The Sedalia weekly bazoo., 1878-12-24
THE PRICE.
Something About School Books
and Their Cost.
Why They Are Higher Than Other
Works.

l UG IObtOWbUK VGby U3uosOsS osssSs~ ~
subject in which all our people are deeply
is,erss.ed, and which should comment
itaelf TO the favorable consideration Of /. II
lesiel.ture Solons, ne take from the Joplis
Ness:
There - just nov . good deal OF com
plant about the high price Of school hooks
and many worthy families in our city. shs
have children to educate, 6nd il almost i'm
possible to provide them with the necessary
books. Still there il no way to remedy
the evil, for the school bopk trade is q
monopoly in the hsnds Of publisher. and
like all other monopolies, hard to overcome,
and one that requires the united efforts oi
all the people Of the State. The people
have voted TO uss certain series for Eve
yesrs, though counties may Of their own
sccord include another series il they 10 de.
aire.
The series now IN use IN our schools em.
brace McGufeys readers and speIlen.
Ray 3 arithmetic and Eclectic geographies
The prices Of these books are - follovs
First Reader, 2Oc; Second Reader. 3Oc
Third Reader, Soc; Fourth Reader. 60c
Fifth Reader, sOc; sixth Reader, $l.l5
Spelles. 3Oc. Rays Arithnetics -First
Part, 25c Second Part, SOC; Third Part,
Csc; Fourth PART $ll5. Eclectic Geo
graphies-First Part, 75c; Second Part,
$l.5O; Third Part, Sl.75. While these
prices are high, too high BY far. they are
not 20 high ~ other series, -. for instance.
Harper. Readers. Independent Readers
and Osgood's Readers.
What puzz es great many is vhy school
books costs 90 much more in proportion
than other publications. The reason 10
this: Publisher, in order to have their
books introduced, must employ not only
travelling agents but slso local agents, 10
whom they pay large per cent, and IN
order to pay this without losing money
they must put up the price Of their books.
we'll knowing the people must have school
books. and 70 long . oil publishen keep
up the price they have the matter entirely
in their own hands. The local sgents are
in most cases school teachen. Who, when
they take charge Of school. il they have
IN agency. and that school is MT using the
hooks they represent, At once 60 to work
and have the series changed. no ~ to mske
somelhins out Of the Introduction of the
series they represent. People too often
submit 10 this trick. believing the teacher
to be honest in his judgment in regard to
the merits Of the books, and little knows
that his opinion is based on the per cent. he
makes ont of the change.
In Canada, where NO doubt the same di6i-
Guilty il to BE- met with that meets the pur-
chaser, ~ we'll o. the dealer, in this
country. the government. for the purpose
of advancing educational interests and
placing an education in the reach Of all.
pays one half the price Of the book and
thereby enables the purchaser to supply
h,mself With all necessary hooks At = resa
enable. il not nominal figure. A little
beiter legislation in this country on the
schoollbook question would relieve IN com
pulaory education act, of what few objec-
,ionable features are nov and then raised
against it.
The local dealer ID not to blsme for the
high prices of books, though he ia ofse" &C
cused of malicious greedine~ in the sale Of
these necessary srticlea. H margin il
quite email, unless he he an seent and sets
the advantage given these local agents.
and that ia . very liberal reduction. Blu,
the dealer il rarely the local agent. The
latter % generally selected from the ranks
Of the teachen, and his per cent. is reeu-
lated according to the influence he wields
With boards and superintendents.
We do not belive in medicine for