Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1912-05-24
"REMINISCENCES.
Of Forty Years of Country
Schools by F. K. Deming.

in the state of Minnesota. each of
which is taught by one person and
over $50 graded schools below the
rank of high schools. five normal
schools. three agricultural and state
university, with schools for the care
of the deaf, blind and feeble minded,
religious schools of all denominations
and climate with rolicking winds.
blizzards, storms. calms and sunshines
which breaks the monotony of life,
adds zest and a relish for study and
acts like tonic upon the young
minds, bids fair to make our great
Minnesota the leader of all states in
knowledge, power and practical skill.
universally respected by all nations.
This is no day dream, it is fast be-
coming realty.
The books that are used in our COM
mon schools are up to date with the
exception of our readers. Parents
educated in the old schools often ask
the question, why it is that so many
children of the present age are such
poor readers. Many of the publishing
houses in order to give US cheap
reader have entirely eliminated the
drill exercises that were found in the
National series of readers that were
in use in our state for many years and
are still in use in the eastern and mid
die states. 1t contained passages of
thoughts from the best writer's and
thinkers short pieces in prose, poetry
and dialogues, underlaying the rules
for accent, emphasis, pitch. tone,
mudulation of the voice, and was the
key to the different kinds of reading
matter found in the various lessons.
The old time school readers were
high priced reader and still maintain
their high dignity and value in the
states where they are used
In order to draw the state aid school
districts are obliged to purchase at
least $40. 90 worth of books yearly
(Which is right. The district pays
one half of the cost of the books. The
balance is paid by the state which is
taken from the state school friend but
in order to secure the state aid, dis
tricts are obliged to purchase the
books from the st. Paul Book and
Stationery Co., instead of allowing
the districts to purchase their books
in the open market We believe that
this is an iron clad graft riveted on
one side and clinched on the other. It
is fac-simile to the deal which the
American Book Co. gave to the dis
trict of Minnesota some 90 years ago.
Our state legislature gave the Ameri-
can Book Co. the privilege of con-
tracing with school districts for a
term of five years. Many districts
did contract to their own sorrow and
found that the same books could be
bought in the open market for less
money. At the expiration of their
term of contract with the district,
they sent their agents and representa-
tives to renew the contracts. Where
districts refused to renew their con-
tracts, their agents endeavored to
force or intimidate the school boards
for renewals of contracts and in many
instances succeeded in doing so.
School districts and teachers are the
prey for the school book agents and
county map grafters. The later have
been working various counties in the
state the past three years. We be-
lieve to eliminate these evils, all pub
fishing houses, book pedlers and chart
workers should be obliged to secure
license from the county after a
thorough investigation into the man
ner in which they do business by the
county commissioners in every county
where they make their sales. The
liberty of our schools is the standard
bearer of our nation, and to hamper
or to debar in any way the liberty of
our schools of the present binds with
iron fetters the schools of the future.
Recalling to mind the first school
that taught in 1874. what changes
have taken place in our present meth.
DDS of teaching. A boy of today is
as far advanced at II years old as a
boy of Is years fifty years ago. In
an old manuscript of mine, find that
my first school house is described
thus, the ends of the logs sticking
out in a zig-zag fashion, that dis
pensed with the aid of g ladder to
reach the roof of the home made, oak
shingles, stove pipe projecting from
its roof and square piece of tin with
circular hole cut large enough to
slip over the pipe and then IL was
fastened on to the roof. Occasionally
the old box stove would give vent to
its feelings on some cold winters day,