The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-08-07
TEXT BOOKS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Law Relating Thereto and How Books
May be Exchanged.
Some Illegal Conditions Imposed by Bancroft
Company.

/ Noticing from the Ifadisonfan that District
Attorney Blake had brought Bancroft & Co.
/ up with round turn for the conditions they
imposed az to the change Readers" under
the act last winter relating to school books,
We referred the matter TO Superintendent
Catlin Of this county, who submits the fol-
| lowing LED. N. N-W.) "A.
| The last Legislative Assembly Of Montana
passed an act entitled "An act to amend an
| books for the public schools, approved Feb
q, 1884," This amendment provides that
Bancroft's Readers be substituted for the In
dependent Readers, Harper's Biographies
| for Monteith's, and Swinton's Grammars for
SilPs. II also provides that all these changes
must be made before July l, 1886, and that II
the change of Readers is made before Janu-
airy ], 1886, there will be no expense to those
having Independent Readers, as they may
be exchanged for Bancroft's Readers of the
same grade, book for book. The exchange
prices for the Grammars and Biographies
hold good only until the 1st of January, 1886
and the introduction prices are to be main
tanned until July 1, 1886.
A large card, containing
LIST OF THESE BOOKS,
and scale Of prices, for exchange, introduce
ton and at retail, is to be put up in every
school room In the Territory, that the teacher
and pupils of every school may know how
the books may be obtained from the dealers
or agents in their vicinity.
The County Superintendent of Schools In
this county has recommended to all teachers
that there be
NO WHOLESALE CHANGE
in the use of text books, but that when the |
books in the hands Of q class have been used |
long time, and the class needs fresh read |
ing matter; or where most of the books Of a |
certain grade are old and worn in short, |
when new books are needed, the change |
should be made: Always provided that |
schools closing between the LIST of July and |
the LIST Of January, 1886, should make the ex-
change Of Readers, and the exchange of the
Others, before July 1, 1886, for the law pro-
vides that any school district using, after
that date, any other than the prescribed text
books, shall forfeit % per cent Of its appor-
tionment Of the school fund.
THE LAW DOES NOT SPECIFY THE CONDITION
the old books must be In when offered In ex-
change for the new ones, but 1t is fair to in
fer that any book that child can use in his
class in school, can be exchanged for new
one at the exchange price and no others
should be presented. But 1t appears that the
publishers of the new books have sent in
,tructions to the dealers in their DO oks in
FIXING THEIR OWN CONDITIONS
Of exchange and introduction, directing that
iealers receive only books sin fair condi-
ion," and none except upon the presentation
If certificate signed by Teacher, School
Trustee or County Superintendent stating
hat certain books are required by the pupils
1t.
With reference TO this assumption Of the
District Attorney Blake, of the
First Judicial District, has written an open
etter to Prof. Wylie, Territorial Superinten-
lent of Public Instruction, which appears in
he Mddisonidn of last week, in which he
,alls attention to the fact that
THE PUBLISHERS HAVE EXCEEDED THE
RIGHTS
granted them in the act of the Legislature,
md that these instructions and certificates
ire all violations Of the law" He says
These publishers are compelled to receive
III the odd books which may be surrendered,
md cannot restrict their agents to the accep-
ance Of only those in fair condition." He
equests the Territorial Superintendent to
notify the publishers of this illegality, and
avs "if these instructions are not revoked
within one week after the receipt of such
notice, that he will instruct all whom 1t may
concern that Bancroft g. Co. and Harpers
rave forfeited their rights under said act,
md that the old books remain the legal
ext books of the Territory" |;
Ii