White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1933-01-26
BOOKs-"TOOLs OF THE SCHOOL
ROOM"
BY William John Cooper
u. s. Commissioner of Education

Think back to the days OF child
hood. Nearly all of us can remember
at least one teacher who was superior
and who made lasting impression
upon us. Some of us were so FORUM
ate as to have two such teachers, some
three, and perhaps a few four. OUT
side of that group, however, what was
the source from which we got such
educational advantages as our school
ing gave us? Careful thinking Will
bring almost everyone to the conclu-
sion that except for such work as we
did under a few such superior teach
ers, the good which we got from our
schooling came from our individual
study of the books which we had.
What was true then is true today,
though perhaps to a somewhat lesser
degree. Due to the superior training
which our teachers colleges give to-
day, it is probable that there is a
somewhat greater proportion of really
superior teachers who are able to 40
that kind of work which does leave
it's mark on the children and which
will remain with them as long as they
live. Even those teachers, though, are
greatly assisted in their work 1t they
have an adequate supply of books
suited to their purpose. No quicker
method can be found of determining
that fact than to interrogate those very
teachers.
The public in the United States
has been quick to recognize the ad-
I. vantages of education. This realization
" started early and bore fruit early and
the conviction has grown steadily from
those early days to the present time
/ when in practically every hamlet OF
the United States the school buildings
and the school equipment generally
are the things to which the public
points with the greatest pride: Fol
some reason the public has been less
generous in it's equipment of schoo
textbooks than it's equipment of al
most any other thing connected with
the schools. The reason is not difficult
to find. The school buildings, monu.
ments as they are, represent an ex.
pense done with when one undertaken
and not recurrent expense. The mum.
Der of teachers and the pay which
those teachers receive is a matter O.
public pride. No community likes to b.
made up in part of group of poorl!
paid teachers. About the only item
which remains which can be cut whel
budget cuts are called for-and the.
ALWAYS are called for-is the book bud
get. Data which I have obtained in
dictate very clearly that in this periot
when there is again a sharp demand
for budget cuts slashes are being mad
in many places in this very importan
but lowcost item. How many schoo
boards think when they cut the text
book item that they are seriously ham
pering the work of the school teachers
How many school superintendent
think that the cost of schoolbooks
only about one ortieth (21s per cent
of the cost of the teachers using them
How many in the general public re
member that with them the textboo
was an extremely important item an
that cutting it is taking away 1ror
the children a very large part OF tn
educational benefit which they coul
get from their school attendance?
am SO impressed by the irnportanc
Of this problem that I am taking tn
method of suggesting to each and ever
school-board member that he canvas
the situation in his community an
determine what part of the expend1
lures for schools goes for the purchas