The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-27
OFFICIALS WANT TO KNOW
Inquiries from Trustees and Superin-
tendentS as to the School Book Law.
They Ask What Can Be Done with Pupils Who
Do Not Have Becktold's Text Books
The People 0ppOsedto the Monopoly.

Inc feOple UppOSed 10 tue M0hopoiJ'
There are many inquiries coming to the
Superintendent of Public instruction con-
corning the school-book law. The more
that remarkable enactment under which
Becktold, alias Williams, expects to make
$4,000 net ON an inferior grade OF books, is
studied by the trustees and county superin-
tendents the more confused they become as
TO ultimate results puzzle to them is a
part of Section z, relating to their duties,
and upon this alone number of questions
are asked. Some suggestions which these
questions convey point to serious conse-
auences, and the Importance of having
clear understanding on the matters raised
before the books of Becktold, alias Will
Jams, are put into the hands of the trustees
is so manifest that the Attorney generals
construction of the law is to be asked.
The Superintendent of Public Instruc-
ton is preparing the questions upon which
he desires an opinion from the official
named. But as to Section z, the part upon
which clear construction will be especial
ly asked. is the following:
Upon the receipt of such books II shall be the
immediately notify ali the school trustees Of tho
school corporations, as shown by the last school
enumeration OF their counties OF the receipt OF
school trustees to Immediately procure and take
charge and custody of all the books assigned TO
their several school corporations, fecelptng
therefor to the said county school superintendent
and upon the receipt of such books by said school
the school patrons or school children OF their re-
spective corporations at the price nxed tnereIor
by the contract entered into between said board
of commissioners and said contractor; anu III
shall be the duty of such school officers to sell
such books for cash only; and If they shall sell or
thereof they snail be held personally liable, and
liable upon their official bond forth price or such
book or books. Provided, that any patron or
pupil OF any school schools other than the pub
fic schools, and also any child between the ages
of six and twenty one years of age, or the par.
rent, guardian or teacher OF such child shall
have the right to purchase and receive the books:
and at the prices herein named, by payment or
the cash price thereof TO the school superintend
made his duty to make requisition upon the con,
tractor for any and all books so ordered ana aio
for by any such person or persons.
What the trustees and county superln-
tendents shall do is thus prescribed, and 1T
is claimed the mandatory features of the
act end there. There is nothing in the
law" said gentleman who has studied It
thoroughly, and whose opinion is worth
attention, Ito compel the people to buy the
books. A trustee may procure stock or
them, but do not see how he can force the
sales, even if they have been formally
He is responsible only for the sales he
makes. and, when called upon to settle,
must have either cash or books, He is re-
20 pre Surs tS sell the e SgooR w and
for cash. but that is the limit
of his responsibility. Now if he sells
to certain portions of a public school
send their children to the schools with text
books other than those of Becktold, alias
Williams, can those children be excluded
from the schoolsg Pupils at the opening of
I'll rxrt% II,
other books, but are they to be shut out
from the benefits of instruction at the ex-
pense of the State because their parents
and guardians refuse to buy the books that
arc named in the contract made with the
Indiana company That is very serious
question. If the children are to be de-
prived of school facilities on that account,
it will be virtually assisting a monopoly at
the expense of the education which is
the right of all pupils. The best construc-
tion can put upon that part of Section
of the law defining the duties of trustees
and county superintendent in this cOnnec-
ton is that TO buy the Becktold books or
the Indiana Educational series is, after all,
matter of choice with the people,"
All the questions to be submitted to the
Attorney general will require a thorough
examination of the law, and it may take a
little time to prepare an opinion that will
remove the uncertainty the trustees, coun-
ty superintendent and people now ex-
perlence.
hendricks presents some OnUectfOne
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
DANvILLE. July 26.-There are some OBJ
jections to the new school-book law that,
believe, have not been publicly discussed.
The instigators of this law have been so
anxious to tram the State into condition
to knock out" somewhat lighter-weight
monopoly, and at the same time to do some
thing in the way of winning the popular
vote at the next election, that they forgot
to count all the cost of the new venture.
Danyille has two book dealers If the new
these dealers viii have school books on his
hands worth 1925, all rendered valueless by
this mastery stroke of legislation. The
other dealer will not lose so much-abOut
$40. There are some fifteen booksellers in
Hendricks county, and several thousand
throughout the State, who will be losers to
greater or lesser extent. The book deal
ers of Indiana constitute very respectable
class OF citizens and taxpayers. and their
business should not be Disseminated
against by legislative enactment. unless
for the good of the whole community.
State. as sJ political fabric, and the people,
as integral elements of that fabric. are to
be gamers, financially or otherwise, by the
transaction. Both of our local book deal
ers are reputable citizens. and both are
philosophical enough to stand the dam
ages they will suffer through this law,
provided it can be shown that the whole
people are likely to be benefited by it,
From these gentlemen gathered the fol-
lowing facts, which will throw some light
on this questions:
The Danville book stores have for many
years been supplying school books to the
children at wholesale prices. the publishers
allowing them the dealersl. 10 per cent,
for handling the books. The prices of or
binary textbooks have been stated time
and again in the newspapers. But / will
give the separate cost of the books of
single series used here, in order to illustrate
my point. The reading series, consisting
of five books, sold at the following prices:
=. Ise s, Zoc
Gsconu hoaucr- 500
lnHu %duei oOc
rhtn ANco~cr------- 300
The total expense of these books was
500. The aggregate cost of the State
series VIII he Sl20. Without attempting
to compare the merits of the books, viii
show that at least in Danville the
trust" books cost the children less than
the State monopoly series. Our local deal
ers have for years been buying textbooks
back from the pupils at very liberal rates
and reselling them as secondhand books to
the poorer children. The prices paid for
second- hand books of course denendad ON