Hermanner Volksblatt. [volume] (Hermann, Mo.) 1875-1928, 1916-03-17

Section 1. DISTRICT MAY FURNISH FREE TEXTBOOKS, How
4The qualified voters of amy school district in the state may at any annual or
section 10S44, vote to authorize the board of directors n board of education
of such district to purchase from the incidental fund and furnish all the
for all the pupils in the public schools of said district. A majority
vote of those voting upon this proposition shall be sufficient to decide the
question"
Section 2. COUNTY COURT TO APPoRTIoN FOREIGN INSURANCE.
MONEY TO DISTRICTS FURNISHING FREE EXTBooKs-"Whenever
the board of directors O board of education of any school district in this
state cerifes to the county court that they are furnishing textbooks free of
charge to all the pupils IA t least the first four grades in the public schools of
said district, it shall be the duty of the county court to apportion annually to
each school district from the county foreign insurance tax moneys received
from the state treasurer, = = = . and shall order the county treasurer to place
to the credit of the incidental fund of each school district the amount thus
obtained"
Resolution Adopted by Missouri Teachers Association.
(From Missouri School Journal, January, 1861
ment of the Free Textbook Law and refer with satisfaction to the fact that
within two years of its operation the following cities, ST. Louis, Kansas City,
st. Joseph, Hannibal, jefferson City, Nevada, Webster Groves, Chilcothe
i aag If th ae ertire tate are Re nov FURNISHING textbooks for the free USE of the
pupils in their schools, while added to these are numerous smaller towns and
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Question-Where does this money come from, and what is the amount
Answer-The Foreign Life and Fire Insurance Companies doing business
in Missouri pay S a tax to the state 2 per cent of all premiums collected on
insurance policies. onehaf of the total amount of this tax is apportoned to
the several counties. The number of school children of school age in the
county is the basis used to determine how much money each county gets.
The annual superintendent of this Insurance Tax to the several countries
by the state is from 100000 to $325O00. An average county receives about
Question-Does this money now go to the school dbtriets7
Answer-t does not. The County Court apporions to each city and
town the amount it is entitled to a S based on the number of children of school
The "Crosseyorr" Free Textbook Law makes this money available for the
purpose of furnishing books for the free ueo of pupils in rural and city
SCHOOLS All IN OlSCrIct needs W 10 Is " VVe ySs vi de queoNoh az u1
annual melting or at a special meeting called for the purpose.
Queaion-Can this money be used for any other purpOse7
Answer-t can not 1t becomes a permanent fund for the purchase of
textbooks by the district.
Quesion-How much money will go to each district?
Answer-The amount distributed in 1913 was 1897 cents for each person OF
school age throughout the state; in 1914 it was so cents; and, in 1915 it in
creased to AZ cents for each person of school age throughout the State.
1t will be seen from the above that each district voting for free textbooks
this year will be entitled to 43 cents for each person of school age in the
district 1nasmuch as books will be required only for those children actual,
attending school and IS this number is usually not more than one-haf OF the
number of persons of school age living in the district, it will be seen that the
district will thus have about So cents available to buy books for each child
actually attending school,
Quesion-Has the free textbook plan been tried elsewhere?
Answer-Fifeen states have free textbooks throughout their entire ee
mentary schools and in fifteen other states textbooks are free to some extent
In n instance is there any movement looking toward the repeal of the free
textbook plan. State superintendent in the states that have free
textbooks say that the plan enhances the efficiency of the teaching and pro-
longs the school life of the child, while the books cost about 20 per cent less
than when owned by individuals.
The city of st. Louis has had free books for a long time. 1t furnishes al
books and supplies at al average cost of twenty-eght cents per pupil per year
Taken throughout the country the individual cost per pupil for free books
is in the nighborhood of ffty-six cents per year.