SCHOOL BOOKS

Patea Mail, Volume XLVI, 29 August 1923, Page 2

SCHOOL BOOKS

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Would you please find room in your paper for the following remarks regarding the books which parents aro asked to buy for school use. I bought all the books required for my daughter's use in Standard IV., and now when she has brought her books home for the spring holidays I find that the following books have not been used at all; History, "The Story of the British Nation,” price 2/-; Standard IV. "Lessons in English,” 1/6; Standard IV. Geography, 1/8; copy book, 4d; History notebook, 6d; making a total cost of 6/-. When she returns to school she has to get Standard-V. books, although she has not used, those already bought. I do not objectfto buying anything that is used, but surely the teachers should be more careful in telling the children what books to get., I am not writing this for my own sak* —although I certainly object kB-jrast-ing money—but where there aUHttge families I think they should be considered. I shall bring the books mentioned and show them to you. Trusting that some abler pen than mine will take this matter up, as there must bo something radically wrong with a system that orders books to be bought and not used.—l am, etc., PAEENT. (On enquiry we find that the books mentioned were ordered to be purchased with the idea that the .children of Standard IV. would use them to supplement the oral instruction given in school.—Ed. "Press.”)