The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-03-08
For the Democratic Advocate.
Protest in Favor of Book Fee System

FREEDOM DISTRICT, Feb. 25, 1SS4.-This
evening received petition to be sent among
my patrons. The said petition has the fol-
lowing preamble: "That an extended expe-
rience with the system of charging fees for the
use of books by pupils in the public schools
has proven it to be grievous and burdensome
to all classes of people connected with the
school system. patrons, because its weight
rests unequally upon them, after bearing most
heavily where there is least strength to sup
port 1t, and leaving many go free because of
their refusal to pay; to teachers because of
the annoyance its collection gives them. and
the vexatious want of uniformity in books
which it engenders; and to the school officers,
because of the loss of revenue it entails, by
reason of the difficulty of collecting the fee
and the ease with which they are avoided.
Your petitioners, therefore, pray that your
honorable bodies will abolish the fee system
| in the State of Maryland, and provide that
the books shall be supplied to all the pupils
free, and making up the school fund which
would result from this action by adding what
ever might be necessary to the school tar"
The above is the preamble and petition to
the honorable, the Senate and the House of
Delegates of Maryland. may be considered
too offieious, but | beg leave to offer pro-
test. | hope all who are concerned will bear
them as strong as to me.
Now, the preamble claims the book fee
system is ''grievous and burdensome. ad-
NIT that charging and collecting book fees is
embarrassing to teachers, and sometimes a
burden to hard working, honest men; but |
do not forget that many persons who handle
as much cash as | do, and they make more
fuss about their book bill than men who
are poor. This leads to the conclusion that
many men are not capable of Judging of their
own ability to pay honest debts. The law
provides that when the bill is too heacy three
disinterested men-the district trustees-are
to exempt the parties. Can anything be more
fair? The preamble further claims-'Many
go free, because of their refusal to pay" No
enc has gone free at my school because of
their refusal TO pay. If the trustees or school
commissioners do not think fit to exempt
man, cannot afford to disrespect their judg-
ment, and | feel justified in taking the books
from those who refuse to pay when | send the
bill in. | have had one unpleasantness about
collecting the book fee, and only one. The
same party is now an interested patron. If
men are unwilling to pay the book fee, let
them JuD their books. 'NeXatious want of
uniformity of books it engenders.'' L am not
sure | understand this clause. l find as much
trouble to grade a school where all pay the
book fee as | think could possibly be in a
school whose patrons (some of them) avoid or
refuse to pay the book fee for all necessary
books. That trouble will continue while pa
irons think themselves capable of deciding
what kind of studies their children should take.
All trouble to school officers, from loss of
revenue by book fees not paid, will be avoided
when teachers fill their moral obligations.
The petitioners pray the fee system be abol-
ished in the State of Maryland, and books
furnished free, the loss of revenue thus en-
tailed to be made up according TO the school
tax. Suppose the bookfee system be abol-
ished and the books supplied at the expense
of the taxpayer, would it be just? There are
few worthy people who might be benefited
by it, but reIy few. There are taxpayers who
are as closely run by necessary expenses as
as some non-taXpayers. There is class of
laborers who handle as much cash as we
teachers do, and a good deal more than many
taxpayers, yet that class does not pay taxes,
and must the taxpayers supply the books for
that class?
Could any system be more odius than such
as your petition prays for? Can any system
display more fragrant injustice? Sure that
matter must have been immaturely considered
by the association.
| admit the annoyance occasioned by charg-
ing and collecting the book fees, but | cannot
see how it can be bettered. | am convinced
that the book fees should be collected, and
cannot see that any one is better situated to
collect it than the teachers. We could not
consistently ask trustees to collect it. We
must not overtax willing worker. All know
the trustees get no pay but thanks for their
services.
Craving forbearance and pardon for my
boldness, | am, very respectfully, yours, &C.,
A TEACHER.