The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-22
ABOUT BOOKS
PROF. D. s. PENCE FAV0RS STATE
SUPPLYING THEM.
He Thinks That the School Children of
Each County Should Use the Same Books,
Which He Would Have Purchased by
the State and Supplied to the Scholars.
Who should Use Them Until the End of
Each Term, Paying Normal sum for
Their Use, Then to be Given to the Next
Class.

Several OF the legislators have had I'M
| der considera ton the feasibility Of the
state supplying the school books for the
schools in both country and city.
Professor d. S. Pence, who is one of the
best posted men in the state on school
! matters, was seen last night, and he
stated that in his opinion the move was
good one.
I'm Ohio" said he, several counties
have passed laws whereby they supply
books to scholars within their boun-
daries. The best plan that l know Of,
and the one / would favor the most, is
the one now being used in the county n
which is situated the town of Ada. In
that place the county purchases the
books and they are given TO the scholars
TO use. each scolar paying 10 cents for
the use of the book during the term At
the end of the term the books are turn
ed over to the several teachers, to be
again distributed to the incoming class"
Suppose that some of the children
tear up or otherwise destroy a book en-
tirely?" was asked
In that case" answered Mr.. Pence, 81
suppose the scholar should be required
20 pay for the book. But care should he
taken, of course, to encourage the chill
dren TO take care OF the books thus
placed in their hands. / have found
that comparatively few scholars are
wantonly destructive enought to pur
posely destroy a book"
do you think that the price would be
much altered?"
Certainly it would, the state can buy
them very much cheaper than the indi-
viduals. They can buy then thus in large
quantities and, of course, they would De
cheaper. Another thing would he the
uniformity of the books. The different
counties could select the books they
think best adapted to their uses, they
could then be purchased by the proper
authorities of the state, sent 10 the diff
ferent counties from the publisher and
there distributed at the beginning OF
the school year This would make the
public schools almost absolutely free for
all scholars, the normal sum paid for the
use of the books while. it would aggre-
gate quite an amount would be a very
small amount FOR each scholar"
Have any of the states already adopt
ed anything of this kind?"
"California, believe, has law where
by the state supplies books TO the schol-
ars outright. giving new books to them
which they keep as their own. This plan
may be quite little more expensive
than the one l have mentioned as being
in vogue in parts of Ohio. Missouri has
also enacted a law which is little diff
ferent yet and 1 see no good reason why
Kansas should not have a law of this
kind. 1t would help many poor schol-
ar, whose greatest difficulty is in OBJ
tanning books
Professor Pence is well known train
er of the young idea, and although state
taxes would necessarily be a little hard
er on the bachelors, but the paterfamiliae
of the great Sunf1ower commonwealth
would save quite little, and the chill
dreE of the poorest would have an equal
chance with those of the better situated.