The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-06
He WAS MISQUOTED.
Reports From Emporia Put Supt.
FairchiId in False Light.

State superintendent Fairchild feels
called upon to make reply to criti-
cism of his official actions and a re-
port of the Emporia meeting that had
him investigating the school book
question to the dismay of certain state
officials The criticism came from Sa-
line county and charged him with be-
ing responsible for the Barnes law.
The superintendent reply to this
charge is as simple as 1t is effective.
The Barnes law was passed two years
before the superintendent assumed his
present office.
Speaking of this matter the superin-
tendent says:
I'm this day and age where criticism
is rampant one feels sense OF d1S-
appointment If any particular issue OF
a paper fails to record list OF solemn
accusations against some more or less
prominent citizen of the state. so far
as public officials are concerned no
doubt these criticisms are INTENDED
to serve as a corrective in the absence
of a recall law. Personally have no
objections to such criticisms, nor Is
this statement intended to be In any
way a protest against the practice.
beg however, to be permitted TO point
out that to be effective resolutions or
criticisms aimed at an Individual
should have some basis OF TACT Inc
action at q meeting of school patrons
in school district No. SO Saline county,
is a good example of the need OF
reasonable care in drawing up an IN
dfctrnent According to an article IN
the Saturday edition of the topeka
state Journal the present state super
intanaenf of public instruction was
accused of being the father and the
author of the socaned Barnes hiSn
school law. and is said to have folNed
this measure upon the people or the
state. Inasmuch as the law IN cues
ton was enacted and put into opera
tion some two years before the pres
emf incumbent took office, 1t woulh
seem that the good people Of this dis-
trict were slightly mixed IN the1r Sc
lection of charges against him.
As for the Emporia meeting, reports
from there greatly exaggerated the
actual proceedings. Supt. Fairchild re-
ports the meeting as follows:
s"rhe account of the meeting of city
superintendent held in Emporia rec
emily together with the headlines as
published in the daily papers certainly
contains an astonishing amount OF mis-
information. The statement that tne
state s11perintendent is preceding with
an investigation that is to involve other
state officials is absolutely new to me.
In response to a request by Governor
Stubbs a most careful Investigation of
the cost of textbooks, including the
books provided for by law, those books
for which no adoption is required and
the supplementary books, is being
made How this is to affect state OFF,
| Gals is beyond me-
s"The executive committee arranged
that the program for Saturday morning
should consist of a discussion of the
various textbooks now in use. This
discussion was a valuable contribution
and afforded just such information as
tie Textbook Commission will be glad
| to have in its possession. The dis
cussions were notable for the entire
frankness and candor with which the
question of the merits or the dement's
of the books was considered. The
speakers in every instance confined
themselves to a temperate and fair ex-
position of the books as viewed by
| them If there We're any bitter at
tacks upon the governor or the attor-
ney general I failed to hear them. In
fact, the whole meeting was one of
great profit and a splendid spirit SEEM
| ed to prevail throughout. It seemed to
be the opinion that certain of the
books ought not to be retained, while