Pete Buttigieg argues against free college. This is why progressives can't agree about subsidizing t

[MineralMan]

10. Back when I went to college (1960s), there was no tuition at the state colleges

in California. You still had to pay for room and board, books, and other expenses, and there was a modest fee each semester, but very modest.

The taxpayers of the state paid the rest. At the time, California has a progressive income tax, so wealthy people paid a higher percentage in taxes on their income. At the time, getting into a state college pretty much required a 3.0 GPA, as well. Room and board in my Freshman year was $600 total for each 3-month quarter. Books were expensive, but I bought used texts or used the textbooks in the library. My parents covered part of the expenses and my summer job covered the rest.

Not everyone went to college. I had been accepted at Cal Tech, but my parents simply said they couldn't afford that. No problem. The state college was good, too.

A lot of students went for two years at the local community college, or "Junior College" as it was called at the time. Then, if they did OK there, they'd transfer to one of the state schools. Kids with parents who were more affluent went to one of the many private colleges and universities. The University of California was another option. It cost somewhat more, and admission standards were higher. I chose a state college that was just a three-hour drive from my home town.

College was tuition free then, at least at state colleges in California. Getting that education, of course, was not completely free, and not everyone went to college.

My point here is that college was never free. In some places, like California, though, the state college system was primarily funded from income tax revenues in a progressive taxation system. The rich paid more. The poor paid nothing. I stayed in a dorm. Other students found other places to stay. Some students lived at home and went to a state college nearby. Many worked full-time jobs to pay for school, and you could do that in that economy. There was a way to go to college if you had a 3.0 GPA and some ingenuity. For those who didn't have the academic qualifications, Junior College for two years was how you could increase your GPA and gain admission.

Was the system fair? I don't know. It was what it was. That system no longer exists, though. More's the pity, I think.