The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-03-19

handled by some one and this cannot be
done without cost II Is not in the least
likely that boards of education can han
die and distribute the books and keep ac-
curate account of their distribution at
an expense of 10 per cent. On the con- |
trary, it is more likely to cost from 20 TO
30 per cent, especially In the larger |
cities The work cannot possibly be
done by the clerks Of the boards in cities
where school districts are widely scat
tered. A large account for draynge and
expressage is bound TO accrue, and the
employment of special clerks or store
keepers will entail still further expense,
greater or loss according to the libcrality
and business experience of the boards and
| their servants
! Specious comparisons have been made
Of the cost of books under the free book
system in certain cities and the cost
under our system in this state. The
courses Of study and the textbooks used
Indifferent communities differ greatly.
In the city Of Cincinnati, for instance,
as in many other cities of Ohio, the
course of instruction includes German,
music and drawing in the schools below
the high school; whereas, in majority
of the smaller towns these subjects are
not taught. The course OF study in one
school may provide for greater attention
and time spent in certain lines requiring
certain text books, while in another com.
munlty, the course being en- irely differ
ent, other books, lower or higher in price,
are required. Many courses of study in
the best schools now provide for the use
of supplementary or extra textbooks
in various branches, thus increasing the
aggregate cx ,ense for books. Any cont
parison Of the cost Of school-books in
different communities without consider
ing all these details is fallacious and
misleading in the highest degree,
School books are furnished in Ohio un-
der the present law upon as favorable
terms as in any community in the United
States, without exception,
In the event Of tho enactment of law
providing for compulsory free Looks in
Ohio, who will be benefited? The school
reports Of the various superinteudents OF
schools will show that nearly, If not quite
! half of the entire school enrolment Is in
the first three grades, where only the most
elementary and cheapest textbooks are
used The pupils in the higher grades
of the district schoolt and the high
schools pay fully so per cent. Of the total
cost of all the books useu. 1t is clear,
then, that by far the greatest proportion
of expense for school-books is now borne
by the well -to-do people, who can best
afford 1t and who are he least solicitous
to obtain books free The financial bene-
| fit to the mass of the children in the lower
grades of the schools under a free book
system would be comparatively light, but
the addition to the tax duplicate for pur-
chase Of books used in the higher grades,
where there are comparatively fewer
children, and these generally well to-do
parents, would be heavy-sufiiciently so
to deprive the schools Of many advant-
ages which they might Otherwise enjoy.
The fact seems to be ignored that we
already have local option in the matter
of free school-bOoks. The statutes pro-
vide that any board of education may
purchase the books as provided by law
and furnish them free to the pupils. 1t
is significant that not more than half
dozen boards have taken advantage of
this provision in the law. 1t is also a
fact that in a majority of cities and towns
appropriation is made annually for the
purchase Of books for the benefit of chill
| dren who are unable to provide these
facilities for themselves.
III JUe COuuUFy ulSJTlCVS ~ liOiuNhbiy
happens that the only library in the
MONIES Of children consists of the text
books owned by them for use at school.
Under the free. book sysem these text
books would be owned and controlled by
the boards of education, and even the
| limited means of literary recreation pro-
vided by the school readers, the histories
and geographs at hC me, would be abol-
! ished
The free-book system, as compared with
the present method Of furnishing school
books in Ohio, will insure absolutely no
financial saving. The individuals most
benefited by the free book law are precise
! ly the ones who least need it and who are
making the least demand for it; and
there is no pedagogical or educational ad-
vantage to be gained by the proposed
change.
Yours truly,
ppdapoUue