The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1899-01-24

nave TO deal with this winter is
our present free school book
| system, as the contract will soon
expire. Our legislature will do
a wise act if they discard it all
together. We believe in a sys.
tenn of school books, but we do
not believe it to be to the best
Interest of the schools of Idaho
to have a free system, for in the
smaller districts, where it is al
most impossible to run school
for three months in a year, on
account of insufficient funds. the
free text book system is a great
burden on such districts. Be
sides, when the districts own the
books, the children do not take
that special care of them that
they would if they owned the
books. And again, if they own
ed the books, they could have
the use of them during vaca-
tions, and at all times, besides
the clerks would be relieved of
a big task looking after said
property. The old law provided
where parents were unable, the
districts furnished books to such
scholars, free, and that was good
enough. If another free book
contract is entered into by the
State, it will probably nece ssi-
tate another entire change of
books, at a big expense. AS it
is now, these different contract
Eastern book firms, charge ex-
horbitant prices for cheap
grade of books, and the districts
are compelled to buy of them at
their own figures. Other firms
would furnish the same kind of
books for one-third less than the
contract firms. The present free
text book system of Idaho is a
robber upon the public. Let us
have a text book system, but not
a monopoly nor a free one, but a
system that will not bankrupt
our districts, thereby depriving
our children of sufficient school
ing.
The present school laws of
Idaho should be changed. AS
they now stand, they cannot be
enforced, for there is no penalty
attached, and a law without a
penalty is no law at all. The
compulsory educational law
ought to be from s to 20 years,
instead of s to Ia years for non
attendance of school. 1t is queer
Il
to us land we have some here), |
boys that have grown to be
young men, who can hardly read |
nor write, yet they waste their
days in Incidence instead of be-
ing in the school room, Just be-
cause the compulsory law does
not reach them. They appear to
shun an education when the OBJ
portunity is at their very doors
free of cost. Boys and girls if
you cannot get college educa-
ton, for your own welfare and
the welfare of others, we implore
you to take advantage of the OPP
portunities offered you here, and
get a common school education,
for you will need it when you
are thrown upon your own re-
sources to battle with this cold
and rugged world. The boy or
girl that grows to manhood or
womanhood in this enlightened
age without an education are out
of luck, for they will only get
through life, as a rule, the hard
ships and small remuneration,
while those with an education
will receive the fine positions
and big salaries. Education is
good thing to have in any
country-it cannot be taken from
you-while riches may. I
Returning to our subject again,
another thing that is undoubted- {
" not just to all concerned, is
the manner in which the liquor
license is apportioned. The law
provides that one half of this {