The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-06
FAv0RS FREE TEXT
F. L. Pinet, Secretary State
Teachers, Advances Ideas.
Says Bill Pending a Most I'M
pOrtant Measure.

F. l. Pinet, secretary of the Kansas
State Teachers association, which has
q membership of 1000 among the
teachers of the state. declared today
that of all the educational legislation
pending, the most important measure,
in mis- opinion, is the matter of free
textbooks.
II understand that some of the
members of the legislature feel that
there is no strong demand for the
passage of a free textbook law said
Secretary Pinet. but 1 believe, with
all due respect to the members who
have So expressed themselves on this
matter, that there is a very strong
demand that the schools be made
wholly free to the children of the
state. I would like to point out that
the governor, the state superintendent
and the educational council of the
State Teachers association have all
gone on record as favoring such a law.
edge, hundreds of parents are anxious
that free textbook legislation be pass
ed. So far as 1 have been able to
learn the only people opposing the en-
actment of this measure into law are
the retail book dealers, and they could
hardly be expected to favor it,
According to Mr.. Pinet, eleven
states-Arizona, Delaware, Maine
Maryland, Massachusetts. Nebraska,
New Hampshire, New Jersey. Rhode
,
statewide free textbook laws, and in
all these states the plan is popular. He
urges that if the state furnishes to tho
child a free school house, free teach
er. free seats. free chalk, free coal,
and other equipment that goes TO
make a good school, representing an
expenditure of SO per cent of the total
cost of the free school, then the state
ought not hesitate to furnish free
books, which make up only about
.ft I,a FOL Of
Free to All.
There are many strong arguments
in favor of free text books, but the
chief one is that by such a law the
schools will be free to the children of
the poor man well as to the chill
dren of the man of ample means; the
per capita cost of books will be ma
terially reduced, and finally the con-
fusion and loss of time that marks the
opening of each school term due to
the fact that the books cannot be or
are not purchased promptly by par
ents will be done away with.
There are no objections to free
texts that cannot easily be met Some
claim that such a law would be I'M
fair to taxpayers who have no chill
dren. If this rs an objection, then the
hiring of a teacher is a greater obJec-
ton, for the teacher costs many tim es
the amount expended for school
books. Some fear the pupils would be
careless with state-furnished books
From my experience as a city super
intendent in a city where large num-
bers of supplementary books owned
by the schools were used, know that
books belonging to the school are bet
ter cared for than those privately
owned. Again, there are those who
think that disease would be spread by
free texts. The fear is groundless, for
! inv estigation in such states as Arizona,
where there are many consumptives,
has shown that communicable dis
! eases are not so transmitted.
If the legislature wishes to be of
real service to the Kansas schools, -
said Secretary Pinet in conclusion.
let it pass the free text book bill en-
dorsed by the educational council of
the State Teachers association"