The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-02
School System Will Be Discussed
at Mass Meetings.
Insurgents to Hold First
Session Monday Next.
WILL TALK 1T OVER.
Make Definite Demands as Re-
quired by Committee.
Leaders i'm Fight to Point Out
Defects in Curriculum.

1
under the auspices of the insurgents .
who have taken school reform as
their battle cry, has been called for
Monday afternoon at 2:S0 at 10 Kan
sas avenue. All interested in the ques-
ton of making an effort to better the
conditions in the public schools of the
city are being urged to be present.
This meeting will be the forerunner
of the mass meeting of which consid-
cradle has been said and it will be,
as stated above, the first of number
of similar meetings which will be held
before election day.
Topics which will come up for con-
Sideration will be varied and should
bring the women out in force. 1t was
stated at the meeting of the commit
tee on schools and education of the
Commercial club several days ago that
no definite charges had UP to that time
been made against the system now in
vogue in the schools. On Monday aft
ernoon specific charges will be brought
up and freely discussed.
Readers for the grade schools will
be brought up for consideration at
the meeting. One mother recently as
serted that her child, who has had
but three half terms of school ex-
perience, has been required to provide
herself with readers.
Speaking of the readers used today
club women was of the opinion that
the contents generally considered are
mere rubbish and do not give the
child the opportunity to increase his
used when she was herself a child.
Then the stories selected for the
youngsters to read were taken from
classical books and Were not mere
fairy stories. The elup member in
question did not object to fairy stories
If they were of high order. She
mentioned Anderson's Tales and others
which she believed would answer this
description
In connection with the discussions
which have been previously held in
respect to the reforming of the school
system no definite remedy has been
offered for the conditions now existing,
but at the Monday afternoon meeting
Remedies" will be one of the gen
eral subjects to come before the meet
ing 90
Business Course in High School.
Insurgents feel that they have al
ready accomplished something by the
stand they have taken for they have
caused the school board to begin to
look into the conditions in the schools.
They were especially glad to see that
is seriously considering the installation
of a practical business course in the
high school.
1t is the idea of the committee to
make the course as COn1Ql6Le as pos
sible, and possibly establish a night
school for the benefit of those who
are qualified to take the course but
who would find it impossible to do so
on account of other duties.
Establish Lunch Room.
Then the matter of establishing a
lunch room in the Manual training
school has been discussed by the COM
mittee. 1t is thought that if new
courses are established it will be
necessary to hold classes during the
afternoon, and this lunch room would
be especially for the benefit of those
students who mad afternoon classes.
Superintendent L. D. Whittemore is
now in Indiana and will not return
before Sunday evening or Monday
morning. 1t is probable that the
teachers committee will hold a con-
ference with Mr.. Whittemore before
the meeting of the board of education
on Monday evening, so that the ques-
ton of a business course may be sub
mitted to the board for its considera-
ton.
Members of the teachers committee
are: John H. Linn, chairman; Mrs. c.
j. Evans, c. F. Hardy, S. r. Kutz, S.
A. Swendson and Josiah Jordon.
In speaking today of the establish
ment of a commercial course in the
high school Mrs. Evans of the COM
mittee expressed the belief that the
board would favor the proposition.