SCHOOL BOOKS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8215, 12 August 1915, Page 4

SCHOOL BOOKS.

CONSTANT CHANGES CRITICISED

SERIOUS CHARGE 02s PARENTS

HEAVY LOSS TO BOOKSELLERS

Owing to the frequency with which school books arc changed, retail booksellers in Ashburton are being subjected, to what can only bo regarded as severe mouetary loss, and it would appear as if the Education Board's present system of deciding on what books shall be used in the schools needs attention. The booksellers have a very justifiable complaint against someone, but are not able to accurately lay the blame at the door of anyone in particular. The frequency with which school books, and especially "Readers," are discarded by the authorities forms also tho bone of contention among parents, and where fchero are large families tho complaint becomes a serious one. Tho troublo is fairly old-established and goes back several years, but still booksellers, parents, and,.the children themselves continue to suffer. On some occasions in the past tho scholars have had to wait for many weeks for the now books, and in the meantime have had to purJ sue their studies on the old out-of-date ones, which naturally is" hot very satisfactory to the teachers. This, it appears, is simply because booksellers havo not been given anything like reasonable time in' which to order new books. ■ Uniformity is not studied one little bit by the authorities, and in times past the scholars of Hampsfcead school have been compelled to use different readers to those in tiso at' the Borough/ school. It seems that an approved list of books is circulated by the Education Board, and the teachers are given the responsibility of .selecting what books shall be used in their particular schools. Naturally, opinions vary, and so there is no uniformity as to the books used among the scholars. Tho only people whom tlvo present system seems to suit are tho publishers. It has been the practice of some parents who havo several children to save the books used by one child who has been sent up to a higher standard for the use of the child who comes next, and who might probably go into tho class vacated by his other brother or sistor. ■ .What do the parents find, however ? Simply that owing to tho constant changes the books used by the one child are of no use to the succeeding one. Yot this is not all.- T?ooks that havo been in use by one child for a term are sometimes made 'out-of-date in the next term, and tho parents are compelled to go to the expense of providing new Readers. Whoro this occurs more than onoe a year, and where a very large family is concerned, it is, of course, a serious matter.

A "Guardian" reporter was engaged in making some enquiries into tho matter, and in the course of his investigations ho interviewed the local booksellers. . .'."..'. ■'■ . ■. .

The first stated that moro uniformity' was required throughout the whole or Canterbury. Instead of half-a-dozen "Readers" being recommended, as now, there should be, say, not moro than two for the schools to use. "The Board expects us to stock too many lines," said the reporter's informant. '■ "There are too frequent changes, and we are sometimes badly 'hit' oh this account. One lot of books is ordered, and very shortly afterwards another is required. Consequently, if we have any of the first lot left there is no demand for them and they are left on our hands. The 'New* Zealand Reader' was in use some years ago, and it was followed by the 'Imperial Reader,' the 'Pacific Reader,' and 'Blackie's Reader'—all at. very short intervals. We always send to "London in October for a fairly large line, and on more than one occasion in the past wo included in the line an order for some school books. The lino could not arrive here before January, at the earliest, and by that time a totally different book has boon ordered for the children, and those wo ordered from London have had to remain on our shelves. One difficulty is that wo are not given sufficient notice frnm the Board as to what books are likely to be reqim-ad. Take the coming year. In October next wo shall send our usual large order to London, but we will not be ablo to buy books for tho schools because we shall not know what will be required in January, when the school re-opens after the holidays. We have no means of finding out, cither. If we did have an idea wo could order from Home at a cheaper rate than we can buy here. As it is, when January comers, cor tain books will bo ordered for the schools; we shall .endeavour to get them in New Zealand, but if our experience in January next is similar to what ifc has been in the- past, we shall find that it will be impossible, because- Christchurch booksellers will probably have bought up practically all the available books. We are thus unable to comply with the order received from the Ashburton schools, and it is obvious that that will moan loss of business to us. In October of 1914 we applied to tho Board for information as to what iboooks were likely to be ordered, but wo could get no satisfaction. When last January came, books were ordered from us for tho local schools. We telegraphed away for a supply, but found it impossible to securo any, as : the city schools had bought up their requirements. There is a feeling that the city booksellers get 'inside' information in regard to what books are to bo wanted. It may be only a coincidence-, but one city bookseller, when 'Blackie's Readers' were ordered, had enough to suppry several schools, whilst wo in Ashburton could not get any, and had to wait for a month or t tv/o till they came from Home." ' <

Asked if he could estimate his losses over a period of years through having books left on his hands, tho bookseller replied: '"'Yes, I consider that in 10 years it has been a deed loss to mo of -Cl5O, and vhis, niork you, in school books alone."

Anoilior bookseller said the changes wore far 100 frequent, and tho retail booksellers; should bo better informed. He considered .that too much license was given'to the Board or the Inspectors or the teachers. Tho parents should have, a, say. The teachers were allowed to use their own discretion too much- in this matter. Booksellers were compolkxl to stock too many lines. .Pointing to a row of ."Headers," the bookseller sr«id: "Look, that represents a direct loss to me; I cannot sell them now because a new 'Reader' has been ordered, and it is a question whether it is iis wood as the old one. I sometimes hare to stock four or more lines, despite die feet that only two are likely to ln> i!s.«d. Sometimes tho children

:it<-(Midin<7: tbo Borough School use 1 a(liffrMTM!-, book to that used by the chil-

dren atending the Hampstead School." A third bookseller, when questioned on the subject, said: "In 12 months I have lost pounds .The whole system needs looking into for tho sake of the children, the parents, and tho booksellers. As a- matter of fact, some of the country schools are using books which are out-of-date so far as the town schoools are concerned."