The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-11
MIR. STARR AND THE SCHOOLS.

s1tion or city superintendent or ScnoOlS,
the members of the board of education
have discharge their full duties in
the premises to the people of Topeka,
and incidentally passed out a merited
reward. Mr.. Starr has given every
indication of being the right man in
the right place, and this, despite the
fact that a brief years service in such
a capacity is scarcely a sufficient time
to permit any man to show his full
measure.
OF course, MIR. Starts administration
of the affairs of the schools has not
pleased everybody. There is nothing
unusual in such a situation. 1t is an
inevitable one that is certain to de-
velop these days in every field of hu-
man endeavor, when more people than
ever before have begun, to think for
themselves, and press their views for
public consideration. He would be of
the superman variety who could hold
anything in the line of public office
and so conduct it to satisfy even
a large proportion of the people pay
ing his salary.
Most of the criticism directed against
Mr.. Starts management of the schools
has revolved around the supplemental
textbook question. Readers of the
State Journal are we'll aware that it
has never had anything of admiration
for the system that has been injected
in the schools of compelling the pupils
to provide themselves with expensive
texts that are supplemental to those
designated for use by the state text
book commission. It is argued by
allow, ~ n
books are necessary to add versatility
to the courses. Without going into
discussion of the merits of this con-
troversy at this time, and with no
desire to hold brief in the premises
for Mr.. Starr, it is nonetheless the fact
that the supplemental book evil in the
Topeka schools has been materially
mitigated during his SUPPLEMENTARY.
And his critics on this score seem to
lose sight of the fact that on this
proposition Mr.. Starr holds to the
opinion that all supplemental books
that may be needed in the schools
should be purchased by the school
authorities and not by the pupils in
dividually, but for their common use.
AS a matter of fact. there will al
ways be disputes over school books and
the burden their cost places on the
people, even under state publication,
until a Kansas legislature is wise
enough to pass a law compelling the
school authorities of each separate
school division, whether it comprises
a rural district or a big city, to pro-
vide free for the common use of the
pupils, all the books that they need.
A school book is just as much a part
of school equipment as is a blackboard
or a desk or seat. This system has
been tried with great success in nearby
report made by the Russell Sage
Foundation interstate comparisons
of school systems, attention was called
to the fact that the system of provid-
ing free textbooks for school children
is almost a century old in America,
having been inaugurated by Philadel-
pfia 95 years ago. At the present time
IL states have free textbooks through
out their schools, Is have them in GER
tain districts and in the rem aiming q
states the system does not exist. School
books bought by the community cost
the community 20 per cent less than
they do when they are bought by
individuals One unforeseen feature of
the passage of the Massachusetts free
textbook law was an immediate in
crease of 10 per cent in high school at
tendance.
Advising with the board of educa-
ton, which. by the way, has the final
say in all matters pertaining to the
schools and their management. con-
corning the books that shall be used
in them, is however, only one of the
many important matters that demands
the attention of city superintendent.
And so far as is known, not the
slightest riticism has been 1eveled at
Mr.. Starr for his administration of the
other essential and multitudinous mat
tiers that are associated with the pro-
per conduct of a complicated city
school system. He is in entire sympa-
thy with the decided trend towards a
larger measure of vocational education
in the public schools. In fact he has
all the earmarks of being an educator
of strictly up-to-date proportions.
There has been an improvement in the
Topeka schools since he has been at
their helm. But he would not have
been able to have done so well had it
not been for the most intelligent en-
enlargement and support that has
been given him by the members of
the board of education. And if he was
not making good, these men and
women who have regulations of their
own to conserve and constituencies to
appease, would hardly have invited him
to remain at the head of the schools
@
WAYS OF THE WORKING CLASS.
The psychology of the working class
is different from that of the other