The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-19
THE DEMAND FOR OLD BOOKS
A Large Profit Realized on Publishers
Exchange Made in Public Schools.
What the Indiana Company Would Like to
Have the County Superintendent Do Before
Its Agents Start on Their Journeys.

in this State is attracting the attention of
jobbers in secondhand books throughout
the country. This is large business, many
patrons of the public schools purchasing
their books at secondhand and about half
price. AS the books now used in Indiana,
and soon to be displaced by inferior ones,
are standard works and used in the schools
of many other States, they will be in de-
mand by secondhand dealers. III. Engel-
bach, dealer of this city, was asked yes
terday if the syndicate would make any
thing OH the old books which they took in
exchange. They will make about 200 per
cent, ;" was the reply. "They can sell the
old books to secondhand dealers for three
times as much as they offer to pay in ex-
change for them. am getting letters from
jobbers all over the country requesting me
to buy the old books for them, and shall
be prepared to pay nearly three times as
much as the syndicate will. If the latter
get any considerable number of the old
books at the exchange prices they offer
they will make an enormous profit on the
transaction" Mr.. Engelbach added that
the new books to be furnished by the syn
ticate will have no value outside of In
diana, because they are only used In one
other State. viz, Minnesota, and they are
crying to get rid of them there. He predicts
a general protest from the teachers OF this
State as soon as they discover the character
of the new books. Parents and patrons OF
the schools may be deceived for while by
the cheapness of the new books, but the
schools will suffer lasting injury, and In
the end the protests of Intelligent teachers
against inferior books is bound to have It's
effect.
The Indiana School-book Company will,
no doubt, rely largely on the system OF ex-
change, the advantage in which is thus
shown, to help it to profits in its under
takings. The company has opened an office
at No. 1O1 West Washington street and is
busy in getting ready to put the Missouri
readers and arithmetics and Minnesota
biographies into the public schools of the
State. Under date of July Is the company
is sending out a printed letter to county
superintendent, which reads as follows:
We arr reliably informed that certain inter-
ested parties in some parts of the State are cir
culating report that the Indiana SCHOOL, book
books recently awarded to it by the textbook
commissioners in time to put them In use In the
schools which will begin in September next. The
schools tsee page rs, acts of 1880 gives the con-
tractor ninety days in which to I'LL acquisitions
for books We wish to say that we will not re-
qufre the time given us by law in filling orders
the coming fall. We have made arrangements
to I'LL promptly all acquisitions that come in for
books to be used In schools 6egnnne at tna s
from fifteen to twenty days time In which 10
get the books shipped and delivered. Hence, 1t
confer with the school trustees of his county
without delay, so that acquisitions for books
needed in the fall term can be made early.
We will try and arrange for one OF our agents
to meet with you and your various corporation
and township trustees, show samples of our
books, and devise basis of arriving at the num-
Der and kind of books needed, and the best plan
OF his coming IL you viii permit. We VIII De
obliged Ii you will send us immediately the dates
that your town and city schools will begin. II
you get any information where agents for other
books or other persons interested are trying to
defeat the provisions and objects or this law, We
will deem it favor if You will advise us. We
desire from the beginning to act in harmony
with all school officials of the State, and will be
glad if all such will communicate freely with us
In reference to any subject connected with this
matter which they wish explained. The best in
dorsement that we have for our books is the res
oiutions passed by the State Board of Education,
acting as textbook commissioners, at It's recent
meeting. in adopting our books and awarding us
the record Of their meeting. We hope for an
early reply as to date when meeting can be had.
The paragraph beginning, 1--WE will try
and arrange for one of our agents to meet
with you and your various corporation and
township trustees. show samples of books
and devise basis of arriving at the num-
Der and kind of books needed, the best
| plan of distributing" ETC., should be stud
| led closely. There are 1900 township trus-
| tees in Indiana, and it is we'll known that
| they do not give their time for nothing.
nor would it be right for them to do so. If
| only one day is given by each, the expense
| to the taxpayers would be $1,000 to help
| the Indiana School-book Company to intro
| duce their books. 1t is hardly likely that
one day will be enough to meet all in
| quiries and make all necessary explana-
| tons, and the bill to the tax-pay ers will
probably come nearer $4,000 than g, 600.
| 1t is suggested that the Indiana School
book Company's methods of introducing
books appear to be very much like those
practiced by other book publishers the new
company seek to replace. These amateur
book men must be very careful or they will
| fall into the ways of the wicked.