Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-10-30

"e'nan " Nommated for the OF
flee sf-estzts superintendent oi
Kansas.
Mra Burton ID making a vigorous
campaip for this office, and contend
mm at the last textbook adoption
inferior books were forced upon the
schools Of Kansas, by the school boo
trust, as a means Of discnediting the
textbook law, which limits the brio
es 30 about onehaf what other state
pay. She makes the statement public
y everywhere, that she has, In de.
tailed form, the cost Of the manu-
tacture Of the school textbooks as
prepared BY expert accountants of
ohe trust, and that these figures
show a profit Of 200 per cent and
over, at present Kansas prices; but
IN other states double this profit is
made and logically the trust argues,
that if Kansas is allowed to secure
good books at these prices, other
states will passa similar law limiting
the price, $50
Mrs. Burton points to the books now
IN use In the state IN support Of hel
argument and scores heavily against
her opponent, when she quotes from
a statement published by him, as
Chairman Of the Adopting Board, the
morning after the adoption, where's
be says the books adopted are an
ideal lot, absolutely standard, none
better. 1t Is a fact that within 3
months after the books which Mr..
Nairchild endorsed SO highly, went
into use In the schools, the publish
ers were forced to get out a correct
ed list of answers for the Arithme-
tic and this List shows that there
were 27O incorrect answers in the
book Mr.. Fairchild called Ideal"
Recently Attorney General Jackson,
on the ticket with Mr.. Fairchild for
reelection, rendered an opinion to
the Board Of Education of Topeka,
stating that In as much as the Arith-
metic adopted by the State was en-
tirely inadequatey the-AessE would
be justified IN diScarding the book
and selecting another. The book
was discarded and parents of Tope-
ka were forced to buy two books to
do the work Of one.
Mrs. Burton contends that the
school book trust has commercializ-
ed the business of making textbooks
to such a degree that neither this
state or any other receives the best
book possible to be made for the
even when it pays the enor.
nous profits exacted. The School
book trust makes purely a money
making business out of the manufac-
ture Of schooltext-books- the tools
for the development of the mind and
soul of our children-has destroyed
competition and necessity Of excel
Ience i'm production, and for this
reason, Mrs. Burton is an ardent ad-
vocate of State Publication. She
contends that large gratis are worked
in the adopting Of textbooks and
quotes Pres. G. Stanley Hall of
Clark University as saying, 81 consid-
er the present modes of introducing
textbooks as among the most degrad-
ing influences in the work of the
American Public Schools" Mrs. Bur
ton wants a law passed that will
keep ct home the one million dol
lars that goes out of the State to
the School book trust, each time
contract Is made Let the me-
chanical work be done by Kansas Ia
Dor in the Kansas State Printing
Plant; secure experienced, skilled Ed
itorial talent, best in the land. Let
all the enormous amount Of money
that now goes into graft and enormou.
profit, be paid TO talent for better
books. Make the most excellent book
possible and ask parents to pay only
actual cost and permit them to re-
tain the books when they get them.
Mrs. Burton has the benefit of eight
cen years experience in textbook nal
ing and insists that wonderfully SUI
perior books can be produced at less
than present cost.
Mr.. Fairchild has made two state
ments in the public press; that the
office Of state Superintendent is
non-political, Mrs. Burton insists
that this has been her lifelong posi-
ton and she Is getting many favor
able notices from both Republican,
and Democratic press, presumably up
on the theory that this position TAX
en- by both candidates is considered
a correct one. The radical difference
between them Is State Publication
Mrs. Burton decidedly for it; Mr..