The RURAL NEW.YORKER 
1419 
The School Question 
Uniform Textbooks—Why? 
1. Cost. Textbooks in each supervisory 
district should be uniform for a period of 
from three to live years. Under present 
conditions, poor families have to buy new 
books every time they move, and nearly 
every time there is a change of teachers. 
2. System. Textbooks should be uni¬ 
form so that a superintendent of schools 
could give tests that would be fair to 
every child in the district. In this way 
he could ascertain at least once or twice 
a year what progress each school was 
making. 
3. Enthusiasm. Teachers will be more 
enthusiastic about their work if they 
know they are working the same method. 
At conference they should compare notes 
and have au opportunity to show what 
they have accomplished. 
4. Selection. Also, textbooks should 
be chosen as a result of majority choice 
of all teachers in supervisory district. 
Trustees and boards of education should 
adopt books approved in the interest of 
efficiency and economy. b. o. 
The Harvester Company 3 s 
Newest Tractor 
McCormick-Deering 15-30 
Smooth-running, long-lived, economical! Years ahead of any tractor hereto¬ 
fore produced! Naturally it remained for the Harvester Company, with 
long time tractor and farm machine experience and great resources, to 
bring out the one great epoch-making farm power value. The McCormick- 
Deering 15-30 stands in a field of its own—the logical choice for the man 
who wants the best in modern-day farm power. 
Ball and Roller Bearings 
at 29 Points 
These dust-proof, quiet-running bearings 
relieve the McCormick-Deering 15-30 of 
all excess friction — at drawbar or belt 
work the power of the 4-cylinder, valve- 
in-head, kerosene motor is delivered with¬ 
out strain or drag. 
In fact, every unit of the new McCor¬ 
mick-Deering 15-30 has been designed 
Remarks on the School Question 
I have been following the articles on 
the rural school system, uot only in your 
publication, bul also in others, As yet 
I have seen no real solution offered that 
adequately meets these difficulties. How¬ 
ever, l am optimistic enough to feel sure 
that there must be one. I myself have 
none to offer, but some few facts have 
been brought to light and stand out 
prominently. The rural schools and their 
• affairs must nor be taken out of the hands 
of the farmers. Consolidation must not 
be forced. Taxes must be equalized and 
other conditions improved. 
My wife is a rural school teacher, my 
sister was one. my father and mother 
both were teachers, my own children go 
to a rural school. For this reason, if for 
no other, I am interested in their better¬ 
ment. I have traveled considerably 
through a major portion of our States, 
and while uot greatly interested at 
the time in schools. I did notice some 
good systems. Idaho, for instance, had 
one that appealed to me. There were no 
separate school taxes, these funds being 
collected by the State with the regular 
taxes. Each district had three trustees. 
They hired their own teacher, kept their 
school in repair, consolidated if they 
wished. The Statu paid the teachers' 
wages upon the trustees* order through 
the superintendent of schools, who also 
had certain restrictions over the trustees 
to insure no favoritism or excessive 
wages. There was a $tate system of 
textbooks furnished by the State. This 
stops many petty grafts and annoyances. 
For the past three years, by three dif¬ 
ferent teachers. 1 have been requested to 
furnish three different kinds of books for 
my children, and having the publisher's 
catalogue 1 am aware that our local mer¬ 
chant charges double the wholesale price 
for these hooks. 
Textbooks should be furnished by the 
State, definite books for a definite num¬ 
ber of years, so that people moving would 
not be forced to buy a different set of 
books every time they passed from one 
district to another, or to keep pence in 
the community, at the whim of every 
teacher. 
The problem of taxation is about the 
biggest one. I expect to pay this year 
in school and State taxes between So and 
SG a hundred. Why, if I invest $1,000 
in land, must I he obliged to pay the 
Government $50? If I invest it in chick¬ 
ens it costs tne nothing, and the returns 
are far greater. If in bonds or mort¬ 
gages I am not taxed, but have the free 
returns. If a neighbor borrows $1,000 
from me and buys land he pays me $G0 
a year and the taxes of $50 more. Rather 
a costly loan for him. Under this system 
where is there any incentive for a person 
to own land? 
