The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-04-05
How the New School Text Book Bill VIII
Work in Minnesota.

From the st. Paul Dispatch.
There has been general interest
manifested since the close of the Leg
islative session in the manner of car
rying out the provisions Of the bill for
securing cheap text books to the
schools of this State. The scheme was
somewhat experimental in it's nature,
and some persons have professed to
doubt whether it could be made to
work in practice.
But the way seems now to have
been smoothed for it's operation, and
officials charged with it's execution, to
perform their duty. The Dispatch,
knowing the public desire for infor-
nation on the subject, has secured an
interview with Mr.. D. D. Merrill, and
from him, and other sources, learned
the following facts:
The books to be supplied will be of
the best quality. The names of the
commissioners of revision is one s1f-
6cient guaranty of that, and the self.
| interest of the contractor is another
guaranty.
A portion, at least, Of the books can
be had during the coming summer and
autumn if the school district clerks
make out and forward to the county
superintendent the number of each
kind Of books that will be needed in
their district for the next years sup
ply. The people are interested in look
ing after the matter and assisting their
school district clerks in making out
their requisitions, and, if possible get
ting them in the hands OF the several
county superintendent of schools be-
fore the 18th of April next.
The contractor, Mr.. D. D. Merrill,
has entered upon this enterprise in
good faith and will accomplish all that
is promised for the benefit of the peo-
pie, if they only give it fair trial.
,s'Will the people take the books = Is
the question asked by some. We be-
lieve they will for manifest reasons.
These books will be had at One.half
price. At least fifty per cent. of the
scholars in all our schools have to buy
new books each year. If the old kinds
of books are still used, these fifty per
cent. of the scholars will have to pay
as much money for their half Of the
books as it would cost to supply the
whole school with the new books,
(which will certainly be equally as
good books as those in use) and the
people will not be slow to avail them.
selves Of this advantage.
The people will feel that when they
make this change sthat it will last,
there will be no changing books with.
in districts, the books will last till
worn out, and the people will feel Sc.
cure against any outside influence to
force a change.
For the benefit of all we append a
list of the books the school districts
can order and obtain at the low prices:
Speller, First Reader, Second Reader,
Third Reader, Fourth Reader, History,
First Grammar, Practical Grammar
Primary Arithmetic, Intellectual
Arithmetic, Practical Arithmetic, Pri-
mary Geography, intermediate Geog-
raphy.
4 We presume that the State SUI
perintendent of Public Instruction
will also furnish copy books (six num-
bers), a word book, geography and his
tory of Minnesota, and such other
books as may be needed in the district
schools.
A successful working of this plan
will save at least one dollar year for
each scholar attending school, an i'm.
portant item in the aggregate. 1t is now
the law, and it is certainly obligatory
on all to give it fair trial.