Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-01-31
The Public
Safety ValUe
Ellaville, Ga, Jan. 20, 1916.

Editor Times Recorder:
Will you allow me space to discuss
the school book question, as some pa
pers published in this section do not
seem to fully understand my posi-
ton.
This may be divided into two sepa-
rate departments. First the books
should be suitable to the needs of our
children. Hon. C. C. Anderson in to-
days Macon Telegraph says: North
ern school books have left the younger
generation of Southern people in such
woeful ignorance as to their own peo-
pie and their achievements that it is
10 be feared that they will not take the
trouble to render this little service
ipensions)to their old defenders. Most
of them have been left in the dark as
to Southern history, owing to grossly
reflective school text books"
The State Board of Education con-
Gemned Peterman's Civil Government,
sold by the American Book Co, of
New York, and on the adopted list foc
ten years at sac for each copy, and
they asked the Governor to petition the
Legislature that they be allowed to
have a suitable text prepared and pub
lished for our children. 1t seems
strange that it should have been nee
essary for the Board to have to do
this, but Governor Slaton ruled that
tn Board did not have the authority to
do anything except to adopt such texts
as might be offered. 1t was proven be-
fore the School Book Investigating
Committee that Foote & Davies would
print as good book of Peterman's at
use, and that the authorship of all
common school books was 6 per cent.
and distribution 20 per cent. So you
see a suitable text could have been Sc
cured for our children at 24c, and in
troduced a bill to permit the State
Board of Education to do this sensible
thing. Did it pass?
1t passed the House by a vote of Isl
to Z, and most of the seven were school
book agents. Senator B. S. Miller made
q two days speech again it although
did not ask one penny from the stata)
and the bill was defeated in the Senate
by vote of % to 18. Mcneil, of Bib,
ably assisted Mr.. Miller in his fighht
against the BILL and the good people
of Bibb requested him to stay at home
when he made the race against Mr..
Barfeld for representative.
The American Book Co. has cut the
price of this book to SOC, but they made
cur children pay SAC for it for ten
"ears, and it is not worth SOC, as it is
not suited to our children's needs,
though they are compelled to use it
The Minister of Ontario employs eX-
ports to produce the texts of their
school books and when prepared, the
publication and distribution is let to
the lowest bidder and by this plan the
children of Ontario secure all school
books up to the Eighth grade for 1924,
while in Georgia the basal books cost
$50, and supplementals cost as much
wore. The book agents say that the
Ontario books are worthless. Are they II?
These books have reduced illiteracy in
Ontario to less than per cent, while
in Georgia the illiteracy among our
native white children is rs, and among
negroes is 344 per cent, or an average
OF over 20 per cent, just what it was
five years ago. 1t seems from this that
the books we are using are nat the
best. What would a child in Americas
think if he could buy primer at &c
CT First Reader at &c Second Reader
at &c, Third Reader at ! 4c and a Fourth
peader or 1eo yULo,o o-o +t,o ,,,.;o,.