The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1918-10-24
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND.
mENT FOR FREE TEXTBOOKS

LEGISLATURE q constitutional amend
ment was submitted to be voted on
AZ the November election. proposing
an Amendment to Article VII. Section
8. OF the State Constitution proyidine
for maximum limit of thirty five cent
tax on 500 for the maintenance of the
public schools OF Texas and providing
for free text books In the House
lOS members voted for the submis
sion OF the amendment and only -
members were opposed to IL, in The
Senate the vote stood % to in favor
OF submission.
The State Democratic Convention az
/ Waco. September 4. 1918. inserted the
/ following plank in the Democratic
platform In view of the fact that a
constitutional amendment pro'idine
/ for free textbooks in the punhc schools
of Texas is to be voted on at the gen
/ eral election in November and BELIZE.
| ing that free textbooks are an essen
] Iltl fltlifHA VI hhF 'VAhff'''
school system. we strongly urge upon
| the Democrats of Texas the impor-
lance of this amendment to the end
that il be adopted as part ~ our
| fundamental law"
The world has stressed in most
direct and conspicuous manner the val
ne of popular education. Men and
women have been aligned for service
according TO the extent OF their train
ing This fact has been illustrated In
the training camps everywhere. Even
mechanics have not been able to Sc
cure grades beyond that of private
unless they possessed. AT least, the
! full equivalent OF an elementary school
training. But while the war Is stress
! ing the direct value Of education, the
| lesson will be learned and its appii-
cation will bring still greater returns
in time of peace.
While Texas may be proud OF her
achievements in many ways, u re-
mains a fact that she ranks notorious
Is low with regard TO her common
schools. The length OF term, the rtain'
ing OF teachers and school attendance
rank far below the average of other
states. This statement may be verr
| fled BY reference to the annual re-
ports of the United States Commits
sioner OF Education.
But even where the school term
meets reasonable standards and teach
ers are qualified 10 do their work.
many children do not attend. unless
obliged 10 do So because OF the lack
of hooks. IN cities and towns a. well
as in rural schools much time Is an
somtely wasted even after children
are forced In By the compulsory school
law. because the pupils do not nave
sufficient books The constitutional
amendment II adopted. viii assist IN
extending the term and. above all, WIZ
provide for all the tools needed TOT
work.
put why have the State furnish
hooksP The State has pledged In ~
constitution TO provide free schools 20
all children for minimum term oil SIX
months each year We have state
school system and not county OF
district school system. The state real
ICES that il must be responsible Tor an
of the people OF the State. II the peo-
ple in one part of the State are ignor'
ant. the other parts of the state VIII
suffer. II people In all parts OF the
state are enlightened the welfare OF
the entire State is enhanced. The
state does assist in furnishing school
BUILDINGS. equipment and instruction
aud why should II defeat its own ends
by refusing TO complete hte school ma
chinery? Bright pupils with plenty OF
good books will learn much even when
the teaching is poor. We submit that
II is not good proposition for the
State TO spend millions of dollars IN
nually on State school system and
fail to provide books which are the
essential basis of instruction.
Except In few localities parents
have individually been required to fur
nish textbooks for their children. As
result OF this policy many parents
have been financially strained The
burden becomes more and more op
pressiye when such misfortunes as
family sickness. fires and the loss Of
crops by overflows. freezes and drouth
are encountered. We cannot excuse
the children OF tenant farmers from