The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-03-19

for it is laying a foundation for an educa
tion, which in the future, is going to be
an essential one-the problem of muni-
cipal and national ownership of public
utilities.
In 1900 more than fifty districts in Iowa
were furnishing free text books Ten
states, including Massachusetts,, Pennsyl-
vania and Nebraska had compulsory laws
for free text books and fourteen more in
cluding Iowa had optional laws for free
text books. Wherever the free text book
plan has been adopted all speak in it's
praise.
Superintendent Adam Picket, of Mt.
Ayr, writes in report to State Superintend-
ent 81 am pleased TO inform you that we
have free text books in nearly all of the
departments of our schools during the
past three years and the results have been
very satisfactory to our pupils, teachers
and patrons.
We have been able to get all the chill
dren to work in the very beginning { f
transfers are made at any time during the
term, no time is wasted, and thus the eff
ticiency of the school is much increased" J"
Mr.. @. R. Nicholson, secretary of the
school board at Manson, Iowa, writes. "It
has given the best of satisfaction, as it
gives the teacher absolute control of each
pupil. If pupil can make an extra grade
The books are simply exchanged and the
pupil put ahead. If he cannot keep up
with his grade the books are exchanged
and he is put in the grade where he be-
longs. We find that the cost of the books
is just about one-sixth as much as when
the books are bought by the parents. We
think the system of free text BOOKS a
grand success"
That the expense of free text books is
much less than that of individual owner
ship has been proved by experience. AS
a general statement it may be said that
there is a gain of rs to 40 per cent in the
cost and 30 to 40 per cent in the length of
time books can be used, which, together,
makes a saving of not less than so per cent
per pupil. Nebraska has reduced the
cost per pupil to As cents, which includes
all expenditures for books, pencils, paper,
ink and states.
think the subject should be given care
ful thought on the part of patrons and
teachers and if it is as advantageous as
other districts say 1t is, it should be given
trial.
One of the greatest results of uniform
ity and free text books is that it will be a
fo1 orI %r
zation of schools and transportation OF
pupils. which all educators who have in
vestigated the subject say is the only pan
acea for the rural schools.
And l think until the schools of the dis
trict are all consolidated apd a graded
high school established in each district
with free text books and transportation OF
pupils we will have not attained an ideal
school.
Those districts which are furnishing
free text books and transportation claim
they are doing SO at less cost per capita
than they did under the old SYSTEM and
the results are much superior to those OBJ.
tained before the establishment of graded
high schools. We, as teachers and pa
irons, want the best of everything, and
especially do we think that our children
and neighbors' children should have the
best which money and brains :an pro
duce. In the presentation of these sub
jects do not claim that the adoption O.
any one or all of them will always product
a perfect school, for after all that must
depend largely upon the character and in
dividuality of the earnest, jealous anc
competent teacher.
| But do claim that the adoption of an,
one or all of them will improve the pres
ent system and, if we know how to i'm
prove the schools and do not do so, il
were better for us if we know nothing O
them. But hope some of my sugges
tions may be adopted by our school board
and our system become what the name
implies-tree schools to all, with specia
privileges to none.