Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-26
rUEsDAY.......JANUARY &c, 1886.
Free School Books.

Free School-Books.
The Democratic papers Of Virginia
ara not unanimous in their hostility to
the proposition to furnish free books to
all the children attending the public
schools, but there is so large . majority
of them on that side of the question
that we suppose there is no danger OF
the passage Of any unwise law on the
subject-thst is, if the press may be
relied upon as opponents Of the legis-
lative rs well as Of the popular will.
For our part, we would that it were
practicable to furnish oil the children
attending the public schools with books;
and that there were no good reasons
Why it should not be done. But we
would not think Of advocating an In
crease Of the present rate OF taxation
in the face of the pledge contained in
the Democratic platform Of last year
and that Of the year before not to do SO
" directly or indirectly" 1t is true the
platform Of last year also declared for
free books; but it is well known that
whilst many Democratic speakers refer
red last year in their campaign speeches
to the snti.taxation plank, scarcely one
speech in q hundred contained any al
fusion to the free-book plank. Besides,
the schools need q frightening of
their terms much more than they need
free-books. To talk about buying
chool.books, and at the same time re-
fusing 10 extend the sessions Of the
schools SO that these sessions may be
six, eight, or nine months long, would
be like spending money for whiskey
and permitting the good housewife to
beg in vain for -four.
We appreciate the embarrassments
of those Of our contemporaries who feel
as IL an obligation rested upon them to
insist upon the furnishing Of free books.
Let them reflect, however, upon the
condition Of things in the black belt,
and not confine their thoughts to the
white sections.
The Manassas Gazette takes the right
ground. 1t says;
"The legislators at Richmond are
still puzzled over the free-book ques-
ton. They las every sensible person
must see that to pass law furnishing
free books to all the children Of the
public schools of the State would be
unwise, and result in great injury to the
system.
"For our part it looks like carrying
integrity to a foolish extent to force
upon the people law that results in an
unnecessary and wasteful expenditure
of their money, and law they neither
expected nor wanted, simply because it
was promised. AS stated by the Dis
patch, this was not the main issue du-
ring the last canvass.
"Had we the space we might say
great deal more upon the subject; but
we are certain that any such law will
be opposed by the Taxpayers Of Vir-
ginia, and particularly the friends of the
public schools, therefore it is incum.
bent upon their representatives to see
that no such law is passed. We are
opposed to an increase Of taxation if it
can be avoided, but il our taxes are to
be increased give slonger school terms
rather than free books"
We trust that the General Assembly
will act deliberately. Let not the men,
bers fear to do their duty. BY all
means, give to the schools all the money
you can by any possibility devote to
them but give it to them to be used
in teaching children. The school terms
in many II not nearly all the counties
are entirely too short. The children
attending such schools are, like Sissy
Plus, always beginning and never end
ing their labors. They forget in the nine
eight, seven, rsix months ofrecess wha'
they learn in the six, five, four, Of
three months they spend in study. BE
sides, there are thousands OF childrsi
desiring to get into the public school
who have hitherto failed to gain admit
lance into them. Let the sessions b
extended, therefore, and all the chill
dssn be furnished with seats in tn
schools, before We provide the favore'
ones now therein with books in which
TO study.