The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-06-27
Change Not so Expensive as Many
Imagine.
Even a Clean Sweep Would Not BE a
Heavy Burden on Patrons
Some Books Must Go.

Parents and teachers are greatly in
terested in the work 20 be done by tn
State Textbook Commission mex
month. Among many there is a vagu
fear that sweeping changes will be uad
in the schools OF the state. Others fea
that not change enough Will be madu
| Teachers who fear for too radical actor
do not relish the prospect Of beinj
Obliged TO famliarize themselves witt
new books. IL is easier for them tt
stick TO the books they have grown az
with, irrespective Of the merit Of the
works. Parents who think the cost Of q
complete change would be very great are
inclined TO urge the retention Of az
many OF the present series as can be toll
Grated, even though other books Of su-
perior merit might be offered. With the
parents II is largely question of ex.
pense.
The public at large has very made.
quate idea OF the coast Of school books
In this state. This, in q measure, has
arisen from wild statements made re-
grading the profits and power o! the
concern that now supplies practically all
the books used in Oregon, and from the
fact that the public does not have the
means of getting accurate information
on the subject. IL is known however,
that less than 100000 children attend
the public schools Of the state. There
is credible authority for the statement
that yearly sales of school books do not
exceed $4,000. This is about
30 cents per year per pupil,
including high school and supple.
meDtary books. These latter are above
the average in price, 30 the cost of books
used in the ordinary graded and un-
graded schools In the state, below the
high school, is materially less than so
cents per year for each pupil. This,
however, is after the state is once fully
stocked. IL would cost much more than
this to put in full supply OF new books
at once. without any Offset or allowance
for old books exchanged. And even with
the usual exchange allowance the cost
Of getting the state stocked with new
textbooks would some what exceed the
annual cost Of keeping up the supply
without an exchange privilege. This
extra cost, however, would be much less
than ~ probably supposed.
If clean sweep should be made, il all
the old series should be discarded and
entirely new books adopted by tine state
board, the cost 10 the people OF the state
would not be heavy, for the reason that
The new contractors would be Obliged To
allow a liberal credit for old books ex.
changed Tor new ones. In the State OF
only books that can be used
again, that are practically new, were re.
,eiyed In exchange. No ,uch limit or
modification is permitted Oregon, the ex.
,hange price being particularly defined
An "the price the pupil must paw for a
new book when he surrenders an old
book upon the same subject and of the
same grade, heretofore legally adopted
by the State Board OF Education and i'm
actual or contemplated use i'm the pnblic
schools OF Oregon" There il nothing to
require that the old books be i'm good
In Washington the law re-
Iuired that the exchange price of book
lhonld not exceed one.ffth the contract
'etall price; that is, that the old book
uihed IN should stand for four.hfths the
'rlce OF the new book, and only the
'lher NTH need be paid IN cash, In Ore.
,on the exchange price is left with the |
.ext-book Commission 10 arrange. aud |
la one OF the important duties of the I
commission. ssaa -sea -
All the books required iby pupil in 1
he public schools OF Oregon in his en-
ire school life, from the primary grade |
Up to but not including the High School, |
10 not cost, at present prices, 10 exceed !
~, II child complete this course i'm |
lght years, the average cost is 81 90 per /
ear Tor books. This Is ON the supposi. |
ION that he gets all his books new. As
matter OF fact, howeyer,a large proper.
ION OF the school children of the state
iet the books their brothers or sisters /
lsed and passed. This saving in prud. |
mt families isa large element In bring