The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-06-30
SUPT. SNEANINGEN'S VIEWS.
Criticises Board of Education for Max
ing Changes, Amounting to Eigh-
ty Per Cent.

State Superintendent of Education
John E. Swearingen issued formal
statement protesting against the action
of the State board of education in the
recent adoption of text books.
Mr.. Swearingen's statement follows:
ITO protect the interests of the peo-
pie, and to keep the record straight, l
protested against the recnt text book
adoptions made by the State board of
education. Though my protests were
disregarded and my wishes ignored,
7 desire to make a brief statement of
my position.
Eighty per cent. of the books now
in use have been thrown out Of the
schools. Not one word of explanation,
reason or excuse for this revoluntion-
ary action has been offered to the
public. Such sweeping changes are
without precedent in the text book
history of this State or Of any other
State.
"The books sold in South Carolina
during the last five years cost more
than $50O,O00. These books have been
in the main displaced, and now have
only an exchange value of SO Der cent.
of their original cost. The new books
adopted are higher priced, and every
time a pupil or patron is required to
exchange an old book there must be
cash payment in addition.
"This cash payment will be a tax
ON every citizen of the State. It may
be small in the case Of any one book
but will amount to thousands Of dol
lars in the aggregate.
"If Winthrop college should be
burned to the ground there would be
2 universal lament from the noun
tains to the sea. The State board Of
education, with an absolute disregard
Of the property rights Of the people,
has destroyed values and imposed
taxes representing an investment equal
in value to cost Of the magnificent COL
lege at Rock Hill. Every exchange Of
books also imposes labor and incon-
venience in addition to expense. Any
man in charge Of a text book deposi-
tory knows what this Inconvenience
means. A number of the repositories
are conducted by county superintend-
ents Of education, and these officers
will feel the strain before the ex-
change period has passed.
Wholesale Changes Unnecessary.
II do not believe that changes
should be made unless the books in
use have proved inferior or unsatis-
factory: The State board Of educa-
ton declined to indicate in writing the
unsatisfactory books on the present
list. The adoption Of 1906 was little
short of crime if inferior books were
imposed upon the children Of the
State. Three members of the
present board took part in that adop-
tion and must have voted for the
books then selected. The change Of
heart that has taken place in these
gentlemen is not questioned by me,
but it would be- better understood if
it were fully explained. If any city
superintendent in special district ex-
ercising the right of independent tesF
book adoption should enter rpoa his
work by changing 80 per cent of the
books in the hands Of the pupils, I do
not believe his action would go un-
challenged. How much more, then,
should explanation be offered when
the changes affect the whole State
yather than a small municipality!
No Record of Votes.
81 had prepared for the use of the
board a. ballot showing the name of
each member voting and the title Of
each book voted for. This ballot the
board declined to use, because the
members did not wish to offend the
sensibilities of the various book agents
with whom they had established and
wished to maintain pleasant relations.
This is a laudable sentiment, but it
leaves out of the reckoning the SEN
sibilities of the people. It is well es-
tablished principle of representative
government that the record of a pub
lie servant belongs to his constituents.
As State superintendent of education
I was anxious for every citizen to
know my position in regard to every
book that was retained as well as to