Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-07
THE scHooL-BooK WAR.
What Action the Board of Education Last
Night Took

to act upon the proposition to select text
books for use in the public schools for the
next four years. Notice had been given call
ing for bids for classes of books, and the bids
were submitted and opened last week. There
were present many agents of book houses. a
full Board answered to roll call, President
Grfitts presiding.
P. L. Hickman fled an application for ap-
pointment as Census Marshal.
Mr.. Butler reported course for the High
School, as approved by the Principal of that
school, and including the compulsory studies,
and moved the adoption of the list.
Mr.. McClatchy objected until bids of pub
fishers are in. else the Board would be at the
mercy of the bOok-makers
1t was explained that nearly all had been
bid upon, and that but few of the remainder
are used, and Mr.. McClatchy withdrew his
objections.
Mr.. Hornblower said the list made several
changes. He was opposed to any changes
that would visit a cost upon the parents OF
pupils. Seventy-fiv per cent. of the school
children are those of poor people, most OF
whom are endeavorlng to build up homes
here, and they are unable to bear any new
L
subject, and it is to be signed by the Governor
on Wednesday. The Supreme Court has
now before it a case involving the right to
adopt new books, and in view of these facts
he urged that no change be made. ne
Board is Republican, and the party will be
held responsible for the act of the Board,
and he did not believe good defense Of the
proposed change could be made. Bids had
been put in with higher prices for books than
they were sold for in San Jose. and that he
declared to be unconscionable. Citizens had
appealed to him to urge the Board to make
no change.
Mr.. McClatchy said that so far as the High
School was concerned, the change would not
affect pupils of the High School as to cost of
books
Mr.. Hornblower withdrew objection so far
as the High School is concerned.
The motion to adopt prevailed. Ayes
Butler, Lord, McClatchy, Griffitts, knights,
Wiemeyer. No-Hornblower.
The Building Committee reported against
the claim of Cottier & Co. for royalty on
their ventilation system for water-closets as
put in at the Capital Grammar School
grounds, because the system is no infringe
ment Of the Cottier system.
Mr. Cottier addressed the Board claiming
an infringement.
The report was adopted.
Mr. Hornblower moved that the proposed
adoption of textbooks be postponed until the
next meeting, because it was not clear that
the Board had the right to make changes.
Every Board that has done so has been sued,
and the cases are now pending. The bill
before the Governor affecting the question
was held by the Governor until Wednesday
because some one had asked the Governor to
do so, that the Board might adopt new books
OF thic Eie nttarlU nnrOSa6 all snph
contemplated evasion of the will of the peo-
pie expressed by their legislators. He read
from the bill to show how changes are to be
effected, fixing the time when, what notices are
to be given, and what the notices are to con-
tain. Lastly, he opposed the whole action
as in effect visiting new and unnecessary
tax upon the people. At least he wanted
time to give the people an opportunity to
make their wishes known. Under the new
bill there will be ample time in which to
make changes deemed absolutely necessary.
He reiterated that sets of books put in in the
bids before the Board at 81 80 are sold in
San Jose at 81 50, and books put in here at
81 % are offered in Yolo at 81.
Mr.. Wiemeyer secorded the motion, and
said that he had consulted teachers and citi-
zens, and they opposed changes now.
The motion prevailed. Ayes-Hornblower
Knights, Lord, Wiemeyer and McClatchy
noes-Butler, Stalker and Grifitts.
Superintendent Landes called up his reso-
luton previously presented, and the same
was adopted
ReSoIred That hereafter the monthly and term
REPORTS of scholarships as prepared BY the teachers
shall exhibit nearly practicable the real stand
ing of pupils in each separate branch independently
OF all Others and that while errors ia spelling and
composition may and should be noted in all written
exercises. such errors shall be charged to spelling
aud composition only.
SUPERINTENDENT Landes called attention to
the rule requiring Principals to make secret
reports to the Board regarding the compe-
tency of teachers, their submissiveness to
the Principal, their compliance with regula-
lions, etc. He said the rule should either be
rescinded or strictly enforced. He moved a
repeal of the rule.
The sentiment of the Board was in favor
of repeal but the matter, under the rules,
had to lay over.
The Board then adjourned.
The list of studies now adopted ny the
Board for the entire School Department de-
creases the number of books to be used, in
the aggregate, by eighteen volumes. The
list of textbooks adopted last night as the
course for the High School, under the motion
of Mr.. Butler as stated, are
Junior Grade-Thompson's Collegiate AL
zebra (change); Anderson's General His
tory Maury's Physical Geography Swim
tons English Grammar and Composition
tchange).
Middle Grade -Wentworth's Plane and
Solid Geometry (change); Hooker's Natural
Philosophy (change); Eliot and Storer's Ele-
derwood's American Literature: Youngs
Government Glass Book NEW book.
Senior Grade-Hart's Rhetoric; Shaw's
English Literature Gray's Lessons on
Botany; Steeles Fourteen Weeks Of Zoology;
Brookes Higher Arithmetic.
Classical Course Optional Allen & Green
ough's Latin Grammar; Aliens Latin
Reader; Hanson's Preparatory Latin Prose
Searnig's Virgil; Stewards Eclogues and
Georges Allen & Greenough's Latin Com
position; Andrews or Leverett's Lexicon
work of refereuce) Goodwins Greek Gram
mar; Leighton's Greek Reader; Crosby's
Anabasis: Owens Had; Jones' Greek Com
position Liddell & SCOTS Lexicon work of
reference).
Upon the adjournment of the Board there
was manifested much disappointment among
the publishers agents over the postponemen.
noted, and an examination of the new law
was entered upon, when it was stated that
under the following section the Board had
by its action practically adopted the books
now in USE and that the same must be used
Tor FOUR years MORE Ine seCGlon reIerreu TO
reads:
Section 60. First Second-No
change of textbooks must be made at any
other time than in the months of May or
June of the year in which the change is made,
and no change shall be made to take effect
until the beginning of the school term COM
mencing after the 30th day of June of that
year"
The school term for the Sacramento schools
begins in the first week in June. School con-
tinues then for some two months, when long
vacation is taken, and the session is resumed
in October, thus giving the recess during the
heated term. Under the reading of Section
60, as above given, it was claimed that the
Sacramento Board cannot now make change
''to take effect at the beginning of the school
term commencing after the 30th day of June
Of that year, and that as the school term be-
gins in Sacramento before the 30th day of
June, that therefore the period will never ar
rive when change can be made effective.
To this it was responded, however, that the
Sacramento school term begins and
ends according to resolution of the
city Board of Education, and that
it can, if change is desirable,
accommodate the term to the requirements of
the law, until new books are adopted. Some
figuring was also done, and it was stated, and
Superintendent Landes gave it as the result
of his calculations also, that under the bids
l.. H.