression that the work itself was
all right but that it was the method of
the agents in securing the orders that
was objected to.
I may be one of those superintendent
who do not know good school apparatus
when I see it but I am speaking for
about 1000 of our taxpayers, about a
matter which cost them in the aggre-
gate nearly 81, 600, when I say that those
charts were and are of little use. I
have it from no less a parsonage than
Mr.. Dayhoff when say that they may
be useful to a few of our schools, but
are not adapted to many of them at
this time. I see that the state superin-
tendent thinks it would entail much eX-
pense to convene the state text book
commission to revoke the license Of this
company at this time. The money tax
en- from our districts would have been
better spent in calling the board to-
gether than in the purchase OF these
charts, and our county was only one of
several that was canvassed for them
In this day of anti-graft the state can
well afford the expense incident to the
meeting TO wipe OUT such smooth
game is was worked in our county. The
district boards in my county claim to
me that the agents csnvassing this
~s~r hi ~ from
superintendent Dayho4 with the seal
or what they claimed was the seal of
his office affixed. Mr.. Dayhoff writes
me that he gave them no letter Of en-
dorsement For this misrepresentation,
if for nothing else they should be Tor
hidden the state. In school work much
apparatus is needed. If agents selling a
useless. or well-nigh useless chart and
other material are to be given licerTe
to prey on the people of the state and
sell to them at treble prices and more
and then not be forbidden this privilege
it hinders the sale of other and needful
apparatus by creating in the minds Of
those charged with the purchase of such
things a distrust for the gay and festive
agent. Indeed so much of this is rife
+ that county superintendent in some of
the counties issue circulars to their
teachers and school officers warning
them against the practice Of fakirs.
I received one of these circulars not
many days ago from Superintendent
smith of Russell county, which in
itself alluded to other and previous
circulars of the same nature.
When our county was canvassed my
term Of Office had not commenced.
The agents used my name to aid in
the sale of their goods. I wrote each
member of the district boards in the
county. but. my warning was too late,
as they had already canvassed prac-
tically the entire county. SO much
I complaint came to me during the
months Of May and June that I wrote
Superintendent Dayton. and he an
swered me that il I would send him
statements Of the trickery of those
agents here he would have the license