The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-09
Is II A sWINDLE.

A strong protest is going up in some
portions Of Kansas. where school boards
believe they have been swindied. against
the sale Of what is called, "A Course in
Country Life and Agriculture" It is
alleged that some very glib and oily
agents have been selling thework, some
times using methods not altogether
creditable.
In some way or other the approval"
of the State Text Book Commission was
secured. through the fundamentally of
Superintendent Dayhof, it is alleged.
Just what connection Mr. Dayhoff has
with the matter the State Journal does
not know. Armed with this approval
the agents for the work have gone
through number of counties persuad-
ing school boards to buy it. The con-
tract price was s43.5O. but 1t is alleged
that ten dollars would be an exorbitant
price for the work, and one informant
told the State Journal that it would be
dear at any price as a practical work
for schools on the subject Of agricul-
ture.
One of the first to object to it was
Mr. Willard E. Lyon, former county
superintendent of Lincoln county. and
a member of the present text book COM
mission. The work as delivered con-
sisted of only three books and some
cardboard pictures. AS soon as he dis
covered what it was Mr.. Lyon hastily
wrote to every school board in his coun-
ty, warning them against the agents,
but before he had reached all of them
the agents had secured about 81, 500 in
Lincoln county. Mr.. Lyon also wrote
to every other county superintendent in
the state. protesting against the work"
and for his pains the publishers threat
ened him with d damage suit unless he
retracted his charges, but he stood his
ground.
Dickinson county is also protesting
against the work, and it is said that
thirty-two school boards in that coun-
ty have agreed to fight the collection
of the warrants issued in payment for
the work. Only three sets were accept
ed by Dickinson county school boards.
The matter also came up in the recent
meeting of the State Teachers associa-
ton, and a resolution was passed which
practically instructed Superintendent
Dayhoff to call a special meeting of
the text book commission to rescind the
approval given the work.
If the work is as worthless as is al
leged-and something must be wrong to
bring forth such strong protest against
tit is very unfortunate that so many
school boards have beer deceived into
buying 1t. not only because Of the ex-
cessive price charged. but also because
of the danger that this experience may
prejudice school boards against meri-
torious works pertaining to agriculture.
Nature study and the teaching of the
rudiments of scientific agriculture in
the country schools have long been
urged by the State Journal and an ex-
penditure of forty dollars by a school
for apparatus and books for this pur-
pose would be money will expended If
the books purchased were worth the
price. But If school boards have been
fooled into buying something that is
worthless it may cause them to turn
down such things in the future, and the
alleged swindle which has been perpet-
uated on Kansas school boards is to be
regretted as much for this reason as
for the actual money loss incurred.