The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-24
SCHOOL BOOKS.

other states in the Union are gouged
by the existing systems for the equip
me of school children with their
books, and by the publishers of these
books, as well, is pretty easily demon
strated. In the province of Ontario,
Canada, the First Reader is sold to
the pupils, or their parents, for six
cents. Its parallel in Kansas and else
where in this country costs the con-
sumner from 30 to 80 cents. Certain
writing books used in the Ontario
schools cost the parents there only
one cent each. These are not cheap
books, either. Their contents are
passed upon by the educational
authorities of the province, and they
are made "for children all the way
through.
Edwin r. Wright. president of the
Illinois Federation of Labor, is author
ity for these statements. He also
makes them in an interview reported
by Forrest Crissey in a Saturday Even
ing Post of recent issue. And they
should open the eyes of the people of
Kansas and the rest of the United
States as to one of the elements that
plays its part in the high cost of liv-
ing in this country. Of course, white
paper is cheaper in Canada than
it is in the United States. But the
difference is not SO extensive as to
come anywhere near the divergence
between the prices that the people OF
Ontario have to pay for their chidren's
school books and those that the peo-
pie of Kansas and other states on this
side of the Great Lakes have to pay
for books of the same grade as to
materials and contents.
l. II -,I,,1 10 1frrT1f
of the assertion of Tom McNeal, when
he was state printer, to the effect that
school books, just as adequate in
every respect as those now in use in
the schools, could be published
through the medium of an enlarged
state printing plant at a saving to the
people of the state of over 200 per
cent on what they now have to pay
for their children's school books, But
there doesn't seem to be anything inn
possible about Mr.. McNeaPs conten-
ton, when the prices of school books
in Ontario are considered. And the
methods employed in that Canadian
province in dealing with the school
book problem are Interestingly de-
scribed by Mr.. Wright, as follows:
I'm the province of Ontario, the
copyrights of all school books are
vested in a minister of education and
in his board of advisers, who select
the books for their educational value
Textbooks and courses of study are
uniform throughout the province.
When a publisher or a printer wants
to get into the school book game he
has to bid for his chance-not bidding
on how much he will pay the state for
the privilege, but on how low price
he will make to the people on a GER
tain book of specified paper, print,
binding and general physical and ar
tistic excellence.
There the people own and control
the school book industry, and the pa
rents who buy the books get the bene-
fit of this proprietorship direct, at
first hand and in proportion to the
number of books they buy. Remem-
Der, under this system there can be no
cheapening of the product, for the
book is rigidly standardized in all par
ticulars No matter who gets the
contract, he cannot cheaper the book
by using inferior materials or less of
them. The book must be up to an
exact standard as to every element
that enters into it,
Mr. Wright purchased a copy of the
primer used in Ontario. 1t was well
made book in every particular-good
paper, good press-work, good binding,
and the typesetting and makeup were
of first class order. 1t had a two color
frontispiece, an artistic cover and nu-
merous illustrations Mr.. Wright
managed to find a primer in use in
the Illinois schools that compared
closely with tn Ontario book in size,
workmanship and all other physical
and artistic elements. This Illinois
primer cost 25 cents. The primer he
bought in Ontario cost him cents.
And furthermore, Mr.. Wright ascer-
tanned that the printers who turn out
these Canadian books make a good
profit on their industry.