The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1912-10-28
TIMES REAU.
AT STATE CAPITAL.

y \
Indianapolis. Ind. Oct. 2s.-The as
sault which is now being made by Al
bert J. Beveridge. the Bull Moose can
didate for Governor and the school
book publishers on the present very ex-
celent uniform school text book law
of Indiana. as regarded by educators
here as dangerous proposition, be-
cause If it is carried into effect ii viii
wipe out the present Indiana law,
which is known all over the country as
a model text book law.
In all the history Of Indiana there
has never been any demand from any
one connected with the school or edu-
cational interests Of the state for free
school books. The records of every
meeting Of the state teachers associa-
ton. tho county eDintendents asso-
citation. the city superintendent asso-
citation. the townships trustees associa-
ton and every other organization Of
educators and teachers or school people
in the state may be searched and 1t VIII
be found that never in single instance
has any one of these organizations eX-
pressed itself in favor of free school
books
II the free school book scheme is such
a good thing, it is pointed out then
certainly some man or woman who had
spent his or her life in educational
work in Indiana would have found it
out and made so such recommendation
But it has never been done in a single
instance and it has been left for Mr.,
Beveridge. an entire outsider who has
no connection with the school system
of Indiana and never did have any such
connection. 70 come TO the front volun-
tarily and undertake TO show the thous-
ands of educators. teachers and super
intendents that they do not know what
is best for the state
The fact is that the only agitation
that ever was started in this state for
free school books was started by the
school book publishers themselves. be-
cause under the free book system they
/ could charge from 10 TO Is percent
more for their books than they now get
for them under the present Indiana law.
The fact that the treasurer Of Mr.. Bev-
eridge's Bull Moose state committee
this year is W. g. r7obhs. OF this city.
himself a school book publisher. is re-
garded as significant in this connection
Not only would the free book scheme
raise the price of school books To the
state but it would open UP all Of the
old time avenues for school book graft
I'm every CITY ana county al AAtS HNt1e'
for under that plan the books would
not be adopted by the state board Of
education. as now and thus he made
uniform. but they would be adopted by
each county and city for itself, Temp
tations to graft would be enormous
1t would also mean the total de-
moralization Of the school system Of
1.-THE state. because one county or eltS
might have one kind Of readers OF
Il arithmetics and the next county or city
might use an entirely different set
There arc nine states in which the
free school book law is in use. and II
not one Of them il there any uniformity
of books. They arc changed by teach
ers and school boards, and every chang
means that the publishers have another
chance to sell thousands more books a
) a high price. The school book pub
Enshers see to it that there is 70 uni
! formity law IN states that have fre'
school books.
) The school books now in use by thu
: 500. 600 school children in the indiana
! common schools. cost it is estimated
about s275.00o. IF the free school boob
law was adopted these books woul'
. have 70 he thrown away, and it woul'
: cost $4,000 to replace them with new
hooks. All of this money must DOM
/ out Of the pockets Of the taxpayer
Lm@ssIy in order That the school bool