Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-10-03
CITY SCHOOLS.
The School Directors Denounce Certain

The School Directors Denounce Certain
Booksellers-Other Matters.
A special meeting of the Board of School
Directors was held last evening for the pur-
pose of electing new teacher for the High
School, and considering the question of the
sale of the new series of textbooks.
The junior class in the High School has
some ninety pupils, and it was found
necessary to elect an assistant teacher for
that grade. The candidates placed in
nomination for the position were Mrs. S.
Tryon and Miss Evelina Aull. On the first
eight roll calls they each received four
votes. On the ninth Mrs. Tryon received
five votes, Miss Aull three, and Mrs. Tryon
was declared elected.
SCHOOL BOOKS.
Director Martin said parents in the city
were loud in their complaints of what they
termed an outrage on the part of certain
booksellers in the city who were charging
price for books in violation of 4 verbal
contract made with the Board. 1t was
generally understood and so announced
by the Board and reported in the daily
newspapers that al the booksellers of the
city would furnish the State series of text
books at cost, or in other words at the
price sold at the State Capitol. He said he
dropped into Megerle's bookstore on
Fourth street and found he did not
keep them. Mr.. Megerle had come before
the Board and announced that he should
keep the books and sell them at cost price.
When Mr.. Martin asked him why he had
not done as he voluntarily agreed to, Mr..
Mergerle replied: " l came to the conclu-
sion not to do so. Crocker & Co. said they
would run me out of the business if l did"
He called to see c. S. Roughton & Co. Mr..
Houghton called up all his clerks and each
one stated positively that they had sold the
books at the prices they agreed to and would
charge no higher. First Reader, Is cents;
Second, 80 cents; Third, 81 cents; Speller,
% cents; Primary number lessons, 20 cents;
Advanced Arithmetics, ~ cents; English
Grammar, ~ cents and United States
History, 20 cents He called at SaWtelle's
book store. The proprietor was not in but
the gentleman in charge stated that up to
noon they sold at the State price and after
that advanced to the retail dealers price
which is First Reader, 90 cents; Second
Reader, 40 cents; Third Reader, 65 cents;
Speller, 30 cents; Primary number lessons,
25 cents; Advanced Arithmetic, 80 cents;
English Grammar, 30 cents and United
States History, 50 cents.
Mr.. Houghton said to Mr.. Martin that
the dealers tried to induce him to out
up the price, even threatened him, but
he would not. He said to them: " Nv
word is my bond, and | propose to
keep it." He heard that Mr.. Morris
was also selling the books at the State price,
but OF this he was not sure. He was par
tieularly severe on Mr.. Sawtelle, whom, he
said, was the first to make a kick" about
the sale of the books. He came before the
Board and offered bonus to be allowed to
have the exclusive sale of these books at
the State price. He had not acted
in good faith. Mr.. Martin said
he was in favor of advertising
in both the daily papers those stores that
had kept their faith, and informing parents
OF the firms where they could get fair and
just treatment. Parents, he said, would
make out list of the books, compute their
State cost as advertised, and send their
children to procure the books. They
would, owing to this unwarranted raise in
prices, not have money enough and would
have TO return for more. In some instan.
ces it would be twenty-five cents, in others
fifty, and some parents would have to put
up more than 81 for this extra charge.
These dealers, said the speaker warmly, are
simply robbing the parents of this city.
1t is an outrage upon this people, and it
looks as though certain parties were setting
up common steal.
The remarks of Mr.. Martin seemed to
meet the approval of every member of the
Board.
Director Todd moved to refer the matter
to the Committee on Course of Study, and
with instructions to advertise in the daily
papers those stores that sold the books at
the price furnished by the State.
The roll was called and the motion unan-
imnuSlv adnntad