The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-02-26
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1897
EXPENSIVE ECONOMY To CHANGE
SCHOOL BOOKS.

EXPENSIVE ECONOMY To CHANCE
SCHOOL BOOKS.
The lower house has favorably rec
commended for passage house bill No
IT'S, providing for the purchase OF new
text books in the public schools and
creating board Of commissioners,
whose duty it shall be to Celect new
books, TIE LEADER believes the mem
Oers of the house should lose no time
in reconsidering its action respecting
this measure. Its passage and enact
ment means a new tax on the people,
and although the author OF the bill is
sincere in what he believes 10 be a
move toward economy, a change Of
school books at this time and in the
manner prescribed would be the dear
est and costliest step in the direction
Of economy the lawmakers Of any ter
ritorial assembly have yet taken.
The school books now in the hands
Of the pupils OF the common schools in
Oklahoma represent an average coat
OF about slso per pupil We now have
enrolled in the territory about 62, 600
pupils; this number includes villages,
towns and city schools, the estimate
being based on the governors report.
To change the law or the present
method Of procuring books as contem-
plated by the bill in question would
ha afr aF
large amount of capital invested In
these books by necessitat.ng the pur-
chase of an entirely new outfit. More
over, the maximum prices fixed
by bill ITS are so low that il is doubt
fnl whether any publisher of recognized
standing would care to compete for the
school book trade OF the territory at
those prices. A comparison OF the
prices of the books now in use in our
common schools with the prices OF sim
liar books Of other publishers show
them to be fully as low, and in many
instances much lower, when quality is
taken into consideration.
Oklahoma is too young to daily with
costly experiments, and parents are not
equipped financially to indulge theh
children in the pleasure of new books
while the bill TO. the set Of books noN
in use remains unliquidated Shoulo
the bill in question become law,
nearly sloO, 900 worth Of books would
be rendered useless AS far as uni
formity Is concerned, the text books
now In use in the common schools are
practically uniform and nothing short
OF the creation Of text book commits
sion, with the territory furnishing free
books, could better the present system.
Considering the low prices now
being paid for textbooks, there
is no demand for such legislation
As proposed in bill IT'S, aud by
adhering TO the strict lines laid down
by the assembly, that body cannot
consistently legislate on maximum
prices 10 be paid for books. Indiana
is the only state that has adopted the
commission-contraet system, and q
glance at It's work shows il TO be cum
bersone and burdensome TO the people,
With a tendency TO discriminate againt
poor school communities in favor Of
the rich. A measure similar TO the
one under discussion has been dipped
in cold water In Kansas From an
economical standpoint, the change in
books means loss OF thousands OF
dollars-in other words 81 so each TO
$4,000 pupils. The effect Of this con.
templated legislation would cost the
territory the value Of all the books
now in use, and the expense Of re-
placing them in other books, IN all
$780, 900 when all the waste. trouble
and outlay In connection with the
change ace .aken into account The
school book trade OF the territory is not
less than sec, 900 year The average
life Of school book supply is three
years, 30 three times the supply for one
year woald be rendered valueless in
putting the new law into operation,
then 70 replace this loss would bring
the whole cost TO the above figures
Taken as q whole, the contemplated
legislation means that board OF
politicians Is better qualified TO make
contracts than are the people Of the
different counties
With ali due respect to the author
~
creation Of such q commission would
work great evil and cause suffering
on the part Of the school patrons
The assembly should proceed eau
tiously on this matter There are
many air-holes-And there Is grave
danger Of introducing worse evils In
the school book system than those
whlsh II Is sought 10 cure.