The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-03-07
THE TEXTBOOK QUESTION.


THE TEXTBOOK QUESTION.
Is 1t Advisable for Our City to Handle
Text Books, Tablets and
Other Suppliesl
At meeting of the board of edu-
cation of our city last night this mat
ter was discussed. The suggestion
was made that the books and supplies
used by pupils could be handled to ad-
vantage in the several schools, the
board of education purchasing the
books comprising the course in such
quantities likely to be needed by the
various grades and supply them to
pupils at a nominal advance over the
cost in quantities. 1t was also sug-
gested that an arrangement might be
made SO that families moving away
could return books in good condition
and be given an equivalent for their
value. The general proposition was
referred to committee of the board
for investigation.
Having had considerable experience
in the handling of text books in
schools with the methods pursued by
school book publishers, we desire To
lay this matter before the public in
such manner that there will be no
question raised against this action of
the board in this matter.
School book publishers as rule
will sell books direct to the schools
1-3 per cent less than to the dealer,
j. e., the. usual discount to school
boards is 20 per cent discount from the
list price, while to dealers it is only
16 2-3 per cent, The dealer being bur-
dened with books on hand which are
unstable after a change has been
made finds it necessary to sell at an
advance on the list price of the book
in order to make good for these losses
which are bound to creep into the
book deal.
We will assume for sake of expla-
nation more fully, that each pupil buys
an average of SO at list price worth
OF books each term, though the aver
age is much above this, we believe.
The merchant would have to pay
$3.50 and freight for these. He must
add at least 20 per cent to the list
to cover all losses and reasonable
profit. For this he charges, then,
$3.50. The school board buying at 20
per cent discount would pay 50. 40
and freight and could sell the same
books for $3.50, making a saving of
81 on this purchase. The per cent
gain to the patron is great, as one can
see, nor is this all. When that pupil
is ready for change of books, if he
his taken good care of his books, may
exchange the secondhand for new
books and still reduce the cost of pur-
chase. This will induce our children
to take better care of their books that
ahey may be able to dispose of them.
&his is not all. The school, always
having books on hand, can make
needed changes in classes at any time
without the usual delays caused by
dealers not having a sufficient number
of books to supply the class or by be-
ing detained by slow shipments.
Only those who have been teachers
can fully realize the benefit of this
feature alone by having books on
hand ready for a change when a
change is needed.
There may be some who would OBJ
ject to purchasing books that had been
used These can always buy new
books. if not on hand, direct from pub
fishers prepaid by mail at list price.
By the use of heavy manila book
covers, all secondhand books may be
turned over practically as good as new
books and in this way the textbook
bill will be greatly reduced.
Nor is this all to be said in the mat
ter of saving. The life of the ordinary
textbook is reckoned at five years
with ordinary care. How few use
them to exceed one year, so that not
more than 20 per cent of the wear is
gotten from a book by. most children.
Go into almost any home and see the
stacks of cast-off textbooks and you
will be convinced that the American
people are squandering money in
books which are not used anywhere
near their fullest capacity.
Still there is another feature of vast
importance, and one by which much
can be saved. This is the exchange of
old books to publishers for the new
books. The publishers usually take
all old books, paying freight on both
old and new, and allow discount of
40 per cent instead of 20 and pay the
freight, which is about 10 per cent
more. In addition to this there is 80
days allowed for settlement, when an
additional 10 per cent is allowed.
This brings the cost of the books very
low by this process of exchange.
Thus we see that there is no danger
of our schools eventually having lot
OF old books on hand, unfit for use,
for as soon as book becomes unfit
for use: it is maybe put aside to be
used in an exchange, when 1T will re-
duce the cost of the new book fully
one-half, all things considered.
The above are the usual terms of ex-
change. Even more favorable terms
may be had. We have known Of in
stances where an even exchange Of
new books was made for the second
hand books. While this is not the u.s.
ual course taken, 1t shows what may
be done to reduce the expense Of
books. q
In the matter Of tablets. a question
with which we are familiar, we are
ready to prove that the cost can be
reduced from one-haif to three-lfths-
from SO per cent to 60 per cent. In