The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-07-17
THE SCHOOL nook QUESTION.
The Board of Education VIII Probably
Decide the Question To-day.


The Board OF Education VIII PFObabl!
Decide the Question To-day.
WHEELING, July 10Th, 1870.
Editors InlellIEsncer.
From one or two articles which have re
Gently appeared in your columns, It SEEM
that the Wheeling Board Of Education
contemplate cheapening, II possible, thu
cost Of text books used in the public
schools Of the city, and in order to do THU
have sought proposals from three of the
legion Of school book publishing houses in
the country.
The object OF the Board is commendable.
While the prices Of most other articles
have fallen from 80 to 20 per cent within
the last ten years, school books continue
to be sold at war prices, and the leading
publishing houses Of the country have be.
come immensely rich at the expense ofthe
people. And now while this matter OF
cheapening the price OF books Is under
consideration by tho Board, and since
some changes OF books will probably be
made, there are several matters which
should not be overlooked in reaching a
conclusion.
The question OF cost, very important
one by the way, is not by any means the
only one to be taken into account. The
real merits OF the books themselves should
by no means be overlooked. Should this
question be ignored or lightly considered
the schools may suffer to an extent which
no pecuniary consideration could by any
possibility repair. 1t may be presumed,
however, that this most important matter
will not be overlooked in the anxiety to
furnish the schools with cheap books. The
testimony OF the book agent who so well
understands the merits OF his own books
and the dement's OF those OF his competi.
tors, as well as the tricks OF trade in gem
eral, should be estimated at It's real value
aud no more.
But how is it that Of a score or more Of
school.book publishing houses in the
country, only three appear as competing
in this matter? You mention but three
in your editorial OF the 9th inst. The
arithmetiCs now in use in the schools are
published by Philadelphia house; the
Biographies by another Philadelphia
house, neither Of which is mentioned as
among the competitors. Both Of these
houses publish school readers, grammnrs,
&c, which are in extensive use in the
schools Of the East. There is, too, a book
publishing house in our neighboring city
Of Pittsburgh, which some three or four
years ago issued series OF school readers,
which in all essential regards will compare
favorably with those Of any other publish.
;ug house in the United States. Why is
1t that this house is not invited to appear
as competitor in this business?
A bit Of history in connection with this
school book subject may not be devoid Of
interest TO some Of the readers Of the
lNTELLlGESCER. When the schools Of
Wheeling went into operation under the
present system, in 1855, there was moth
ing in the special law applying to the
district, which authorized the Board to
prescribe textbooks for use in the schools.
The general school law OF the State con-
tained most remarkable provision, en-
powering the State Superintendent OF
schools TO prescribe list Of textbooks for
use in all the schools OF the State. This,
OF course, included the city OF Wheeling.
The Wheeling Board was not in the least
inclined to conCede this right to one man,
living at distance, who could be, at best,
but imperfectly acquainted with the con.
dition and requirements OF our school. At
the same time, not having direct authority
oflawd the Board could not consistently pre-
scribe list OF books for use in the schools.
The result was, that for two years no list
was adopted, the old books in use being
continued. During this period no two
schools used the same textbooks through
out. In 1867, after hard fought contest
the school law OF the district was revised.
The powers Of the Board were materially
enlarged, and one Of the additional pow
ers was that OF prescribing textbooks for
use in the schools. Having this authority
the Board did not long hesitate to exercise
| 1t. A list OF books was adopted, but
not without tremendous book war.
Numbers OF publishing houses were
represented by their agents, and
for period OF two or three
months lively times ensued, and no lit.
tie bad blood was engendered. The Board
OF Education very properly requested the
principals OF the schools to confer and re-
commend a list such as in their judgment
would be adapted to the wants Of the
schools. The principals held several con.
situations, and after much discussion sue.
ceeded in reconCiling their differences,
and recommended list which was, in the
main, adopted by the Board; but with one
very important condition, suggested by
the Superintendent, viz: that all new
books introduced should be given by the
publishers in even exchange for the old
books then in use, and thatseveral months
should be given in which to effect the ex-
change. This condition was unhesitatingly
complied with by the publishers, who
were ready to take the risk of their books
remaining in the schools sufficient
length OF time for the profits on future
sales to make good the losses sustained
by the introduction. No change has, |
believe, since been made in readers, arith-
metics or Biographies; and the profits OF
the sales OF their books during period OF
twelve long years, must have more than
realized the utmost expectations OF the
publishers, when they acceded to the dc.
mand OF the Board Of Education, and gave
their books in even exchange for the old
ones. Several thousand dollars worth oil
new books were given to the pupils in the
schools, without other consideration than
the old worn out books In use, and these
were turned over to the paper makers at
one or two cents pound.
About the year 1869 or 1870, II was
found that the Biographies in use had un.
dergone various revisions, and so con-
siderable were the changes that the diff.
ierent editions could with difficulty be
used in the same class. In fact books by
different authors could about as we'll have
been used together, III.
The Superintendent called the attention
OF the publishers TO the matter, and sug
gested that a remedy must be applied Of
otherwise "a necessity would arisefor {
change OF text books on this subject The
publishers politely responded, requesting
the Superintendent to name the remedy
Like lawyer true to his client, or physi