The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-25
FOR FREE SCHOOL BOOKS.
Senator Z. L. Freeman Advocates q
Compulsory State Law.
COUNTRY DISTRICTS NEED 1T.
Some OF the Reasons Why Such syste"
shouId he Adopted-Experience with
a similar Law In Massachusetts Has
Been Very satisfactory.
Free schools mean free text books.


Free schools mean free text books.
Rhode Island has the honor of being
the pioneer state in establishing religious
libert-. 1t was the pioneer state in es-
tablishing educational liberty. the first
free school teing established in Newport
in 1914.
Now the question comes, shall the
state continue it's work by completing It's
free school system and giving to the
pupils all text books free of charger That
is the question which Senator Freema
is trying to get the general assembly to
answer in the affirm ative.
Senator freeman was seen by a News
representative and asked To state ms
views on the matter. This he did some
what as follows:
-As he law now stands every city or
town may give school children free text
books. But only four municipalities
have adopted law Of tat kind. They
are Providence, Woonsocket. Pawtucket
and Bristol.
''The new law makes it obligatory on
the cities and towns TO furnish Tree
school books TO pupils. Many OF the
same arguments that applied To the IN
PRODUCTION of the system III providence,
which has only recently adopted the
system apply 10 the state system as
well" said the senator.
III free text books are necessity In
the large towns and cities, they are more
so in the country towns and school as
tricts The most ignorant sections oil the
state are in the rural districts. The poor
est people in he state live in the country
towns aud mill villages The hardships
Of attending school Ia the country are
far greater than in the city. The build
ings are poorer.
The Comforts Much Less.
the terms are shorer, the teachers in
most cases less efficient. aud the scholars
have less time to devote to education.
-All these facts are fully appreciated
by the people who live IN he country
distrjcts. and education offerihg so many
difficulties is less attractive there than
in the cities. 1he result is that the aver
aye intelligence of the child, who lives
outside the large cities, Is less than that
OF mis- brother in the city. Any system
that will render more efficient the country
school make the work easier or cheaper
is To be greatly desired.
The act proposed by Senator Freeman
is modelled after the Massachusetts law,
which has been in operation since 1884.
The opponents of the law, and they are
few in number, think tnat the matter
should be left as it is and that free tex;
books should not be compulsory. The
reply that Senator freeman IN tkeS IS
that under the present law only four
cities aud towus nave adopted the sys-
tenn and some of them have only done SO
partially.
Senator Freeman referred to the Massa-
chusetts school laws and explained that
the Massach usotts law was nearly the
same as our present law from 1873 To 1854
and only sixteen OF the cities aud towns
had adopted the system In those eleven
years. 1t was the splendid results of the
practical wor king OF the system in those
places that led to the adoption OF the
present law in that state
"The advantages oil the system" said
Mr.. Freeman, ''are economy in time aud
mt ney. Under our present system the
school work is greatly delayed because
the kind of text books intended to he
used are frequently not known unit ii
few days before the opening OF the
school. The
Scholar Has Not Time
to pur chase his books by the opening of
Iayed until all the books come. Few
people realize what this means and how
great the delay is. An illustration of
this Is found in IiDcoln. Out of a class
Of twelve pupils in language only three
have the prescribed book, and only
week or TWO yet remains be-
fore the whole terms work will be
finished. In this case some complaint
arose because the teacher was not get
ting proper results from her pupils. An
examination OF the condition of affairs
showed that she had, ever since the be-
ginuing Of the term tried. in every way
possible, To induce the children TO get
tue books so that she could teach the
work prescribed by The school course.
But by one excuse aud another she was
held of and now when The term is near ly
over only ope-quarter OF the pupils have
the necessary books. Or course this is
an extreme case. but similar cases occur
all the time in the public schools
throughout the state.
when books are furnished free to
pupils. they are ready Tor distribution on
the first day OF the term and study in all
prescribed courses can begin at once Ii
IL not Exsggerating
the case TO say that at least 10 per cent.
of the school term is lost in the delay
caused by the present system OF pur-
chasing books.
I'm point OF cost the towns of Massa-
chusetts report great saving because the
books are purchased In wholesals guam
titles instead OF retail as before. The
superintendent OF Adams ssys that tie
reduced cost is 35 per cent The repor,
OF Blackstone SHOWS that the cos mas
been reduced TO two thirds OF the ori Sinal
amount This lessening of cost not only
TO the public at large and To the poor
parents In particular, has been great
source of increase In attendance at the
schools and the actual cost Ia cities
ynrles per CAPITA from only "a cents To
t466 per year.
The Increased attendance In every
;ity where the system has been adopted
3as been very marked. The Increase ay.
srages over lO per cent. In Woburn the
lliteracy was greater than esswhere iu
MASSACHUSETTS,. Tue city adup pted free
text books. and now the superintendent
oi schools says many more children oI
poor parents attend school than before.
and tney are Kept In school longer
Experience proves that the hildren