The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-08
Governor Will Investigate Sup
Elemental Book Question.
DIR. Harding Takes the Question
to Executive.
TELLS A SAD STORY.
How Widow Had to Buy Seven
Different Books.
State Superintendent Has Bad
Half Hour.

Governor Stubbs became deeply in
terested this morning in the fight be-
ing waged by Mrs. DIR. Eva Harding
against supplementary school books
and has promised to go right deeply
into the matter. The books were shut
out of the Topeka schools by a deci-
sion of Judge Whitcomb. Neverthe-
less, the governor issued instructions
at noon to one of his clerks to inves-
tigate at once the story of a Topeka
widow who had to buy seven differ
ent books in one line of study in a
year for her little children. This is
an outrage" declared the governor,
land if l locate the party who was
responsible for the imposition on this
woman I will brand him or her as
sure as my name is Stubbs.'
The governor had a two hour ses-
sion in his office this morning with
DR.. Harding and he called in Super
intendent FairchiId to hear the DOCTORS
charges against the school book out
rage that has been imposed upon this
state for several years past. The SeS-
sion was redhot The doctor went
after the state superintendent about
the supplementary books parents are
compelled to buy for their children
in school. 1t is true that the superin-
tendent is not responsible, but DR..
Harding held him he was. And the
way she sailed into him was like a
pirate ship ramming a merchantmen.
and making the crew walk the plank.
She is very much in earnest" re-
marked the governor, as he described
the controversy, and that was stating
it mildly. The governor is in earnest
now. That story about the poor widow
and the seven books she had to buy
in order to stock the garages of the
book trust with 90-horsepower auto
mobiles stirred the governor up to the
place where the gauge indicated that
the boilers We're in danger from the
pressure.
DR.. Harding seems to have made a
thorough study of the matter said
the governor, "and she has an attorney
in this young man Fisher, who is as
bright as new dollar They make
out q strong case against this system
in vogue all over the state of COM
pelling parents to buy a great lot of
useless and superhuous books for their
children in school. / know nothing
about the proofs they have to offer and
would not pretend to pass Judgment
on the matter, but if half their claims
ana charges can be verified, it is an
outrage and ought to be corrected and
the blame placed, no matter what the
cost or trouble. I am going to go into
this thing with DR.. Harding and find
out about it. I have heard for some
time complaint from over the state
about supplementary books for school /
children and the extra cost and the |
extra books on the same subject, but
did not dream of the magnitude or
injustice of the proposition until I
heard the doctors story today
Superintendent F'airchild said: ssThe 4
loctor holds me responsible for conditions |
,or which the law gives me no power to /
control or change. County and city /
and district and city /
school boards control these things I I
-hfnk, however, that the doctor has ex-
agSerated conditions and cases. The !
charge has been made pretty generally /
hat the books are not of high standard /
md this is partly true, but then the state
sets price for school books that is low
r than the best books can be bought for
md we often have to take cheaper and
therefore, lower class books.
1.-THE case instigated by the doctor and /
Ter attorney, Mr.. Fisher, against the
lawrence school superintendent and
BOARD will test the matter of supplement
ary books in the supreme court and I
I'M glad she brought this suit for I would
ike to hear the courts ruling on the
natter. A decision on this subject has
lever been made by the higher courts of
)ur state and it will clear and simplify
he situa ton to degree"