The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-10-02
NEWBERRY SCHOOLS.
A Patron Writes a Protest About
Books and Kicks Generally.


Nevberry Observer.
Editor Observer: Under any cir
cumstances it is disagreeable to be a
5Fkicker.' But it is the opinion of
the heads Of at least a huAdred fam
lilies in Newberry that the time has
come to ''kick.'' That there has been
FEkicking," and 'kicking" in no un-
certain tones, has been evident to
anyone that has come in contact with
any person within the past week that
has been one Of those who, in order
to try to give their children an edu-
cation, and in order to comply with
the rules Of the schools, had to "walk
up to the captain s ofice'' and buy
books.
There are many who "kick" sill
emily, or on the quiet; who sit and
wait for the other fellow to make the
move; and I have, though a humble
citizen, decided for one to enter a
protest to some thi4gs that seem n
reasonable.
Some time back, in the not lorg
distant past, there appeared in your
valuable paper several coromunica-
tions desiring the information from
the delegation in the legislature as to
who was responsible for the defeat of
a certain bill concerning the city
schools. There are a great many pa
irons Of the schools in Newberry who
would now like to have little infor-
NATION along certain Lines in regard
to the schools. And this inquiry is
all in good spirit and kindly feeling,
with no i'll will to any one-only
little injured pocket book-6hat's all.
We have heard Of all kinds Of
trusts-big trusts and little trusts
and now good many people in New
berry would like to know if there is
not such a thing as ''book trust"
and if the almost complete change Of
books for the different grades each
year is not made in the interest Of
this trust. Certain it is that they are
not made in the financial interest Of
the patrons Of the school, and we
know that some Of them at least can
not be in the interest Of the pupils.
As the years go by matters in this
regard seem to grow worse, and if it
continues in the future as it has in
the past few years poor people will
simply have to throw up their hands
and surrender, allowing their little
ones to go uneducated; There are peo-
pie in Newbery To-Day whose chill
dren are remaining away from school
because they are not able to buy the
books to send them with-and this
under our free school system. Each
year almost a complete change in
studies; so that a new set must be
bought-and this year ''song book
is added in.
And they used to exchange, take
old books as part pay for new ones;
but, oh no, that doesn't 60 now. You
must buy them out and out. To fur
nish one child anywhere from the
first grade up with books costs any
where from $3.50 to $1,000. Those
who have three and four to send have
to haul out about $40 or $25 for books
and next year the trustees, or some
body, will take notion for another
change, and another new set will fol-
low-and so on it goes, and the book
trust reaps the harvest.
There are many in Newberry who
thought that when the legislature
changed the law so that the people,
the patrons of the school, could elect
the trustees it would prove best for
the: schools; but it seems that we have
gone from the "sublime to the ridi-
culous. - 1t has proved a dear change
for some Of us.
Now, a word to the patrons of the
school: Get together. Begin this fall.
Put in a set of men for trustees who
have three or four children to edu-
cate-men that are not independent
financially; men that know how to
appreciate the condition Of those who
are not so we'll off in this worlds
goods; and then probably so many
complete and expensive changes will
not be made in books each year. Now
is the time to begin; it will take
four or five years to accomplish 1t,