The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-03-18
Shall We Have Free Text b ooks /?


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Shall We Have Free Text ooks
Agreeable to your request submit briefly
a few facts in support of the adoption of
Free Text Books for use in our schools up
to and including the Sth grade. In pre-
vious article l treated the subject more at
length, and as the same was printed in THE
TINES and all the city papers, l refer you t.
it for facts to be used editorlally as you may
desire.
One of the main arguments i'm favor of the
adoption Of the system is its economy.
There are, as l am informed, about 1900
pupils enrolled in our schools. To make a
safe estimate we will say that the average
cost per pupil per year for new books and
school supplies necessary for use In school
work would be $1.00 per pupil, and think
this amount very low when the matter OF
pencils, tablets, pens, textbooks and copy
books are considered. This would make
the total cost per year $500, or for period
of three years, $5400, the time needed, as
shown by experience of other districts, for
the introduction of the free text book system.
Taking as basis the cost to ether dis
tricts which have adopted and arefnow op-
Grating under it, the cost to this district
with our school enrolment over three
year period would be $2S62, or the sum of
II cents on each 500 of the assessed valua-
tion of the property in this school district.
For illustration, a taxpayer whose assess
ed valuation of his home is $500, over Pc
rlod of three years would pay 81 cents un-
der the free text book system, or tax OF II
cents per year. believe $500 to be about
the average valuation for assessment of the
homes of the workingmen of our city. so
il there are four pupils from the family VINO
are now supplied with necessary books,
ETC., at an nnual cost of $4 90 under the free
text book system he would pay but II cents.
On $1,000 valuation the annual cost would
be about 60 cents.
After the books are once purchased and
the system adopted, the cost of maintaining
IT is very small; in some cities in our state
as low as 33 cents per pupil, or total cost
on an enrolment of 1900 pupils of $594.0o,
or a tax on $1,000 valuation of about 30
cents per annum, or a cost to the owner OF a
house assessed at $500 about cents.
In my support of the free text book sys-
tenn do not arraign the local book seller.
1 presume his profit is reasonable, but do
arraign the school book publishers-school
book publishers trust, If you please and
do not believe, in these times of depression,
that we should annually contribute to them
from the small and hard earned incomes
referring to the estimate above) the sum OF
over $1,000. believe could the actual fig
ures be procured that the cost now per pu-
pil is nearer $500 or $500 per year instead
of 81. 90 as l have stated, SO that the saving
to the people would be nearer $4,000 per
year than $1,000.
The school taxes are paid in large ma
jority by persons who have pupils attending
school, and submit that the cost of main
tenance of the system to one who pays taxes
on SIS, 900 valuation, |. 9. 81 so, Is less than
it now costs him to supply one pupil with
the necessary books, etc. So there should
be no opposition unless 1t might be from
some persons who pay large taxes for school
purposes but have no children to educate.
AS to those, my argument would be their
opposition would be as honest as to the
building of school buildings and the main
tenance of the public schools, and no one
would for moment think of Offering such
opposition.
1t has been said by some persons that
paid no taxes, and so wanted to adopt this
system, as it would cost me nothing. The
tax rolls are the best evidence, as this year
my school tax alone is over $50.
The school board unanimously decided to
submit this question to the electors of the
district at the coming election, April 4th.
Every tax payer in the district should In
form himself and then vote on the PROPOSE
ton. There should be a full vote, that the
school board may know the will of the
people.
The law provides you shall have uniform
text books or free text books. You can have
uniformity alone, but you may have free
text books, and the board can then pur.
chase those adopted for uniformity and SC
have the benefit of both systems.
The last report of the Superintendent OF
Public Instruction shows nearly 1000 dis
tricts in the state of Michigan using the
free text book system. SO 1t Is not an ex
pertinent. The secretary of the schoo
board, Mr.. Shattuck, has on file the letters
received by me from several school board
secretaries from cities having the system,
and In every instance IT is heartily endorsed
trust the press or the city will thorough
ly inform the. people on the subject, and
will cheerfully answer every question tina
may be submitted. either personally Of
through the press of the city to the best o
my ability. Respectfully,
II. s. HADsALL.
L natad Moroh 1QQQ