The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-24
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER q, 1906.
The Free Book Question.

The Free Book Question.
rho Republican speakers are ringing the
rhanres on free books, ana soHte
+ho,rht,ess voters will doubtless De
raught by the catchy proposal 6ul -
would be reckless for any party "Ai ll
4 had any chance TO win to commit 'i'e
state to such q proposition before ~ !" " do To
Known what the cost would be, $40
~ ,.,h At her or not the system would give
satisfaction
The Times Dispatch has contended from
4he first that this is q matter LOT esAcA
md every school community 70 oec'ue
for itself. Mr.. J. D. Eggleston, De e
cratic nominee for Superintendent OF
pnh1ic instruction. has been at pains
10 inquire as to the practice III o'ncl
States. and he ascertains that oniy one
# state undertakes to make general aI-
Il interpolation for the purchase Oh poo C'A-
trhat ;s the state OF Maryland, and our
information Is that in spite OF the tact
& fla L the books are purchased direct from
The publishers, thereby cutting out inc
commissions Of middlemen, the price OF
school books in Maryland averages con
III slderably higher than the present price
Fl nf school books in the State Of Virginia.
"a geography which sells In Virginia for
SLIP. sells In Maryland for Sl.8; and
several other books on the list sell from
3 20 to 30 per cent higher than In Virginia.
Aside from this extravaganza, the report
OF the state superint endent shows that
IN several of the counties the accounts
are so loosely kept that he has been UNI
able to get detailed reports OF cxpendl-
lures therein.
with the exception OF Maryland, every
State that makes provision for free BOOKS
provides that they be purchased at the
expense of tho local districts, or town
ships The following States have COM
pulsory free books-that Is the State re-
nuires the districts or townships to FUR
nish the books to the children at the ex-
pense pf She districts or townslalps;
Delaware Idaho. Maine, Massachusetts,
Nebraska, New Hampshire New Jersey
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and
Wyoming.
In the following States It is optional
with the local boards or voters TO decide
whether or not they will supply free
books; Colorado, Iowa. Kansas, Mlchi-
gan. Minnesota. Montana, New York,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio. Utah,
West Virginia. Wisconsin and Connect
cut.
In a large number OF the states tho
.ocal authorities have legal sanction to
furnish books FREQ to such pupils ns are
,aInable to buy them, In Illinois. Missouri
and New York this authority Is permits
slye. In California. Indiana, Kentucky,
Montana, Nevada. New Mexico. Virginia.
washington and Ohio this law Is obliga-
tory. Even when the State makes 1t
obligatory on the local authorities TO fur
nish books to INDECENT pupils, 1t Is done
at the expense OF the local district,
Boards OF education are authorized to
purchase books and sell them TO individ-
uals in the following States: New Mex
leo, Indiana, Ohio, South Carolina and
West Virginia, In Indiana this has
proven so burdensome TO the county
Euperintendents, TAKING up SO lnCch o.
their time. that they have called for re
lief through the State Superintendent
Il ana he has recommended to the Legisla
ture that this feature be abolished.
Now, as TO the cost OF free books
In the great quagmire of statistics, Their
10 not more dangerous spot than thi
/, one Of the cost Of free books. II IL al
most invariably the rule that the esti
mate OF the cost before 1t has been trie
Is very much under the actual cost site
81 II has been tried. Another thing tina
must be remembered, when any figure
n are quoted on this subject Is that
takes long period of years to dcterinln
accurately what the average cost il
For example. the cost viii be excel
tonally large when the initial supply
purchased; It will be exceptionally 10
the second and third years. for the
viii be few new books TO be purchase
nut after that t!me1 whep tho %