The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-05-16
THE SCHOOL BOOK QUESTION.
BUEL 4. DAVIS,
Supt. City Schools

Il. t. Davis "Facus VS.. Imagination" IL
Illuminated.
EDS News: On my return this morn
ing from several days absence in South
ern Kansas, my attention was called to
the several articles in your daily refer
ring to the school book question. l
should not appear in print were it not
that false statements had been circula-
ted regarding the writer, and figures
placed before the public calculated to
deceive.
1st l have been accused of using nv
influence to effect the recent change in
readers. This is false, and while care
but little what readers are used, because
can buy and sell Appleton's readers or
any other just as cheap as any house can,
according to quantity bought and sold
consequently my trade soiU not be effected
en- the slightest, one aodyOr tie other. Yet
was opposed to the change of books,
list, because l believe Appleton's, Barnes
& Co.'s, MOnroe's or any other readers, if
you please, of the leading book houses
are, from an educational point of view,
one just about as good as the other I'd. Be
cause there is loss to parents every time
change is made at introduction rates,
and in this case loss to parents on fu-
ture sales. Right here l desire to say
one word regarding the school board.
nave nothing to say against these gentle
men. l believe them to be high-minded.
honorable men who have the real good
and best interests of our schools always
uppermost in their minds and official ac-
tons, but think am warranted in say
ing they have been imposed upon, and
have acted, seemingly, a little hastily.
Mr.. DAVIS quotes retail prices on Apple
toms readers, making total of 1916. He
gives that of the Independent readers.
including two spoilers, at $3.50. Not an
Independent speller has been used in our
city schools, and consequently none sold
since MIR. Davis took charge of the
schools. Our retail prices for Independ-
ent readers to school boards and promoted
classes have been and are for five years
to come as follows: First reader, 1Sc. :;
second, 35c.; third, Soc; fourth, CSC. !:
fifth, 9Oc. total for a full set of readers
$3.50, net saving of Coo. for every set
or 5000 for every 1000 pupils,as against
the prices of Appleton's readers. Mr..
Davis cannot figure that the new books
are saying. Al they cost for fntrOduc-
ton as a net loss to tie people, and he
kH0tcs az. Add this amount 1--WE take his
basis to figure from, on the estimate for
40 pupils at $500 for introduction which
is $222.50, to the difference in the cost of
the two kinds of books for 1000 pupils
and you find it costs 1885,. so more for the
Appleton's readers than for the indie
pendent readers. The prices we ouote
on Independent readers are not new pri-
ces- They have been our regular prices
for about one year, and have been adyer-
tised all over this county on printed cir
culars with prices attached, and we call
on members of school boards in this
county who have preserved these printed
circulars to produce them TO substanti.
ate our statement.
If Mr.. Davisis ignorant of this. he is
unpardonably so; if not ignorant. he is
unpardonably false. The 9th Independ-
emit reader is virtually an obsolete book.
Messrs. Barnes q Co. not placing it on
their list 1t has not been introduced
into single district In this county. and
was never in our city schools until Mr..
Davis introduced them, at which time
we sold them to the pupils at the very
low price of 65 cents each, not 81 so
each, as he states. Since they were in
troduced we have never sold single
copy OF the 9th Independent readers at
any price, to the pupils of four city schools.
About April 1st 1879, on the report of
Messrs- Davis and Stubs that great
many of the pupils had an old edition of
the Independent 4th readers, we gave,
IJree Of cost, forty-five new Independent