The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-01-01

Massachusetts, eleven chairmen Of
school committees, two superintend-
ents of school committees, one men,
Der Of school committee, three presi-
dents Of school boards, one chairman
Of select board, nineteen county sup
erintendents and ave private indl-
viduals interested In schools.
Taking all these replies together,
ITO 10 number, their tenor IN both
states Ia that the law Is satisfactory
aud there Ia no thought Of its repeal.
1t Is the unanimous testimony thai
the law works to the advantage Of
longer schooling OF the children Of
the poorer families. Supt. Buechrie
of Lancaster, Pa, declares repeal Of
the law would be unpopular, but
argues against the system notwith-
standing. Supt. Carver of Dauphin
Co., Pa, favors the system on whole,
though admitting forcible objections.
G. w. Wetherell of Philadelphia re-
ports Supt. Brum baugh of the Phila-
delphia schools as characterizlng the
administration of the law bad. state
Supt. Schaeffer Of Pennsylvania is
favorable to the system. A synopsis
OF arguments pro and con CLEANED
fI0m these ITO letters is as follows:
REASONS FOR.
|. Expense to individuals having
children ia school is reduced.
2. Schools are literally free to all.
3 Better attendance of pupils re-
suits.
4. Trains child to take care OF
property of others.
8. Children are all supplied with
books on the first day OF school.
6 The state meaning the citizens)
pays but one-half as much for school
books as 1t paid under the old system
of iUdiyidual ownership,
I. Eliminates the profits Of local
dealers in school books.
s. Furnishes the poor with neces-
sary texts which they could not other
Wise sscure, on level with the rich.
I. Secures uniformity of text book
used Ia any one branch.
TO- Makes 1t easy to change text
book, substituting good one for
poor one.
IL. Teachers take economical care
OF the books.
REASONS AGAINST.
l. Educates the young in extrava-
gance.
Unsanitary condition Of the
book after being once used.
3. Engenders lack Of care for pub
lie property.
4. Makes the child dependent in
character, and not self-reliant.
8. Adds to the burden Sf admins
uraton by the state.
Increases the taxes levied upon
community.
I. Leaves no text books In the
homes of the state where the inmates
have quit school.
s. Tendency of school boards to
Guy cheapest books and supplies,
which 10 the end are most expensive.
o Books are not In the homes dur.
ing vacations.
10. Despite the greatest care con-
tagious diseases are carried over from
ne school year to another.
IL. Disrespect for books not owned
oy child.
Supt. Fairchild of this state, while
expressing no final judgment as to
free text books, makes the plea that
he general problems of school admin
istration at this time call for the best
consideration the legislature eau give,
and that there are spots where all
the money the state can afford eau
oe expended to greater advantage
than 10 text book purchase.
The foremost needs Of the Kansas
school system is az expert commission
named to codifS, digest, clessify and
clarity the school laws Of the state.
Such commission will make radical
suggestions calculated to bring the
school system up 10 standard. Among
our school problems Of an urgent
nature are provisions for a general
state school tax, supplemented with
a county tax; change in the unit OF
school taxation; minimum teaching
= salary; the question OF dlverting all
taxes paid by railroads aud other
public service corporations Into the
State school fluid, 70 be apportIoned
J to the counties 10 ratio TO enrolment;
E an educational State Board Of Con-
! troll; aid to rural schools.