Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-07-19
8 STATES AND D. C.
HAVE FREE BOOKS

- ~ "A LIZ ZA1ND LIZ "
HAVE FREE BOOKS
Continued from Page u
fined to any one locality. Some are
OF the Atlantic coast, one on the Pa
cific, three touch the Gulf of Mexico,
the northern edge of one is close to
the Canadian border, and some are
| inland.
Cost About ST Year.
In states whose educational de-
partments have made detailed report
to the Leader the average cost for all
school books per pupil, per year, is
S1.O1 1/5 Zone dollar, one and one
fifth cents). That is the average cost
to these states for furnishing all text
books free to one grammar school
pupil for an entire year. This is
done in
Arizona Louisiana
California Maryland
Delaware New Mexico
Florida Texas
District of Columbia
Their governors are Republican,
Democratic, non-political, Protestant
and Catholic. Governor Ferguson,
Democrat, of Texas, is woman.
Grammar Grades, High School.
These states and the District of
Columbia have laws providing for
free textbooks to pupils of all gram
mar grades, except Florida, which
does not supply free books beyond the
sixth grade. Free textbooks are au-
thorized in high schools as we'll as
grammar grades in California, Della
ware, District of Columbia, Louisiana,
Maryland, and Texas; high school
books are not furnished in Arizona,
Florida nor New Mexico.
Five states give definite fig.
ures upon their average cost per
pupil, per year. In California
(Which does its own printing! the
average yearly cost per pupil is
40 cents; in Delaware, 1921;
Florida (first six grades only Sc
cents; Maryland, $1.24; Texas,
Is cents. Compare these costs
per year, per pupil with what
you paid i'm Minnesota for John.
ny'S books last year, or with
what 1t cost you to buy the school
books for Mary.
Who Selects the Textbooks.
The kind, quality and contents of
free textbooks are decided upon by
sub-commission in Florida, by coun-
ty boards of education in Maryland,
and by state boards of education in
the other states. These boards are
appointed by Justices of the Supreme
Court in the District of Columbia
(Communists?), elected by the peo-
pie in Louisiana, and appointed by
the governor in California, Delaware,
Florida, Maryland, New Mexico and
Texas. In Texas the Governors ap-
pointments to the state board of edu-
cation must have the consent of the
state senate.
Without exception all eight states
and the District of Columbia report
proval of school patrons and taxpay-
ers. This can be believed because
the voters, Republican and Demo.
cratic. Protestant and Catholic, vote
overwhelmingly to retain the system
at each election. When California
reactionaries tried to shackle School
Book trust prices on the people of
that state there were 1880 votes
for private textbooks and 1901 for
state-published free textbooks.
Is Not an Experiment.
The facts, then, are that the posi-
ton of the Farmer-Labor Party of
Minnesota is not an experiment"
Free textbooks have been the rule for
many years in eight states and the
District of Columbia and two states
are so successful in printing their
books in state-owned plants that they
will not consider any other plan.
The system has the approval, born
of experience, of Protestant and Cath
Ollie school patrons, of Justices of the
Supreme Court of the District of Col
umbia, of Republican and Democratic
governors and legislatures, and of mil
lions and millions of voters of all
states in which it operates. The fur
nishing of free textbooks to school
boys and girls is not looked upon as
"Socialistic" in any of these states
and the yearly saving of millions of
dollars to their parents is hailed as
good Americanism.
History of Trust Fight.
All those iron-clad facts are braz-