"The plan has worked very satisfactorily so far. It required considerable extra work on the part of the teachers at first, for the pupils had to be taught to take care of their books properly, but since the pupils have become accustomed to the requirements in this respect, there has been comparatively little extra work. The children certainly take much better care of their books than they did when they owned them. The covers, too, help to preserve the books. "We have had no trouble from disease in this connection. If a pupil is taken sick with some contagious disease and there is a possibility that the books are infected, the books are burned I should think that the loss through this cause has been between five and ten dollars. But all schools use supplementary readers which are passed from hand to hand, and in every school many second-hand school books are in use. There is no more danger from free text-books than from these. I do not think that the question of disease will ever be found a serious objection to the system where it has been tried. While it is some extra work to hold pupils responsible for the care of the books, I believe their training in this respect is worth something as an element of their education." MISSOURI VALLEY.-At Missouri Valley the system was adopted in 1897. Writing of its working in 1900, Supt. A. B. Warner said: "Introduction was gradual so that all books were not owned by the district for somewhat more than a year. Ten per cent of our pupils are in high school where books cost most and must be liberally supplied. We have an excellent supply of modern books in all grades and many reference and supplementary texts. The expenditure has averaged 77 cents per year for each pupil. including the high school, for the three years-$1.04 for the first year, 86 cents for the second year, and 41 cents for the third year. But this does not represent the average cost since we now have on hands more than 6,000 volumes, most of which are in good condition. The above figures represent the average cost if we were to burn all books on hand at the close of this third year. "The work of our schools has been greatly aided in many ways by free text-books and I have not heard a complaint from any patron. If there are any objections, I have not yet discovered them. "Perhaps I should have stated that we do not attempt to furnish pupils' general supplies, save to a limited extent, and the above figures represent text-books only." MT. AYR-Supt. Adam Pickett of Mt. Ayr says: "I am pleased to inform you that we have had free text-books in nearly all the departments of our schools during the past three years, and the results have been very satisfactory to our pupils, teachers, and patrons. We are able to get all the children to work in the very beginning of each term, and when new pupils enter or transfers are made at any time during the term, no time is wasted, and thus the efficiency of the school is very much increased. "Before making the experiment I thought I could give many cogent reasons why free text-books should not be provided. Many of these reasons have already disappeared; and the advantages now seem to me to be so great that I feel that the district cannot afford to be without them, even from an economic standpoint." MANSON. The secretary of the board at Manson, Mr. C. R. Nicholson, writes: We bought the first year about This, the second year, we have pur We have had the free text book system in our schools of Manson, nearly two years. It has given the very best of satisfaction, as it gives the teacher absolute control of each pupil. If a pupil can make an extra grade the books are simply exchanged, and the pupil put ahead. If the child can not keep up with the grade he can be changed so that at all times, the pupil is in the grade where he belongs. $1,000 worth of books, pupils 415. chased about $200 worth of books. We find that the cost of books to the pupils, used under this system, is just about one sixth as much as when the books are bought by the parents, as the books can be kept good for sev eral years. When a book is given out it is charged to the parent, and when returned it is credited, and if the books are damaged more than the ordinary wear, the parent must pay the damage. We think the system of free textbooks a grand success, and only wish we might have a compulsory educational law." EXPENSE OF FREE TEXT-BOOKS. That the expense of free text-books is much less than that of individual ownership has been proven by experience. As a general statement it may be said that there is a gain of 25 per cent to 40 per cent in the cost, and 30 per cent to 40 per cent in the length of time the books can be used, which, together makes a saving of not less than 50 per cent per pupil. Nebraska has reduced the cost per pupil to 45 cents, which includes all expenditures for books, pencils, paper, ink and slates. The average annual cost in all the public schools of Maine has been as follows since 1891: $1.16; 8.54; $.34; $.40; $ .46; $ 57; $ .67. In New Jersey the annual report shows the cost to have been $.99 in 1895, $1 in 1896, and $ .86 in 1897. In Pennsylvania the cost was $.56 in 1897 for free text-books and $.98 for text-books and supplies, not including the city of Philadelphia. In Minnesota, where the law was passed in 1893, Superintendent Pendergast reported in 1897 that 3,458 common districts had adopted free books at a cost of $ .42 per pupil; ninety-three independent and special districts at a cost of $ .55; and 153 graded schools at a cost of $ .75. This report shows that more than half of the districts were using free books and at cost decreasing from $ 54, $ .73 and $ .90 in 1885 to $.42, $ .55 and $ .75 in 1897. He further says that "notwithstanding the rapid increase in school population, the average annual cost per pupil has decreased beyond expectation." STATES HAVING COMPULSORY LAW FOR FREE TEXT-BOOKS. STATES HAVING OPTIONAL LAW FOR FREE TEXT-BOOKS. .1893 .1893 ..1893 .1894 . 1894 ..1894 1894 1895 .1896 ..1897 ..1897 ..1897 New York... St. Louis . 1890 . 1884 .1895 . 1891 ..1893 ..1876 . 1894 1895 .1890 ..1884 .1873 ..1884 1. It is the duty of the government to educate its future citizens so that they may be intelligent defenders of its rights and liberties. The state should see that all its school children are properly equipped for the work. 2. It makes the public schools free in fact as well as in name and removes a barrier that now prevents many poor children from attendance. 3. It secures uniformity of books in the district, and is much cheaper for the community, because the books are bought at the lowest wholesale prices and are used by more than one pupil. 4. It saves time at the beginning of each term of school because the pupils are supplied with books immediately and can go to work without the usual and sometimes annoying delay. 5. It secures better classification especially in rural schools and in all districts where there is a large floating population. 6. It develops and cultivates a careful use of public property on the part of the pupils, because they are held responsible for any unnecessary wear or damage of the books in their possession. 7. It gives opportunity to secure fresh and modern books; and prolongs the school life of many pupils who could not afford the expense for books in the higher grades. 8. It banishes unpleasant distinctions between those who can and those who cannot afford to buy their own books, such as often arise under a law providing free text-books for indigent children alone. |