The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-04
Text Book Commission APP
pointments Are Criticised.
McNeaI and Mrs. Bullard Not
Qualified for Places!
K. C. STAR STILL RULES
Mrs. Bullard Named by Trigg,
1t Is Charged.
Appointments Direct Slap at
State Superintendent.

Reappointment Thursday by Gov.
Henry ]. Allen of Tom McNeal. To-
peka, and Mrs. Cora Wellhouse Bull
lard, Tonganoxie, to the state school
textbook commission resulted To-Day
in an open break between the state
teachers association and the state az
ministration Relations between the
governors office and the state super
intendent of public instruction oIIlce
are also known to be at swapping
point In a signed statement lssueu
today F. l.. Pinet. secretary OF thS
Kansas Teachers association, declared
that at is an outrage against the ~
600 teachers of Kansas and the one
half million pupils in the Kansas
schools that they should be forced to
use books selected by McNeal ana
Mrs. Bullard."
Pinet also charges Allen with dou-
decreasing the teachers. He declared
hat as late as last January Allen
iefiritely stated to two city superln-
'andents whom he, Pinet, could name
necessary. the appointments on the
commission would be school people.
lie also stated that the governor re-
used to recognize the rights OF ran
as teachers because there was more
o gain by pleasing the Kansas city
tar, and Arthur Capper and his news
rper, than by rendering justice 10
ItdtlltIS VI NeAitEu9-
Slap at Miss wooster.
Taken in all, the reappOintment OF
cNeaI and Mrs. Bullard. in the face
q the rcqu est of Kansas school teach
rs that they be represented on the
commission, has caused the most vio-
lent upheaval against the state ad-
ministration and its policies since Gov
ernor Allen took office. In addition to
the sensational statements made by
Pinet. it is openly said in state Off
cial circles that the reappointments
are direct slap at Miss Woos-
ter, state superintendent of public in
struction. Her forces are rallying to
her colors and the things she stands
for--nameIy. the claimed rights of
Kansas school children and teachers
and have declared open war on the
administration
Mis- Wooster. today. when asked
about the reappointments and told of
Pinet's statements, smiled. You
know" she recalled and Miss Woos-
ter wore a look of gritty and pleasant
determination-"wh when l came into
this office / said that / would work
and not talk
Was Her Campaign Issue.
When Miss Wooster was candi-
Cate for office she advocated that
textbooks should be selected by 10 r
ing that persons whose schools used
/. these books would be most interested
and most competent to select them. 1t
is we'll known that Miss Woosters
ideas on these matters have never var
led. She believes the teachers of the
state are both honest and intelligent
and that a board could be selected
from their number that would be as
honest and competent as a board of
health whose members are selected
3 in,
surance commission with insurance ex-
perts thereon, as bank commission
with a personnel of bankers.
Grade Teachers Ignored.
School men and women, with few
if any exceptions thruout the state,
are up in arms over the absence of
elementary grade teachers on the COM
mission. They point out that the two
state college heads now on the board
are 50 far removed from elementary
school work that they absolutely know
nothing about the needs of elementary
school needs. These two members. it
is pointed out by Pinet as we'll as
state officials, could not possibly be
construed as representative of the
people conducting elementary school
work.
Pinet. in his lengthy statement about
the reappointment. and thru which
Kansas teachers openly declare war
on the Allen school policies. declared
also that McNeal has not one single
qualification to serve on the commits
sion. and that he waB merely named
to give Senator Capper one more po-
litical tentacle on the commission.
Mrs. Bullard was renamed. Pinet stat
cd. because of the insistency of the
Kansas City Star that she be re-
tained Pinet also calls attention to
the fact that Governor Allen has
proved his valor" regarding the cot
ton growers of the south. and states
that he has demonstrated that 1t is
one thing to criticise the federal gov
ernment and another to ignore the
dictates of the Kansas City Star.
Pinet's Statement.
Pinets statement follows:
Governor Allen is to be congratulated
uron his appointments to the state board
uf education. for these appointments will
meet with the hearty approval of the teach
ers Of Kansns. County Superintendent
Rowland of Reno county is by far the
ent In the state; Superintendent c. O.
Smith. of Marysville. is one Of the success
ful and f0rceful of the younger superin-
tendents Of northern Kansas. and the ap-
pointment OF Supt. J. +. Rarnhill. bf Par
sons. win meet with wide satisfaction
Hnong the superintendeuts Of the larger
cities These appointments together with
the personnel of the state board of edu-
cution rs provided by the new law will
give us the most representative state board
or education we have ever had.
u is To be regretted that Governor Allen
was not governed by the same wise iudg-
ment IN the selection of the text book
commission. T. A. McNeal is a gentIema n
ot high character and fine instincts; he is
altogether lOvable MS an Individual but |
defy anyone by the widest stretch of
imagination to submit one single qualifica-
tion which he has that fits him for a place
on the state text book commission Tho