If I may offer a bit of advice or warn¬ 
ing. I would say that ni the present riivu- 
the farmers are restless, sort of seething 
inside: they are feeling the prick of the 
goad, and they do not exactly understand 
why the punishment is intlicted. Any 
little tiling might cause the resentment 
to flare up into action. It is not a good 
time for politicians or any others to mon¬ 
key much with them. Justice had best 
for long life, economy, full power, and 
operating comfort. 
The McCormick-Deering 15-30, like all 
Harvester tractors, is an all-purpose farm 
power plant. It is equipped with bo. 
pulley, large steel platform, wide fenders, 
throttle governor, adjustable drawbar, re¬ 
liable brakes, and removable angle lugs. 
You will want to know more about this latest tractor achievement. Jlsk the 
McCormick-Deering dealer for complete details or vorite for our new catalog. 
of America 
Chicago ( Incorporated) USA 
93 {Branch Houses and 15,000 ‘Dealers in the United States 
M c CORMlCKrD€ ERIHG 
hiiiiiummuijiiiiiiii: 
‘THE only 
A pruner 
made that cuts 
from both sides of 
the limb and does not 
bruise the bark. Made in 
all styles and sizes. All 
shears delivered free 
to your door. 
Write for 
circular and 
RHODES DOUBLE CUT 
PHt'NIJiG SHEAR 
OPERATES 
ON 
KEROSENE 
Cats Fasts* 
Patented 
RHODES MFG. CO., 
329 S. DIVISION AYE., GRAND RAPIDS. MICH 
High School Tuition 
On page 1250 I notice the inquiry 
about payment of high school tuition by 
a district having no high school; also that 
you state tlie tuition must bo paid. This 
is quite all right for pupils who arc genu¬ 
ine residents, but how about those who 
come into a family ostensibly to become a 
part of that family, but in reality to take 
advantage of high school privileges? Is 
there anv way of forcing these to pay 
their own tuition? MRS. N. B. B. 
A parent or guardian could not require 
the payment of excess tuition (above the 
$50 paid by the State! for a child unless 
the parent or guardian was a qualified 
voter in the district that he asks to pay 
the excess tuition. 
IIDI KTY COMBINATION 
JrLLA CUTTER and 
Grinding Mill 
Grind* alfalfa, 
-v. ■ ‘ - ■ 
f Js' koflir corn arid null} 
- I jy maiii. in (ho head, 
a either ecru.r»»<i|y «>r mLii'd 
A mg' in varied protwrtiooa with 
SfC* com on the cob, with or with- 
out shucks, oats. ryo. barley, 
corn find *11 other grains. 
55, ' SULLY GUARANTEED 
v| ,9 9 J„aL4o ««t. 
Loakl Sm What You fief—Special WITTE 
Throttling Governor Engine with non-spill 
extension hopper—weight over axle—2 whee 1 
truck— easy to move. Direct Goa red. Lever con¬ 
trolled clutch—Arm swing motion. We have 
only one Log Saw—our New Improved. Lighter, 
stronger—steady running—worth more. Lifetime 
Guarantee—Cash or Terms—Immediate Ship¬ 
ment. Tree Saw at smaU extracost. Catalog Free, 
WITTE ENGINE WORKS. 
189. 8 Oakland Avenue, Kansas City. Mow 
1898 Empire Building, Pittsburgh. Pa. 
BT OSK BIX. If* KING OK THK WOODS. «»,«* money sod 
backache. Send for KKKK catalog No. B68 showing low 
price and latest improvements. First order gets agency. 
Folding Sawing Machino Co., 1005 East 75tti St. Chicago, ill, 
When you write advertisers mention The R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a 
quick reply and a “square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
