Textbooks

In 1928 U. S. school children would have been surprised to learn that their combined book satchels contained 58,089,967 new textbooks whose total value was $39,024,067. These figures, compiled by the U. S. Office of Education, were published in School & Society last week. Other findings:

P: Of the total expenditure for new books, 91% of the purchases were for use in public schools. Of these public schoolbooks, 65% were issued free.

P: In the following 22 States and the District of Columbia no public school moppet need spend a penny for books in the grade schools: Arizona, California, Delaware, Maine, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Kentucky, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Wyoming.

P: Twenty-five States leave the selection of texts to the State board of education or especially State-created commissions. In five others the choice is in the hands of county commissions. The remaining 18 commonwealths pass the jurisdiction on to district trustees, city school systems, rural school districts.

P: Large though the sum of $35,511,992 for new public schoolbooks may sound, it represents but 1.63% of the total national expenditure for education in 1928.

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