The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-02-11
BOOK
PROBE HIT
WITH PUBLIC
AnimOslty Shown By People
To State Board of
Education.
Times suseAu At STATE CAPITAL,


INDIANAPOLIS Ind, Feb. 1.-THE
public school text book probe that has
been started by the Senate of Indians
seems to have hit a more popular cord
with tile public than any other action
that has been taken during the session
This animous.ty TO the state board OF
education for adopting books that will
cost the parents of school children next
year Sl60,oo0 more than the book.
ADOPTED five years ago Is expressed ir
the resolution OF Senator Cam Of
Frankfort which demands that the
state board OF education BE- censured
for The adoption"
Some of the more thouEbtfu, mem.
bers Of the assembly who have giver
the matter some study point out that
the state board IS convicted before 10
mas been tried. They point to the
testimony of l.. y. Hines state superln-
tendent Of public instruction, which has
brought to the attention OF the commit
tee that the board Of education only fol.
lowed the law in adopting books thf.
year. 1t is not optional with the stat.
board when they shall adopt books.
The law provides that books shall be
adopted every five years. It. there
fore, stands to reason that under the
law, the books that had to be adopted
this year would be more costly than
those adopted prior to the war.
The chief charge that is made now
against the board by Senator Cam IL
shat it adopted different books this
year when il should have readopted the
books now in use. OF course II the
books now in use had been re-adopted
eha
are at present but It is the contention
Of the senator that the saving comes
Ia families where there are more thai
one child and the books can be passed
down.
The sentiment exists in the assem-
bly, that there is something wrong
'omewhere in the entire scheme Of to
book adoptions. At every adoptio,.
there is a great deal Of agitation and
yelled assertions that there is corrup-
ton are made. Those who claim to
be somewhat familiar with the BOOK
situation declared that much Of the un-
favorable comment that is made aEainst
The school board originates with the
unsuccessful publishers.
Superintendent lines admitted thsf
the book adopd v period is one that Is
rery dis.asteful to him and to nieiu
bers Of the board because of the "tui
nloil' that it srouses. lie also sa.4
that as hundreds Of thousands Of do
lars arc involved in each book contract
II is only natural that great deal of
pressure would be brought 10 bear OH
the members of the board. 1t is or
ten asserted that the Representatives
Of the publishing companies control the
appointment of the school superinteu-
dents Of Fort Wayne, Evansville and
indianapolis. a. these members arc
members of the state board of educa,-
lon by virtue of their office In tha
past II declared TO be a fact that book
company representatives have worked
20 undermine these school superintend-
ants and have succeeded in having them
discharged
At the 1919 session leigsIation was
proposed 70 take the adoption power
out Of the hands OF the state board O.
education. Tho stink that was raised
eaen was very similar TO the one now
But tHs present session OF the legisla,-
ure seems more determined to get a.
ule facts and find out why there should
be so much smoke.
Charges and counter charges Of cor
ruption arc hurled at members Of the
board and a. representatives of the pub
fishers. These charges are made in
the halls Of tho statehousc, but never
seem to get any further. Whether
these charges are merely outgrowths OF
competition between the book men and
are false has never been proved Men
that defend the state board arc brand
ed in some circles as being flushed.
On the other hand men who bring the
charges against the board are declared
to be the instruments of vengeance urs-
ed on by the representatives OF pub
.hshers who were able to get their
books accepted.