The Rice belt journal., 1910-02-18

llC oubJCII, dS Ntll do NduN"'O40, NiA"'
the solution of the difficulty lies in
school home rule"
In other words, let the authorities
Of each school pick out the books that
are best suited to their particular
needs
The impossibility Of text book COM
mission, covering the state in its &C
tiyities, selecting one series OF books
that will be of equal merit in every
school room, is one OF. the most i'm
pOrtant factors in favor of the home =.
rule idea
a decreased expenditure for books
is a second argument. The expert
enCe OF other states permitting local
selection, is pointed at in this con-
nection Where this rule is enforced,
books are retained in use as. long as
they meet the needs of the teachers
and the pupils, if that be for ten years.
They are not supplanted by other
books because the new ones happen
to have more extensive foot notes or
more exhaustive index, or because or
the fancy Of some member Of a COM
mission who has a theoretical fancy
for some particular volume.
1t is believed, thirdly, that local Sc
lection will make for more harmony in
| the school system as whole. Under
the state uniformity plan, which now
seems thoroughly discredited, each
teacher and each pupil is compelled
to use one certain book, whether 1t
fills local requirements or not. Il the
! teacher finds she is not getting the
best work out of her pupils by the use
of book, she feels there is sure to be
a reflection on her ability as an in
structor. Naturally, she is indignant
at state commission that places her
under such handicap. BY the use OIL
books of her own selection, chosen
from her personal experience as to the
needs of the children under her, the
service she renders her community
might be doubly valuable
In all the course Of the investigation
into text book awards, no suspicion OF
undue influence has developed against
anv member of the commission
Enough was discovered, however, TO
make certain radical changes in the
school book laws of the state. GOV.
Sanders. eX-officio member and presl'
dent of the state board OF education
will insert in his message to the legls'
lature, recommendations as TO the
amendment of the law. Superlntend
ent Harris is working on set OF rec
concentrations that he will present to
the general assembly. Other mem
hers of the state board are equally
opposed to any further continuance OF
the state uniformity law in its pres
ent shape.
AS before indicated, however, there
is a rapidly growing sentiment that
the entire state uniformity scheme Il
wrong, Founded on dangerous and
unjust basis, it is believed that any at
tempt to improve it would leave 1t II
lust as bad, if not worse condltlon
that it is at present The statement Is
freely made by prominent educators
that the only thing to be done is U
tear ont the foundations and erect al
entirely new structural law; one tina
will give communities the privilege
of saving what they want and VIVA
they are willing to buy
With the state uniformity law II
, IFS present shape, doomed, the sectlo'
. giving preference to Louisiana-Wrltte'
books. will also go. This mandate ma
several times caused the introduction
of inferior books in the schools. Ii
other states, where a similar law IS Il
o effect, it has been charged that booR
! unable to obtain sale elsewhere, Wer
nlaced under a local name and lmme
a diately taken into the school courses
o The discussion of text book an
school affairs in Louisiana has arouse
!, the. attention of much of the countr
and letters have been received her
/. by the hundreds from educators a
over the United States, making SUI
eestions for the solution of the prot
lens that confront the public. A grea
e majority of these communications az
J. yocate the complete abandonment
c the state uniformity plan and urg
8 that the democratic idea of local go
9 ernment of school affairs be agal
0 permitted. 1t is the judgment e.
7, pressed in these letters that bette
a and more successful schools are tt
y inevitable result of placing some dl
2 cretionary powers in the hands of tt
teacher and the local authorities.