Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-25
GENERAL SUPPLIES" REQUIRED
IN HIGH SCHOOL SWELL COSTS
Expense of "Free" Education
System Is Problem to
Hundreds.
Text Book Bill Designed to
Lift This Burden From
Parents.

Washington parents these days are
spending from STATS to $28.25 for the
general supplies which each firSt-year
high-school student will need immedi-
ately in the pursuit of the District of
Columbias free public high-school
courses.
To most people these expenditures
may be taken as matter Of course,
but. as those interested point out, to the
hundreds Of less financially able boys
and girls who are entering high school
simply because the compulsory attend
ance law demands they remain in school
until they are 16 years Of age. unless
they are actually employed in an occu-
patton which is permitted by the child
labor law, the cost of free public-school
education is a problem.
There was a free text book and sup
plies bill in Congress last year, which
failed to pass, only because of the OBJ
jections of a single Senator, which was
designed to lift this burden of these
expenses from parents. The passage of
this bill will be urged strenuously again
this year by the Board of Education
through its legislative committee chair
man, Henry Gilligan.
Gym Costume Is Required.
According to Frank Daniel, principal
of Mckinley High School, each first
year high-school student must buy at
least $12.75 worth of school materials
and school equipment service. An alge-
bra book which is required. he says,
costs a pupil about $125. Since for
eign language is required study. a text
book and supplemental volumes used in
the course would add another $3.50 to
the list. English books would cost an
other SO. Gymnasium work also is re-
ouired in the modern high-School course,
and a suitable costume must be worn by
the pupils. Rubber-soled shoes are a
necessity. and these can be purchased
as cheaply as rs cents, but because OF
the poor quality In the shoes of such
low price students generally pay more
for them. sometimes as much as $3.50.
Then light suit must be had, and, as
Mr.. Daniel points out, these might be
made at home at little expense. How
ever. a low estimate for the gymnasium
outfit would add 50 to the list of pa
rental expenditures.
Towels now are given pupils in con-
nection with the athletic work in gym
nasiums at a semester charge of so
cents. The first terms cost for this
service is being paid this week.
Two lockers are used by each student,
and the locks are rented on a deposit
from each pupil this week for each of
the two locks he must have. and while
10 cents will be returned to him for
each lock left at the school in good
condition next Spring. his parents, nev-
ertheless, must pay out at this time
$3.50.
Fountain Pen Is Necessary.
Modern furniture and scholastic
progress has removed from the high
schools the traditional inkwell. yet stu
dents are obliged to write their work
in ink. So each student must have
fountain pen. These may be pur-
chased for 81 or $40, but the average
student will pay somewhere in the
Of 50 for his school pen.
Parents must foot that expense.
In all, at least $12.75 is paid out for
these essential items.
The parents of technically-in clined
boys face an even greater burden. They
must buy their sons mechanical draw