New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-09
THE FREE TEXT BOOK PLAN.

i L
A TARIFF OF SUPPLIES ALLOWED EACH
SCHOOL BASED ON THE ATTENDANCE
THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN IN VOGUE IN THIS CITY
FOR MANY YEARS AND is BEING ADOPTED
EIsEwHERE-A VAST SAVING IN EX-
pENsE-How PUBLISHERS SECURE
THEIE oRDER5-PAPER AND
PENCILS SUBSTITUTED
FOR STATES.
Among the many intef Testing features Of the public
school system OF this lefty. and one about which
compara lively little is Known by the general pubic
is the system of free tfxt books. In the language
of the Board of Education the text DOCKS are III
culed in the general term of school supplies py
which is meant everything required by 'he teachers
and pupils from Websters Dictionary down 10 d
sponge. According to Mr.. Jasper, the super'h'eh-
dent OF Schools the system OF free tex; DOCKS was
introduced in this city about forty years ago. anu
New-York has the distinction OF being the nrst CITY
In the country 10 establish and carry out the scneme
successfully
at has worked admirably" said superintendent
Jasper TO a Tribune reporter day or TWO ago.
land saves the parents OF the pubic schooi chr
dren a vast amount OF expense. Then 100 'he
uniformity Of the system is one OF It's greatest
recommendations All the children. rich or poor
are treated alike, and one receives no pet'er e"'
books than are given TO another furt"er t''a''
this take particular pains to see that the teachers
do not encourage any of the well-to-do chioren u
buy any Of their own supplies. especially III 'iie
way OF fancy covered blankbooks. as this Is oouho
10 stir I'D class distinctions and petty Jeaousies
among the pupils some OF whom ca'ino' a"o'N
even these small expenditures
OTHER CITIES ADOPTING THE PLAN
"Chicago has adopted the free text book SYSTEM
besides scores OF the other large cities am ooA-
tinually receiving letters from school superh'eh-
dents in other cities asking for particulars concern
ing the system and expressing desire ~ "p'
the same plan in their cities
Every year the Board of Education makes out z
list of approved books from which the principals
are permitted to make their own selecuohs' Inc
Committee on Course OF Study. with the supefih-
,endent reviews all the new BOOKS suprit'eu "
the Board by the publishers Their seiec,ions are
then sent to the Board for its approval Inc hs' 10
then turned over TO the Committee on ee"oo' Sup
plies and that committee calls lot pids iroin "
publishers whose books have been accep'eu' ie
bids of the lowest publishers are usually accepteu.
,horoh tho committee reserves the right TO reject
any bid II may see ft.
In January complete list or all the aPpio''u
text books including other supplies, IS suoni''eu
70 the principals of the primary ana grammar
schools. When supplies OF any kind are heeueu ~,
any school, they entered in passbooK pro'iueu
nv the committee, signed by the principal ana
countersigned by the Board of trustees III 'iia'
ward. That the keenest rivalry exists among INC
publishers this and other cities to secure oruei
from the Board is shown by the fact that between
MAY / and November OF last year the COM
mittee on Course of Study. with Superintendent
Jasner reviewed more than 1000 new text BOOKS
submitted for inspection by the various coinpe'i,s
firms A large number of text books IN eaeh oi inc
courses of study pursued In the primary anu gram
mar schools is placed upon the list-on the list lot
arith
principal will probably select from one to four OF
the hooks only for use in the grades OF his or her
school.
THE AVERAGE LIFE OF A BOOK.
Rocks last on an average. from three TO FOUR
wears before being replaced by new ones anu arc
handed down from the children in one grace 10
their successors as they advai ced 10 the next
higher grade Some years ago books were REBOUND
after they had been used for long PERIOD put 'ns
nrac,ce was abandoned. 1t was thought 10 De
cheaper In the end to buy new books.
An accurate inventory is made IN the last "een
Of each year Of the books. states. maps ana all
other articles usually embraced under the name OF
.unn,ies In every school within the jurisdiction OF
the Board of Education-blank forms OF inventory
being furnished by the clerk for the purpose. Inc
blank when completed, is forwarded to and hied IN
The clerks office. The inventory desgnates the
three conditions of supplies on hand, IN separate
columns viz: good half-worn and Old In eS,-
mating the stock on hand. the whole OF the CLASS
good is entered on the lst-one-haf OF the class
.haIf-worn" and one-fourth of the class DID, the
total being the quantity on hand of each Item
TARIFF OF SUPPLIES.
A definite tariff of supplies is determined by the
Roard and the principals in asking for new books
and other school accessories must keep within this
limit The tariff is based upon the average annual
attendance at the several schools. as near as Is
practicable
The annual supply for the schools. according to
the tariff is follows: