The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-07-08
C.. E. EsTABRooK,
o. ToRRIsoN,
L. K. RAND.

- tit Nt| UftS ~ OOttt EyG'tOOt J/(Stftgt -ND,
Of the City and Torn Of Aa5sjtowoe:
The undersigned appointed a committee at
the last annual school meeting to consider the
question of free text books and half day SEES
siOns Tor certain departments, ask leave TO re-
port as follows
Your com mittee do not feel that they have
exhausted the subject but have given atten-
tive consideration to the arguments pro and
con, animated by desire to arrive at a proper
conclusion irrespective of any former notions.
The argument in favor Of free text books
as advanced by Its advocates are many, some
Of which are briefly enumerated as follows
The advocates of free text books claim that
the principle of free schools logically carries
with it free school houses, free apparatus and
free books. The arguments which eau be
made in favor of free schools, they say, are
equally applicable to free text books and all
the arguments which can be formulated in
favor of free schools can be made in favor of
free text books, and the counter proposition,
is also in the main true
2. Wherever tried, it is said, this system
has given satisfaction. 1t is in force in many
localities in the State and in no place as far as
your committee are advised has il been aban-
doned. In Watertown the system has been
in operation ten years. Prof. Viebahn reports
as follows: at works 10 the entire satisfac-
ton OF all concerned. The average expendi-
ture is not over % cents pupil. Your com
mittee also report that State Supt. Graham alse
endorses the system.
3. All pupils are furnished with books at
the commencement of the school term. There
is no delay in furnishing the whole class with
books at once.
Teachers are enabled TO classify the school
Immediately and commence work. Pupils
can readily be promoted from grade TO grade
4. The advocates of the system claim that
the attendance is increased that when times
are hard and it is difficult to obtain work, pa
rents cannot always supply the necessary text
books and children are kept out of school for
that reason who would be in attendance if the
system advocated was adopted. 1t has come
to the knowledge of individual members Of
your committee that this has actually occur
red in our District during the past year.
5. Economy 1t is difficult to obtain re-
liable estimates upon this point and therefore
We only report, that in the localities where
this system is in force ii seems to be uncon-
tested that the system is economical. Your
committee estimate that all books needed can
be supplied at an annual cost of fifty cents
per pupil
6. Another argument which is advanced
and which appeals most strongly TO your
committee and which they from their exper-
fence most strongly commend is that this sys-
TEN will enable the Board TO furnish Mt a very
low price to ali the pupils very choice variety
of reading, For example, under the system
Of district ownership a Udrtety of readers may
be ha at a reduced cost. 1t is estimated that
now there are in use in the school seventy
five Third Readers, all of one kind. But the
Board might purchase twenty-five third read
ers of one kind, twenty-five Of another aud
twenty-five Of still another kind. This be-
sides saving Of expense would save the pupil
the monotony of reading the same book over
and over again until he Is promoted: exper-
fence demonstrating that pupils improve fast
er in the practice of reading when they are
at the same time acquiring new information
and new ideas instead of merely repeating
the words Of book they have already read
many times.
Such are some of the arguments made by
the advocates of the system of free text
books. But your committee feel like accept
ing the conclusions of those arguments
with due caution and only afer a fair test
shall have tested their validity 1t is thought
best not to recommend any complete or radi-
cal change. 4 fair experiment can be made
at a small expense by FIRST introducing the
system ia the matter of furnishing school
readers leaving the present system in force
rs to all other books. careful estimate has
been made of the amount of money now in
vested in reading books. We do not think the
amount would exceed Sl25.00 If the books
had been bought at wholesale prices.
We therefore recommend that the sum last
named be appropriated and levied to enable
the School Board 10 purchase such reading
matter as may be used in the school from this
time onward, the books when purchased to be
the property of the district, and to be held
and accounted for annually by the Board, TO
the district.
We would further report that the system
can be introduced gradually, each pupil re-
tanning and using any reading book which he
may now own, ana being supplied by the
District with a new book only when the actual
necessity for such new book shall arise by
reason of his promotion to higher class.
In regard to half day sessions. your Gem
mittee are entirely satisfied with the present
arrangement in that behalf. The system is
enforced IN the two lower rooms, and IN the
room next higher than these two IL IS lett op-
tional with parents whether TO send their
children half day or all day. We believe |
the system might with advantage be enforced |
in this third room also instead of being left |
optional with the parents; but your commit |
tee do not feel that the case calls for the re- |
commentator of any change in the present |
arrangement, rs no crowding of that room |
seems probable, and as the parents by actual !
trial have shown in a large majority of cases |
that they prefer all day sessions for their |
children.
c. f. EsTABRooK, J
IL. f. HUBBARD, Com. |
L j. NASH.