The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-20
NO USEFOR RIFLES
Target Practice Won't Be
Taught in Kansas Schools.
Superintendent Fairchild Puts
His Foot Down.
NO WAR FOR HIM
Would Prefer to Encourage
Peace Instead.
How John Macdonald Knocked
Out Simplified Spelling.

There will be no rifle shooting
taught in the public schools Of Kansas
so long as I have anything to say
about it,
This is the answer given by E. T.
Fairchild, state superintendent of pub
lie instruction, to the request which he
has received from the National Rifle
association for an endorsement of the
plan to have a course of study in rifle
Shooting offered to the boys in the pub
lie schools of the country.
Mr.. Fairchild has just returned from
Los Angeles, where lie attended the
meeting of the National Educational
association. He found the letters from
the president of the National Rifle as
ISOLATION awaiting him.
ct received one communication on this
subject several months ago." said Mr..
Fairchild this morning, land did not
look with favor upon 1t at the time.
Los Angeles meeting. The president Of
the association made an address on the
subject and urged that teachers Of
United States history should try to
place less emphasis on the war side
of the records, and more on the i'm
portant commercial and social move
ments. He showed that the schools of
the world, by their teachings, might do
versal peace by teaching less about the
wars of nations. Children in the schools
should be taught that there is some
thing better than war, and some he
'I do not believe in the plan of Of
fering a course of rifle shooting to the
boys in the public schools. The idea
is that it will encourage the art or
war, and furnish a foundation for a
future great army. I am opposed to
that sort of thing
In speaking of the fight made by
John Macdonald of Kansas against the
simplified spelling, Mr.. Fairchild said;
'rI was not present when Mr.. Mac
Donald made the fight that got his
picture into the newspapers. That was
in a meeting of the executive officers.
Mr.. Vaile of Chicago. the chief expo
nent of the simplified spelling, at
general meeting of the teachers, had
secured the adoption of resolution
instructing the secretary to use the
Roosevelt list of 800 words in the
publication of the official report. This
was done, however. at a general meet
ing and under the constitution of the
organization, the action was Illegal,
because many people voted who had
no authority to vote. The secretary
the instruction. Then Mr.. Macdonald,
in a meeting of the executive officers,
had the teachers abandon the use of
the simplified spelling of through and
a dozen other words the association
has used for some years. AS nearly
as I can judge the teachers attending
the convention were overwhelmingly
against any changes in spelling save
those that come naturally and grad
ually.
KANSAS had headquarters at the best
hotel in Los Angeles, and it is also one
of the best in the United States. The
attendance of Kansas people was very
good. There were about 100 registered
on our books. but some Of these were
formerly of Kansas people. think that
about 125 Kansas people made the trip.
The attendance at the convention was
a about 6 800 which was very good, con-
siderinR the fact that no special rates
were made east of the Missouri river"
Mr.. Fairchild was one of the members
of the nominating committee that Sc
lected the new officers of the associa-
ton. He named John Macdonald as a
member of the executive committee. to
succeed L. D. Whittemore.