The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-30
Imri ZumwaIt, Back From In
spectiOn Trip, Pleased.
MORE MODERN IN KANSAS
State Printer Here Also Has
Less To Handicap Him.
Golden Staters More EXtraya-
giant Than JayhaWkers.

RAere are only two states in the
Union that publish their own public
school books. They are Kansas and CAL
ifornia, and Kansas has far surpassed
California in the development of its
text book business. according to the
state printer. Imri Zumwat. who has
tust returned from San Francisco and
Sacra mento, where he conferred with
the California text book board and
the California state printer. In dis
cussing the school book business of
the two states, Zumwalt said:
THE superiority Of the Kansas sys-
tenn is not based merely upon my own
observation. but is backed up by the
judgment OF Mr.. Robert Teller. state
printer Of California. who told me
that he considered the Kansas sys-
tenn in most respects far ahead Of that
OF his own state.
In California the work Of the text
book commission is done by what is
known rs the state board Of educa-
tion. which is made up of men and
women appointed by the governor.
and its personnel Is very similar to
that Of the Kansas board, except that
the state printer Is not a member of
the board. The board handles the en-
tire text book proposition with the
exception Of the actual printing and
binding. which is done in the state
plant. The board furnishes copy and
orders editions of text books at the
state plant Just n private pub
Usher would have books published by
some commercial printing house, eX-
cept that the price paid is based on
actual cost and allows no profit to the
printing plant.
BOnrd n Handicap.
Before going to California I had
thought that such n plan would be
advantageous in Kansas. but ! found
that Its workings were very unsatis-
factory when actually put into prac-
tice. The board Is inclined to delay
ordering books until the last minute.
and. in many instances, 1t orders in
small editions. and as the state printer
has no voice in the matter he Is COM
PEELED to put up with this situation in
spite OF the fact that the small edi-
lions cause n heavy increase in costs
and the delay in ordering books de-
moralizes his plant with rush orders
at the last moment. There is con-
slant passing of the buck between the
state printer and the board. When
the board is late getting in its copy
and thereby delays the publication of
n text book beyond the time when it is
needed. they try to lay the blame on
the state printer. and when the printer
Is slow or neglectful in the publishing
of book. for which the copy has been
furnished on time, he is inclined to lay
the blame on the text book board, so
the buck passes back and forth and
there Is "A constant squabble and more
or less friction between the two de-
partments.
I'm Kansas the state printer is also
chairman of the state textbook COM
mission and It is left to him to deter
mine when textbooks shall be ordered,
and as he is the respOnSib BILE head both
Of the textbook commission and the
printing plant, there is no possibility
Of any passing Of the buck between
tho two departments. 1t is up to the
state printer to get out the books and
On
up to aim to have them printed In
such quantities as will keep his costs
down to a minimum. 1t makes a lot
of hard work and responsibility for
the state printer. but It effects a ma
terial saving in the cost of textbooks.
results in promptness and efficiency
in getting them out. and eliminates
my likelihood of friction between the
two departments.
Came Home Convinced.
Il went to California believing that
the system there was superior to our
own. but came home convinced that
the Kansas method is the best. altho I
still believe that In the matter Of ac-
counting and records there should be
a complete separation of the business
OF the textbook commission from that
of the state printing plant
zone thing that discovered while
was at Sacramento was that the
Kansas plant produces nearly twice as
plant In the latter state the text
books are furnished by the state free
OF cost TO the pupils or school districts.
The books remain the property of the
state and each book is used by sew
eral pupils before It is cast aside and
replaced by a new book. Here the
hooks are manufactured by the state
but sold at cost to the pupils. The
books become the personal property
OF the pupils and a result the aver
age book is used once or possibly twice
As a result a much larger quantity OF
books is used IN spite of the fact that
the population Of California IS about
one million more than that Of Kan
sas. Here we produce about a million
and n half school books each year
There they produce only about $780,
900.
The California printing plant is
located in an old tumbled down, frame
building about four or five blocks
from the state house. The structure
was erected about so years ago for ar
executive mansion. Since it has beer
used a printing plant there have
been n number of lean-tos and cheaT
additions built on, but the plant /.
still sadly crowded and the fire hazard
could hardly be worse. The buildinl
Is ill-adapted in its arrangement fol
use as an industrial plant.
Need New Machinery.
Another handicap under which tbs
state printer labors there is that in
adequate provision has been made fol-
new machinery and equipment, anC
as a result the plant is pretty badl,
run down. There is also great dea
OF politics in the plant. In view O
these handicaps California has mad
a splendid record of its printing ant
publishing business. but ii can neve
hope to come up to Kansas until the!
get a new building, some new equip
ment and politics is eliminated Their
are great many things in the detail
of handling the business of the print
ing plant in which California has SOM
advantage over us here, so as result
of my trip we shall not only be fore
warned against some of their mis-
takes, but shall be able to introduce
here those of their methods which ar