Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-04-29
Uniformity Of Text Books.
To the Citizens Of Jefferson County.

10 me CbtlzenS or JEFFERSON county:
Uniformity of books in our free schools
seems to be the agony of the hour. Now
uniformity of books can be possible only
in unaninlity of the sentiment of the citi-
zens of the county in their adoption. The
educational Board of Jefferson county
consists of at least one hundred and fifty
six men. 1t is generally understood that
on Monday, April the 9th, 1874, a small
number of the Board met in the town Of
cambridge and adopted las learn verbally
and by letter from men who were presently,
the University series of school books, rep
resented by Captain W. B. Kendrick, who
L learn was present, and of course gave a
glowing recommendation of said SERIES
From persons who were present, / learn
there were not above twenty of the Board
present at said adoption-too small num-
Der to give their actions any legal force
whatever, and seeing the discomfort in the
county, l declared the whole thing null
and void, as l thought it my duty to do
| being at home sick at the time of said
adoption, of course have to rely upon per
sons who were present for Information.
L aimed no disparagement of any member
of our Educational Board who was pres
cut and took part in its adoption, by no
means; L only aimed to give the entire
county chance to speak out-thereby
giving efficiency to the action, be it what
it may, and should the county in her SOW
ereign capacity make the same selection
adopt the University series, it will
only be the more consoling to the mem
bers of the Board who made the adopt
ton and highly complimentary to Captain
kendrick. And in case the county makes
different selection, it will be clear to all
that their action though let stand, could,
by no sort of possibility, have been either
serving the best interests of the children OF
| the county that of the Adopting Board nor
Captain Kendrick and the house he repre-
sents. Therefore, in either case / can see no
Just cause of complaint on the part of any
There is clearly an irrepresSi6Le conflict in
this county between the interests of book
makers, book-publishers and their intiner.
ant agents and the poor children of the
| county. / say settle 1t in the interest OF
| the helpless children and l firmly believe
| Jefferson county will say so too, when she
| speaks out, as she will soon do. In order
| to show the county where we stand at pres
ent propose making a few figures and
If they are crooked themselves they tell
their story remarkably strait:
Now, gentlemen Of Jefferson county
one set of the University series of school
books costs Sl6.36, according to the price
list sent me by the agent of the Universe
! ~ Publishing Company and we have about
five thousand pupils allowed to 60 to ouI
| free schools, and five thousand sets al
Sl6,36 per set amounts to the enormous
sum OF ISL 300. / ask you, can we pay it
say we can not aud il we could il is not
| necessary, as we can make selection in al
respects letter adapted to the growth and
nature of our free schools for less than one,
half that sum. desire TO say to the coun
" further, that / have spent most Of the
four months last past in examining the new
issues Of most OF the publishing houses Of
the United States as I understood our school
law TO make II my duty so to do-oonse,
quenuy have not visited the schools and
formed Teachers Institutes, as i would
Otherwise have done. This much is alike
due the county and myself
Ia few days l design canvassing Lhe
entire cOunty-visiting the schools aud get
ting up Teachers Institates-aud wish
! an who are now teaching. or who design