The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1904-10-22
Free Textbooks

$500 "a WI AAaAN ]
excellent state superintendent Of
public schools is printed here, not be-
cause the INTELLIGENcER subscribes
to the principles set forth, but IN order
that the other side of the question may
be fairly stated by one Of Its friends.
The INTELLIGENCER would be opposed
to having the state go into the second
hand book business, even If it cost
nothlng.l
Voters must decide an important
school question at the polls on
November s. Constitutional Amend.
ment No, 2 provides for district owner
ship OF textbooks. All the property
of the state is to be taxed equally to
furnish the money with which each dis.
trlct is to supply all books necessary
for free use in the common schools.
The levy is fifty cents on 800 assessed
valuation. 1t will supply about 65
cents per child enumerated. A dis.
trict having $40, 900 assessed valuation
will pay $40 OF the tax. If it has Is
children enumerated, it will get back
all pays. II it has 80 children, it
will receive twice as much as it paws
Every district in the state, excep. where
great corporations are located or
business enterprises are oentered, will
receive more than it pays for this pur-
pose. 1t carries out more fully the
idea of %equalizing taxation and school
opportunities,
Some facts concerning its operation
should be noted. C) The books are
for free use of all children aud become
the property of the district just as
libraries, black boards, maps, charts
and other school supplies. There will
be no prohibition on individual owner.
ship; if parents desire to, they may
purchase books for their children, but
there will be no necessity for it. (2)
Books will be at hand the first day Of
school so that the work will MOI be de.
layed or hindered. This will save
several days time to the school. (S)
The money may not supply all the
books necessary for the first or second
years, but later 1t will. Books for
small children will last the school -four
or more years. for larger children,
from six to ten years. Some nea
books may be added each year as need
ed. (4) 1t will relieve the necessity Of
state uniformity, for children in movinl
will find books in their new seho > |
resdy for use which makes distrlcl
uniformity certain. (5) The mex
General Assembly will enact LAYS d..
ining the duties OF directors and
teachers in purchasing the books and
taking care OF them. (6) Wherever
it has been tried, the result have been
better schools, better attendance,
smaller amount spent for books and
less annoyance to teachers and patrons
Every voter should consider it care
fully. II the state furnishes free
teachers, free shelter, free furniture,
free fuel, free apparatus, it should
furnish books free for they are just as
necessary to progress. Why spend SO
annually per child for teachers salaries
50 for buildings and 1925 for in.
cidentals and stop before supplying
that without which much OF the ex.
peLditures is wsstetP Add another &C
cents for books and increase the value
of the other expenditures by half. II
brings the help of the fortunate to
the unfortunate. 1t saves poor men 81
for every dollar 1t collects from cor.
porations. No child will be kept ouI
Of school because its parents eau no
or will not buy books. There are
100, 900 such children in our state.
Let every mar vote for Amendment.
No. 2. In the interest of betteI
schools, tor the sake OF many un
fortunStes, because it is more
economical, the proposition should b
adoped unanimously. Yours truly,
", T. CARRINGToN,
Ctato Gunt DDh CobooIs