The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-11
WANTS TO KNOW
DIR. Harding Asks Superin-
tendent Starr Questions.
The Old Story of Costly Sup
Elemental Books.


DR.. Eva Harding takes up the ques-
ton of supplemental books in Topeka
schools with Superintendent Starr
again today. The parents who have
to buy expensive supplemental books
! for their children are on the side of
the doctor. All the argument and
sophistry of the seventy logicians or
the Jewish Sanhedrin cannot change
them. The eternal principle of the
thing is wrong. superintendent Starr
himself may be right and mean we'll
and for the best, but the supplemental
book idea he appears to advocate is
wrong. 1t has no place in the Kansas
school system nor is it countenanced
by the Kansas text book law or ia
VOred by the people who send chill
dren to school and buy their books.
1t smells of graft and looks and sounds
like graft whether it is graft or not.
The supplementary books are the cost
~ books and from them come the big
profits. The law and the text book
commission undertake to protect the
people from unnecessary expense in
buying school books, but their work is
set at nought when school men stand
on the side of supplemental (Which is
to say the added) book question. DR..
Harding's statement follows:
1 read with a great deal of interest
and amusement Superintendent Starr S
article in this mornings Capital in
which he quotes from a telegram just
received from Mr.. Dunn, the author Of
the book they have forced into the
Topeka schools as follows: MY
Community and Citizen is not a civil
government. 1t is a handbook of prac-
teal citizenship" Just think of it!
The superintendent of our public
schools haunting such statement in
the faces of the Intelligent people or
TopekaI
The supplemental book people are
compelled to buy is the very book
he Trnff book
panies back up the men who use their
books?-well, 1 guess yes, Starr knew
it before he asked for the backing.
Do they hurry it when a crisis is on!
Isn't this telegram he has quoted SUI
fcient proof?
Now, Mr.. Starr, this article quotes
you as saying, THE teachers were in
structed from the first not to teach
any civil government from or with
Mr. Dunns book. Hence the law has
been obeyed to the letter. Civil gov
eminent is taught elsewhere in the
course; and 1 respectfully ask you TO
come out in tomorrow's paper ana
tell the people the names of the teach
ers, the rooms, the months, and the
periods wherein ciVics and citizenship,
the legally adopted civil government,
is taught as the law requires. II your
statement is correct you can very
easily produce the proof.
kindly point out the provision in our
law that permits you to introduce into
the schools of Topeka, Dunn's Com
and the Citizen, which as you
say is not work on civil government
and which is not taught in connec-
ton with any other work adopted by
the state Please be definite and
specific about your reference to the
law SO that the public will not have
to wade through a subtle definition to
md your authority.
Another question, Mr.. Starr. Why |
is it necessary to appeal to book auth |
ors and publishers as to whether you !
are within the provision of the law? !
WHY not present your proof to the |
peOpIe of Kansas, or the attorney gen |
eraI if you feel that the state board |
Of education and the text book COM |
mission cannot point out the difference
in books and whether you are within |
your authority and not let even these
INQUIRIES smack of the bookdealers |
touch? On page 13S of the Kansas !
course of study for graded schools |
having nine-month terms, authorized |
by the state board of education, re- !
vised edition, September, 1912, under |
civil government text-civics and cit |
izenshfp, Arnold, we find these words: |!
1.-The state text book commission ap- |
proved for supplementary reference
work the following books: Dunn's Com !
and the Citizen, D. c. Heath |
& Co., Chicago; etc, etc" You have |
steered clear of anything that borders
on the reference idea when you say |
you told the teachers mot to teach |
any civic government for or with Mr.. |
Dunn's book" You set yourself above !
the state board of education and be- !
little their learning and ability, Mr.. |
Starr. Why?
Anyone who knows anything about !
Heath & Co. will tell the public that |
every influence they can use will be |
made to keep these books in the To- |
peka schools in violation of law, and /
If you are true to your work as super
Intendent of the schools of this city !
you will answer the questions I have
put and let the people see the sham
that is going on
DIR EVA HARDING.