Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-27
PARENTS ARE INDIGNANT AT
REQUIREMENT
General Dissatisfaction Exists at Me-
cessity for Exchanging Last Year
Publications at Great Loss
on Each

26,000 scholars are not yet supplied.
Complaints and mutterings are rife
over the extra expense entailed by the
change of text books. Its downright
robbery, this school book graft" re-
marked one father who had returned a
'bushel basket of books" costing, he
said, nearly $40, for which he received
but 80 cents.
When questioned as to the reason, he
said: Its this everlasting changing
of books. Last year 1t was the arith-
metics, histories and geographies-all
had to be bought new and the old ones
were worthless, although some had
hardly been soiled, and this year it Is
the readers-from the primary up-and
the history. I have four children in the
primary grades and you can see it
simply robs me-"
Another indignant parent, who had
refused to exchange a wagon Loaf" of
books for 30 cents, was heard to solilo-
quize as he paid for new books for
three "hopefuls," "Day tolt me alreaty
schools vas free in Ameriky."
Old Books Unsatisfactory
Deputy superintendent Monlux found
time between telephone calls to explain
that the old state series of text books
had long been recognized as inferior
and unsatisfactory and as speedily as
possible they were being replaced by the
more up-to-date publications. That
while it undoubtedly worked a hard
ship in many cases, it would ultimately
be of great benefit, that the readers
were especially undesirable, and that
whatever the Los Angeles school board
might think or not think they could
only acquiesce in the action of the state
board of education, since failure to do
so would result in cutting off their pro
rata of school funds.
The selection of text books is in the
hands of estate text book committee"
composed of the governor, state super
intendent of public instruction and the
professor of pedagogy of the state uni
versity.
One of the leading book dealers char
acterized the repeated changes of books
as "a game of graft" referring to the
state printery. He asserted that it was
robbery to compel the scholar to pay 81
cents and 81 for a book that should
cost but So cents. But when asked
what remedy he would suggest, he
thought it was no worse than paying
the same extortion to the school book
trust"
In conversation with a man who IS
connected with one of the leading
printing firms of the city and who was
for a time employed in the state
printery, he did not hesitate to declare
that radical reform would be necessary
in that department before it would be
possible to have any relief.
Municipal Text Books
President Millspaugh of the state |
normal was reticent when the subject |
of the state printery was introduced. |
He agreed that the present system, or
lack of system, was open to severe
criticism, and when asked as to a |
remedy responded without hesitation
that in his opinion municipal text books
was the only remedy.
President Millspaugh said he believed
the municipality should own and fur
nish the text books just as they own
and furnish the desks and other school
supplies, basing his opinion upon ex-
perience.
Prof Millspaugh was for number of
years identified with the schools of Salt
Lake City, where the municipality
adopted the system which he says has
proved successful beyond the fondest
hopes, effecting a saving of thousands
of dollars each year to the patrons, be-
sides supplying a vastly more satisfac-
tory service.
Prof. Millspaugh also said that no less
than a dozen cities, including Denver,
Salt Lake, Utica Omaha, New Haven,
Springfield, Mass, Newark, Kansas
City and La Crosse, had adopted the
plan with excellent results.
come a full and free discussion of this
subject of municipal text books. 1t is
the only sane method, and the growing
sentiment must sooner or later force
its adoption everywhere. I speak from
experience on this subject, for wherever
have seen the plan adopted it has
proved very successful"
Further inquiry brings out the fact
that $4,000 scholars in the first four
grades are affected by the change in
text books this year, entailing an extra
expense of not less than $4,000.
One dealer estimates this extra out
lay at $4,000, and says that the margin
of profit to the dealer does not Justify
the trouble. He thinks there is some
thing radically wrong somewhere, when
it is generally admitted by the pub
fishers that 20 per cent of the price of
the book is required to sell it. This. he
thinks means graft ot gor,o ,,ot-t