The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-06-16

the Department Of Commerce and Labor, Blu
reau Of Census published by the United States
Government in 1906 gives the following sta
tistics relating to the value Of certain articles
manufactured in the United States follows:
Artificial feathers and flowers. ......$ 5,246,S22
Backing ............ .............. 5,941,042
Cigar boxes ................. 7,7S6,2S6
Brooms and brushes ............... 211O3,776
'Childrens carriages and sleds 6370,911
Jewelry ............ ............. 53,225,6S1
Liquors .......... ................. 440726,471
Mineral and soda waters ........... 3O251,15O
Patent medicines Observation-Disclosures. 74520,765
Perfumery and cosmetics 11,132,S
Tobacco pipes NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 2,S34.496
sporting goods ..................... 7,O32,224
Chewing and smoking tobacco. 116,767,630
Cigars and cigarettes ............... 214,35O,051
Toys and games NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 5,577693
What have to say with reference to the
vanity Of the people of the United States? Do
you realize the great American shoe requires
six million dollars annually to keep it polished?
Do you think it adds to our glory and wisdom
when bedeck our heads with over five
million dollars worth Of artificial feathers and
flowers every year? Would you say it is our
desire to smell to heaven when we expend, dur
ing twelve months, eleven million dollars
for perfumery and cosmetics? Do you think the
American people are subjected to all the ills of
man and beast?-if not, why do we expend an
nually seventyfour million dollars for patent
medicines? Please bear in mind that these
amounts are expended cheerfully, willingly and
gracefully. Can say much of the meager
twelve million expended for school BOOKS!
The City Of Troy, New York. is renowned for
it's manufacture of collars and cuffs. The value
of these articles made in the city of Troy in the
year 1900 $1346O, 1885, which is
million more than the entire output of the
school book business in the United States, and
this school book output is the result of the labor
Of hundred and eighty separate pub
fishing houses located in different parts of the
United States.
The qualification of our desire to smoke,
turers in the city Of St. Louis twenty-four
million dollars every years, which is double the
amount expended for school books.
From the reports of the superintendent of
Public Instruction of the State of Minnesota, the
cost of school books per pupil per year is about
sixty cents. The United States Commissioner of
Education reports that the expenditure per pu
pill for educational purposes per year is $27.9S,
and when consider school books edu-
catonal TOOLS to be used by teachers and pupils,
surely must say the expense of these tools
which is sixty cents per pupils most
-sonable and small. How many carpenters and
how many masOns are able to procure their
tools for sixty cents?
TIL, same economic principles entering into
the sale Of all articles govern, in great mea-
sure, the sale Of school textbooks. During the
past fifteen twenty years, the middle-man
local dealer has, in great many states, been
eliminated, and as consequence, schools are
enabled to buy their books direct from publish
at saving of from fifteen to twenty-five
per cent. In instances where school dis
tricts buy books through appointed agent,
the district allows such agent small commits
sion, varying from five to fifteen per cent for
his trouble, and this consequently increases the
cost. Again, where there is a permanency of
market afforded the published for term of
years, such publisher gives to the purchaser
better discount In the State Of Minnesota the
school law permits school districts the privilege
Of contracting for their books and when this
is done these districts purchase their books at
the lowest prices.
Our textbook law is elastic, as it should be,
for the school book market affords teachers and
school officers a wide field Of selection, and
matter what the environments of the school, no
matter what the capabilities of the pupils or
the abilities of the teachers may be, it is not
difficult task to find texts that will exactly
meet with the many different requirements.
Publishers of all classes act 'clearing
houses for the thoughts of Misunderstanding
their great works into unity, that any section
of the world is able to participate in the fruits
Of all sections. Manuscripts of school books
have been prepared and now in preparation
in great numbers by educators Of ability and
these find outlet to all the schools Of the land
through the agency of the school book pub
Usher BY putting into book form the success
full methods which have been wrought out by
the teacher of SKILL not only those who come
into direct contact with that teacher, but the
pupils of the entire country are benefited Thus,
it is equally possible for schools near remote
tc take advantage Of talent wherever mani
tested through the instrumentality of the school
book. Through years of toll and special prepa-
ration teacher may be peculiarly qualified in
some specific branch of study and his methods
of instruction accepted model. BY means
of the book embodying the results attained all
teachers of the land bettered and enriched.
The schools of Minnesota, matter what
their needs, enabled, under the present law,
to secure ext-books that meet the require
ments. Of know that a text in any
given subject which is well adapted to the
needs of rural schools, with only teacher,
without close supervision and gradation, and
with many daily classes, cannot be used to good
advantage in the highly specialized schools of
our cities, where the term is several months
longer, where there specially equipped
teachers, we'll graded course Of study, close
supervision, and where teacher has but one
grade of pupils to manage.
In our selection of textbooks should not
only keep in mind the method and matter of
the book ITSELF but the needs of the schools,
the capabilities of the pupils, and the ability
of the teacher
SUGGESTIONS
CD A training school is for work, and not for
entertainment. Every should come pre-
pared to study and to do the best school work
she has ever done A wise teacher however, will
remember her limitations in personal strength
and will not allow her ambition to load her with
than she do. It should be the aim of
every one to learn few things we'll
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