Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-26
School Text
Book Costs

cts to foot text book bills, many OF
them are under the impression that
they are dealing with one OF the most
Expensive factors in the American edu-
cational system.
That this is not the case is brought
out by study of the text book situa-
ton that is just being completed by
the United States bureau OF education
largely from records 'of book publish
ers handling about 80 per cent Of the
business. The figures collected. which
lare for 1918, show that while sales of
text books for use in public and prf-
vate schools reached a total of over
100000. and sales for use in public
elementary and high schools were $14.-
2S1. 1853, this is almost a negligible por-
ton of the total school expenses.
| Taking only public schools. the bu-
| reau's statisticians show that the sales
per child enrolled amount to 1873 cents,
(which should be increased from 10 to
15 per cent on account Of commissioning
to retail dealers, in most cases fixed
by state law. The bureau found also
that the total expenditure per cnllo en-
text books was but little more than z
per cent of the total cost for main
Itenance, support and equipment. Inc
cost per child on the school population
1
the cost on the total population basis
only about Is cents.
That all parents do not have to worry
over book bills, however. is disclosed
by the figures collected by the bureau
as to the furnishing of free text books
in various parts Of the country. The
necessary books are furnished free on
statewide basis for both elementary
and high public schools in eleven states
and are free for elementary schools
alone on the same basis in four addi-
tional states. In seventeen other COM
monwealths. known to schoolmen as
"permissive'' states, the school distr:c~
authorities may under the law furnish
| free books if they wish. In only six
| teen states of the forty eight is the
furnishing of free texts neither manda-
cities of these sixteen states the edu-
| cational authorities are furnishing
books as a regular part OF the educa-
tional activities without specihc au-
lthorization. A large number OF pubic
/ school pupils, therefore, are already Sc
curing free text books, and the bureau
finds that the movement in its various
phases is spreading.
In some localities there has been
| strong opposition to free text books.
chiefly based on the belief that the
plan would bankrupt the community.
The bureau of education points to the
the conclusion that there is little to
| fear from the movement on that score
! The bureau also draws attention 10
the fact that the free issuance OF text
| books is by no means new tangled
idea. The plan was put in force in
Philadelphia in 1918 and in other cues
| in Pennsylvania. New Jersey and New
York few years later. BY 1888 free
books were furnished in nineteen large
cities, and in the following year the
plan had it's first statewide applica-
| ton in Massachusetts,.
! The Investigations of the bureau show
that in addition to legislation for free
books the principal other steps that
have been made toward the regulation
| of the use of text books In schools re-
| late to uniformity and price iwenty-
| four states have laws requiring that
uniform texts be used in the schools,
and many of the states have laws fixing
prices and commissions to administer
them. The study of the text BOOK
situation by the bureau brings out the
fact that two states. California ana
Kansas. have gone into the text book
nublishing business as we'll as into the
| provision of free books
| y :.
| Babies are receiving better and pet
ter care. in large cities of the country
at least, through the in
| Hea 1th of creasing number of In
| FAINT welfare stations and
| OAl1uAeA. visiting nurses assocla-
tions The health of school children is
| being more and more carefully looked
after by school physicians, dentists and
nurses But there is a large number
| of children between the ages OF three
and seven years who have no attention
| from public or semi-public health agen-
cies.
! The federal childrens bureau has
given much thought to this condition
F., of affairs, and would long ago have
begun work toward furnishing facil-
tiles for improving the health condt-
| lions of this large number of children
| if it had been in possession OF the
necessary funds. Having been unable
| to take up the work themselves. how
ever, the workers of the bureau are
greatly interested in the movement to-
ward the extension of health activ-
| tiles to small children now being start
ed in one or two cities. The plan,
| which, it is believed. will spread to
other communities, calls for increasing
| the duties Of the school health officials
so that they shall give attention to
children Of any age brought to them
at the school buildings. and in empha-
/ sizing to mothers the Importance of
having their young children examined
more or less regularly.
| 1t is recognized that the work among
school children will reach many more
| individuals than the work among chill
dren under school age. School children
! 80 uiIy " Tie SCHOoi anu
| need not be accompanied by their par
ents. while in the case Of the younger
| children it will be necessary first to
. impress on the parents the desirability
! of medical examinations, and then to
set hours that will make it possible for
the adults, in many cases busy the
whole day, to accompany their small
charges. In spite of the difficulties.
| however, Miss Lathrop, chief of the
children's bureau. is hopeful for ex-
! cellent results from the extension work
and is watching it's progress with the
greatest interest. 1t is probable that
the bureau will be in a position before
long to give expert advice to any COM
| munities wishing to extend the bene-
| fits of school health work to younger
children, and when the work has pro-
crossed further a study of what has
been done will be made, 1t is believed,
and bulletin will be issued.
Even now, however. the bureau, in
spite of its limited funds, is not idle
| in driving home the obvious truth that
| If it is worth while to save the lives of
infants and growing girls and boys
over the age of seven years. 1t Is
equally desirable to save the little fell
lows who are passing through what
| is perhaps the most interesting period
| of their childhood. 1t has seized upon
| its exhibit at the Panama Pacific ex-
| position at San Francisco as the means
| for its present work AS part of the
exhibit in the education building the
bureau has set up a large glass-Walled
room. in which "a physician Of the bu-
reau. DR.. Frances Sage Bradley, gives