Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-18

Thousands of good dollars yesterday
passed from the pockets of Los An
geles parents into the tills Of book
dealers.
A large percentage of this amount
represents profit to the schoolbOok
trust
Incidentally the day marked the
formal opening Of the fall term of
school in Los Angeles city and county.
1t was a day longingly looked for
ward to by many aspiring students and
fearfully by other perspiring ones.
To the parents Of each and every
pupil, from the tot which wended it's
way to temple of learning for its
first time to the student who hopes to
be in the graduating class of one of
the high schools, 1t will be remembered
as day of doubtful pleasure on ac-
count of the expense incurred by the
necessary purchase of new books
whichaeach scholar must possess before
the pupil is permitted formally to be-
gin the work of the new term.
Cold Comfort
"I have four children and my bill for
books cost $3.50 today" said a man
who is trying to pay for little home
and can ill afford to pay such an
amount.
"Chiildren are expensive luxuries,"
said DR.. e. c.. Moore, superintendent
of the Los Angeles city schools, and
don't presume that a schoolbook law
satisfactory to every one ever will be
adopted
Charge it up to the present law and
the state board of education" said As
sstant superintendent Monlux.
Must Pay Cash
81 wish 1 could have the books
charged a easily as it is to charge
the nefficiency of the present law to
some one else" said one irate parent
to book dealer, but it's cash every
time"
Every grammar and every arithm etic
used in the public schools of Los An
geles county last year is absolu tely
useless for the term which began yes
terday.
In obedience to the edict of the
state board of educa tion the local
boards were compelled to substitute
new books. Under the old law, which
permitted local boards of education to
buy books in the open market, old
books could be exchanged for new,
with the payment of a. small sum, but
under the present law books in use
last year, and in many instances prac-
tically new, are absolutely worthless.
Taxpayers Pay Twice
The state runs at a great expense
at Sacramento a printing plant costing
| $2,0O0,000. The state board of educa-
! tion, under the present plan, purchases
the copyright of a book concern-us-
ually, if not invaria bly,, from the
American Book company, known a s the
book trust-and then prints the supply
for the state.
These books the state sells to the
local boards at a price in excess of
what the books can be purchased in
the market in other states. Publishers
revise and improve the works, but the
California schools do not profit by
these Improvements, as the copyright
does not cover revisions. In order to
secure the Improvements the state
board is compelled to buy the addi-
tional copyright and print new books,
while the old ones become a total loss.
In this manner the book trust Sc
cures it's rake-off, while the taxpayer
pays for printing the books and then
is compelled to pay a high price for
the books.
Free Textbooks a Misnomer
California has free textbook law,
but only those who are willing to admit
that they are too poor to buy books
are benefited thereby, and naturally
very few take advantage of the pro-
vision.
1T is something like the provision
for caring for the destitute" said Su-
perintendent Moore yesterday. I'VE
have almshouses, but few are willing
to patronize them.'
In addition to the compulsory use of
new books prescribed by the state
board of education, the local board has
prescribed the use of what are termed
supplementary first and second read
ers, of which it will be necessary for
parents in Los Angeles to purchase
about 1000.
These, also are free to those who