Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-03-07
THE SCHOOL BOOKS OF WINNESHIEK
COUNTY.
A Letter to Parents of School Children
in Our Rural Schools.


Of the rural schools of this county,
and but few of the parents are
acquainted with the laws governing
the county board of education in the
matter of selecting and contracting for
the books, l take this means of
acquainting you with the law and the
duty of the board under this law. In
1891 by q vote of the people at the
school meetings the county unifor-
nifty plan" of furnishing textbooks
was adopted. Under the law as pres
cribed in Sections 1885,, 1882 and 1888
OF Iowa school laws it is the duty of
the county board of education (the
board of supervisors, the county
auditor and the superintendent to
advertise for bids for supplying the
books for the schools of the county for
a period of at least FIVE years. The
county board did, in 1891, adopt and
contract for books as provided in the
law.
In 1896 the board again contracted
for another FIVE years. and in 1901.
the board likewise contracted for a
five-year period, and now-19O6-we
are required, under this law, to re-
contract for books for another five
years.
The board is not required to "change
books under the law. Every book
now on the list might be re-adopted
for another five years, heLce 40 change
would be made But, since this
board is created as "board of
education" it is presumed to take into
consideration the best interests of
the schools. and it may be that the
welfare Of the schools sometimes de-
mands that book now on the list be
dropped and a newer and better one
put in its place. l do not believe in
frequent changes, for good book in
any subject ought to do service for at
least ten years. In such hooks as
geography, or civil government, how
ever, there must be revisions, for in
few years great changes are wrought
i'll the world by wars, and by i'm
migration and consequent development
such as has characterized the north
west in the past five years. Even
these books, if revised, may, too, serve
their purpose for at least ten years.
Great care needs to be exercised in
selecting books so that there need not
be frequent changes.
So far as have been able to find by
observation of the work in the
schools. by study of the books, aid
by talks and correspondence with
teachers. I think the adoptions of five
years ago are, in the main, salts.
factory. Very little criticism has
reached me upon the histories, gram,
mars. physiologies, Except the
advanced one) biographies. arithmstics
and spelling books. Some have stated
that the arithmetics are out Of
date; that the problems are made up
on conditions that prevailed in bust
ness twenty wears ago; and that most
children have key" to the solution
of every difficult problem in the note
books of their parents or of older
brothers and sisters. As for myself I
think there is truth in measure in
these criticisms, but believe that by
iudicious use of work to supplement
the books now on the list the criti-
cisms may be overcome, and by placing
good primary arithmetic on the list
below Whites First Book, the
arithmetic question will be fairly pro-
vided for. Since music is required
bv the law to be taught in every
public school in the state believe the
board should put ON the list as good
book on this subject as it can find.
The one new on the list has been
unsatisfactory, therefore not many
copies are in use, and change would
not entail any expense.
In general it may be said that no
changes should be made except where
book now on the list is untitled for
the purpose IL is intended to serve, or
its unfitness is such that the expense
of change is counterbalanced by the
increased benefits to be derived from
a change.
Concerning the readers l may say
that have given special thought to
them. / have been giving special
emphasis to the work in reading in
the schools, and making careful study
and investigation regarding the books
now on the list. In my examination
of this phase of the work | find
"a quite general demand for change
in the readers. might say, however,
that in most of the townships and in
many independent districts | have
placed one or more sets of first read
ers, and in many of them second
readers, to overcome to some extent
the demand for better or newer read
ers. This means of supplying suitable
reading matter, properly graded, may
be enlarged upon to any desirable
extent by the boards appropriating
more money for library purposes each