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A Very Poor Argument

A Very Poor Argument image
Parent Issue
Day
10
Month
June
Year
1898
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The Courier of tbis week under the beading "Fiee Test Books" intimares tbat if the proposition carries, Adp Ar:ior will have to furnish free books for the cbildren of "Grand Rapids, Jackson, Saginaw and Oshkosh" and all other outsiders who ruay moove to the city for educational advantages. Bnt argument is far fetched. It does not necessarily follow. It will be do more necessary than that these saine pupila be admitt6d without paying tuition. It is quite as reasonabie to argüe that beoanse residents are admitted without paying tuition, the same privilege must be extended to all pupils who come froru without the district. The teachers know who are foreign pupila and tbey can be required to furnish theit own books just as well as their own tuition. These pupils need not oost Ann Arbor taxpayers a cent. The Courier also says in substance that there is no differentie in prinoiple between "free text books and free shoes, free olothes and free food. " Bnt our contemporary must be blind indeed if it cannot see the difference. There is just as rnuoh differenoe between tbe principies involved as tbere is between free teachers, free desks, free wall rnaps and free beefsteak. That free books is a step in the direction of "sooialism and paternalism" tbe Argus admits. But in reply tbe Argus would say that the pnblio school is wbolly and entirely socialistio and paternalistio. It is the very essence of socialism witbin its spbere. lts primary and distinctive purpose is the good of the state. On no other basis, under our theory of government, does tbe rigbt to tax the people for its suppoit rest. Everything made necessary by tbe school directly, except the text books, is now furnished at publio expense. Why cavil over the coruparatively small additional item of text books. ReJative to catching ' 'dipbtheria, sore eyes and fevers from rotten old books handed down from sickly children," sufïioe it to say tbat in various oities where free text books have been in use for years, uo appreciable increase of these diseases bas been noted. Cbildren of the rich and tbe poor, the bigb and the low, use the "rotteu books" without any kuowing thoughts of this dreadful bogy. This faot, toether witb tbe additional oue that a large part of tbe books used under tbe present system are seoond hand, should be snffioient to show the gioundlessuess of the argument. Elsewhere we bave stated tbe metbods of avoiding danger from this souroe. Besides any family not desiring its children to use the free books are at liberty to furnish their own books, and it can be done at wholesale Drioes.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News