Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-03-01
DEs MONIES LETTER.

DIES MONIES LETTER.
To crafty the ambitions of School
Text Book companies who seek to
further their own commercial dnter-
ests regardless Of the cost to others,
bill has been introduced in both
branches OF the Iowa Legislature pro
viding for a radical upheavel and
reorganization Of present school laws
at a cost of at least One Hundred
Twenty Thousand Dollars, ($120, OOO)
per year to the taxpayers. This
bill is known as Senate File No. As
by Senator Daniel G. Chase Of Web
ster City, and House File No. &C by
Representative Arthur Pickford of
Nora Springs.
The purpose OF the bill is cleverly |
disguised and might easily be passed
9 those who are to suffer from its
provisions are not on the alert.
Political devices such as are known
to the School Text Book companies
are being worked and pressure is
being brought to bear. to gain the
endorsement and support OF the
State Superintendent of Public In
struction, A. NJ. Deyoe. The bill,
however. is not approved by leading
educators, familiar with It's object,
for similar bill was offered two
years ago in the legislature and
was defeated.
The bill provides for the creation
of a County board OF education,
which is bold step toward the
Capitalization OF power. This board
the measure provides, shall consist
Of the County Superintendent and
four members to be elected sat
large" in the county. To this
board Is given the power to decide
all disputed Of school boards; to de-
termine rights of pupils; to control
consolidation OF school districts, to-
establish and dictate the STANDARD"
heating, lighting and ventilation; to
have charge Of school enumeration;
to adopt and purchase school text
books; to enforce laws affecting
public schools; to act as arbitration
board i'm settling questions between
patrons and school boards relative to
transportation and transfer Of pu-
pills, etc.
4
The bill provides for the appoint
ment Of secretary at salary of
5000 per year by the County Superin-
tendent-another step toward CEN
tralization of power in one man.
The board members for each coun-
ty are allowed a salary of approxi-
mtely three hundred twenty dollars,
($320.0O). Accordingly it is readily
to be seen that with the additional
nine hundred dollars secretarys SAL
airy the newly created expense to
the various counties of the state
would be at least One hundred TWEEN
Tty thousand dollars, ($120,O O00O) a
J new burden for the taxpayers mere
ly to crafty the ambitions OF GER
} tain publishers Of school text books
to establish new medium through
which to dispose of their products
The power OF purchasing text
books for the county is given by the
present law to the County superin-
tendent. County Auditor and Board
Of Supervisors. which act without
extra cost to the taxpayers and do
not rob the rural school township
trustees and independent school dis
trictsl of their home rule.
u The proposed bill would leave ev-
: cry rural township and independent
) school district in the county without
direct representation and, the mem
bers being elected at large, it would
! be but the matter Of short time
that the members would all be
J elected from the populous towns in
! the county leaving the country dis.
tricts without representation what
) soeyer.
This bill. II enacted, would force
county uniformity Of text books in
all rural public schools, Independent
districts and townships, with the
I new board as judges of the school
text books. Under the present
law it is is optional with the schooi
trustees Of the numerous districts
8 throughout the county whether o,
: not uniformity shall be adopted a
!, veritable home rule policy.
This bill is such bold step to.
: ward the Capitalization Of power that
8 township boards would be told what
: kind of school building they must
erect. what make of heating appar
atus they must buy, what the rights
of the school pupils are, how dis
s tricts shall be consolidated, etc.
One member Of the senate commit
tee on schools to which it was re
ferred favors an amendment pro
Mding for the appointment Of the
county board by district Judge in.
l stead of the election Of such. This
3 would remove the control Of the
schools, entirely from the hands Oh
3 the people. residents in the smaller
school districts not even having a
vote on the members.
Il Already members OF the Legislature
are in receipt of letters and petit
lions from their constituents oppos-
ing this drastic school measure.
]. S. Woodhouse.