The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-25
GIVES HIS SIDE.
Superintendent WhittemOre on
School Book Controversy.
Holds That Action of City Board
Is Legal.
NOT ENOUGH TEXTS.
Says That Regular Books Are
Not Adequate.
Attempts to Show That Cost Is
Not Great.
NOT ENOUGH TEXTS.

L. D. Whittemore, superintendent
OF the city schools of Topeka, has fur
nished to the State Journal writ
ten defense of the attitude OF the To-
peka board of education on. the
Special book proposition. Mr.:
Whittemore contends that the board
is doing nothing contrary to law In
requiring the pupils to purchase spec
ial books in spite of the section OF the
statutes which says:
mo board of education in any city
of the first or second class shall ADOPT,
use, or permit to be used any other
school text books than those pro-
vided for in this act
The only exception to this rule is
in the case of books of reference.
Mr.. Whittemore says In his COM
munication:
"In connection with the operation
of the state uniformity text book law,
the question has been raised whether
the law permits the use of books In
addition to those adopted by the
state commission. 1t has been as
sumed by school officers that the law
provides fer the adoption of uniform
books in certain fundamental
branches for the purpose of securing
such books as are needed in all the
schools of the state at a minimum
cost, and that the local authorities
are authorized to adopt and use such
additional books as may be needed
for the efficient working of the
course of study in any school or sys-
tenn of schools.
1.-THE text book law specifies GER
tain 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 be assumed
that these specified books are suffi-
cient for the operation of a complete
course of study in all elementary and
high schools. Conditions in different
localities are SO varied that a series
of books which might be sufficient in
one place would be entirely in
sufficient in another place where the
schools are more advanced and pro-
gressive. Furthermore, the law ex-
pressly provides that books other
than those specially adopted may be
used in branches not mentioned in the
law; and this implies that if it is pro-
posed to give more extended instruc-
ton in any subject than the adopted
for such additional instruction is
authorized; provided that the adopted
book itself is used in good faith to-
the fullest extent.
Need More Books.
For example, reading is one of the
fundamental branches which must be
taught in all the common schools of
consisting of a primer, first, second,
third, fourth and fifth readers, is in
Guided 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
school where the attendance is irreg-
ular 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, 1t 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 years of a graded school sys-
tenn. 1t surely was not the intent of
the legislature to restrict the study of
reading to the first three years of a
child's school life, nor to one-half or
less of each of the first six years of a
course of study. The common sense
Interpretation of the law is that if
additional matter is needed in read
ing or in any other subject, the
school authorities are charged with
the responsibility of providing it. The
form books in certain fundamental
branches for the purpose of securing
a minimum price on such books and
to prevent the necessity of exchang-
ing books on removing from one 10
cality to another. 1t also protects the
publisher 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.
The Law Not Violated.
There has been no disposition on
| the part of the school authorities in
Topeka to violate or evade the state
uniformity law. Any violation of the
| laws of the state should be tolerated
| least of all in connection with the pub
! lie schools, whose chief purpose is to
train the children of the state for law
| been made regarding the quality of the
school books adopted by the state COM
mission; nor are these books displaced
| by others. On the contrary. the state
books which are purchased by the pu-
pills are used in good faith to the full
| est extent, in accordance with official
| instructions which are given to princi-
| pals and teachers.
| Cost of School Books.
"The total cost of text books for a
pupil Who passes through the eight
grades in the Topeka schools, provided
! that he buys all books new and does
not use any book handed down from an
older brother or sister, is $14.39. This
! includes all of the state books, all adj
| ditional or supplementary books, as
well as the text books in music. 1t is
| estimated by the teachers that one
| third of the books in use in the schools
are not new but books which have
| been previously used by some older
III - -
| net cost for the eight grades $3.50, and
| the average for one pupil $1.20 per
| year. or GO cents per term. For 5000
! pupils. the approximate number en-