The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-06

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1.-The following reasons may be
given in support of this position:
| eff the schools are to do effective
work, suitable books must be prov1d-
! ed. Among the appliances used books
have always been the principal means
of instruction. Hence it is of the
greatest Importance that books OF
good quality and comprehending a
sufficient amount of subject matter
should be furnished.
THE text book law specifies certain
branches in which books shall be
adopted by the state commission for
the entire state. these being branches
of fundamental importance which are
taught generally in the schools Of the
state, but it is not to De assumed that
these specified books are sufficient for
the operation of a complete course OF
study in all elementary and nigh
schools. Conditions in different local.
tiles are so varied that a series OF
books which might be sufficient in one
place would be entirely insufficient in
another place where the schools are
more advanced and progressive. Fur
thermore. the law expressly provides
that books other than those specially
adopted may be used in branches not
mentioned in the law; and this inn
plies that if it is proposed to give
more extended instruction in any sub
1ect than the adopted book permits
the use of textbooks for such addition
al instruction is authorized; provided
that the adopted book itself is used in
good faith to the fullest extent.
For example, reading is one OF the
fundamental branches which must be
taught in all the common schools or
the state. series of reading books,
consisting of a primer. first, second
third. fourth and fifth readers is in
cluded in the list of books adopted by
the commission. Now it is possible but
hardly probable that these six books
may contain a sufficient amount of
reading matter to supply a rural
lar and limited to four or five years
for each child. and where the school
term is not more than six or seven
months; but it is absurd to hold that
the adopted books contain sufficient
reading matter for the better schools
which are in session for nine months
and which have eight years below the
high school followed by a four years
high school course. In fact, it has
been found by experience that the
reading matter in the six adopted
books or in any similar series, is less
than half enough in amount for the
first six grades of graded school sys-
tenn. 1t surely was not the intent or
the legislature to restrict the study of
reading to the first three years of
child's school life. nor to limit the
study of reading to one-half or less of
each of the first six years of course
of study. One the contrary. the law
expressly states that reading must be
taught in all of the common schools
of the state and it is not reasonable to
suppose that the law requires the
study of reading and at the same time
forbids the use of reading matter. The
common sense Interpretation OF the
law is that if additional matter is
needed in reading or any other subject
the school authorities are charged with
the responsibility of providing 1t. The
state text book law provides for uni
form books in certain fundamental
branches for the purpose of SECURING
nj
to prevent the necessity of exchanging
books on removing from one locality
to another. 1t also protects the pub
Usher who secures the contract for
furnishing any book by ensuring its
purchase and use. But it does not go
so far as to restrict boards of educa--
ton and superintendent in determin-
ing the extent and completeness of the
course of study.
8 I'm accordance with the understand
ing of the law as set forth above, GER
tain books have been in use in the To-
peka schools in addition to those
adopted by the state commission. The
course of study is SO planned that the
purchase of these books Is distributed
so as not to be burdensome to the
patrons of the schools. By the use of
these books the course of study Is en-
riched and the value of the school to
each and every child is greatly in
creased. In fact, If the use of supple
mentary books were to be discon-
tinued the effect on the schools would
be disastrous.
at is therefore recommended by
the superintendent that no change be
made in the use of supplementary
books for the term beginning Septem-
Der 10, 1907.
This recommendation is made in
view of the fact that the pupils who
were in attendance last year are al
ready supplied with the books referred
to and that a change at this time
would entail unnecessary expense"
AS soon as the opportunity was pre-
scented to take action on the recon-
mendation of Mr.. Whittemore in re-
gard to The supplemental readers, Mr..
Gleed moved that they be adopted.
This was seconded, and with favor
lite topic of supplemental readers be-
fore the house, as 1t were, every mem
Der of the board had an opportunity
to make speech and there were only
three or four who did not avail them
selves. The recommendations of Mr..
Whittemore were bisected, dissected
and vivisected. as we'll as strongly sus-
tained. Mr.. Roudebush, who for the
past two or three previous meetings
had been trying to get the board to
adopt the series of readers prepared
by Miss Lizzie Wooster as supple
mental readers in the schools, moved
to amend Mr.. Gleed's motion to the eff
feet that the board adopt no supple
mental readers. It would be real
wearisome to inf1ict the public with
the discussion which followed and
from which it was evident that few
axes had not been ground properly,
but the result was that Mr.. Roude-
bushs motion was lost and the Gleed
m otion prevailed. This means that for
the first term of the coming year the
pupils will not have to equip them
selves with supplemental readers in
addition to the readers which the state
text book commission. has ordained
shall be used in the schools for the
next five years. They may use the
supplemental readers they now have
but things may be changed after the
first term.