The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-25
THE SCHOOL-BOOK OCTOPUS
What It Will Cost to Place Beckt0ld'S
Publications Under the New Law.
Duties and CompensatiOns Of Township Trus-
tees-Syndicate Trying to Get Books Adopt
ed Before the Contract Is Perfected.

of Mr. BecktOId's alderS and
abettors these efforts came to naught. 1t
is now estimated that even with the extra
official labors imposed upon school officers
by the act. for which no compensation is
provided, the cost of placing such books
will require further expenditure on the
part of the State of not less than 50,000,
and in all probability of more than 100000,
for each year the present law remains
in force. The BecktOld company, as gen.
tleman conversant with all it's details views
the contract. is under no obligations to fur
nish transportation for the books, except
the freight from it's st. Louis depository to
the Offices of county superintendent. From
the county superintendents' offices the
books must be removed by the township
trustees for distribution, and for this re-
mOval and distribution the State will be
called upon to pay for the time employed.
There are fifteen hundred township
trustees in the State" said an ex-county
superintendent, yesterday, land they live
at distances from their county superintend-
ents varying from one to twenty miles.
For each day these township trustees will
be employed in the distribution of the new
books they will be entitled to per
diem of - each, or. in other words,
it will cost the State $1,000 for each day
they are all employed You can figure for
yourself how many days work will be re-
quired of them. They will be obliged to re-
four times a year. and giving them one day
In which to go, one day to make their re-
port and one day in which to return, would
make three days for each report, or
twelve days in each year. Add to this the
time which will be required from the trus-
tees at the beginning of each school term,
to supply the children with books, and you
can form some idea of the labor required
from each trustee, and for which the State
is chargeable. He will certainly have
to devote a day or two to his
office at the beginning of each term to see
that the children who call for books get
them, and as these calls will continue
through the term. it is likely he will have
attend to their demands. If he can manage
to get through the work in eight days of
each year. or two days for each quarter,
these eight days added to the twelve days
allowed him for journeying to and from the
his report, would make a total of twenty
days per annum, for which he would be
entitled to charge his per diem, and this
means cool 100000 to the State for each
year the law remains in fOrceo
Are there any other items of expense
connected with the distributions
None that L know Of except the work
that will have to be done over, by reason
of the fOisting of Mr.. BecktOld's back num-
bers on the schools of the State. As you
doubtless know, the manuals for the use of
teachers have been made out by the county
superintendent this year, for the books
heretofore in use. All these will have to
be made out again and printed over. and
what makes the matter particularly ag-
gravating. there is no probability that even
samples of the new books. from which new
manuals must be made up. can be obtained
for months TO come"
rs the new scheme likely toresult in the
establishment of plant in this State for
the publication of school bOOks?"
Il think not. The only interest the In
diana company seems TO have In the mat
ter is that of go-between, to serve the
purposes of Mr.. Becktold aud his st. Louis
Standard Company associates. The bene-
fits of the trade that formerly accrued to
home dealers are all wiped out under the
new arrangement. Every cent that is made
under the contract, less the commission of
the Indiana Company. will go to st. Louis.
Like a circus, it will pick up and carry out
of the State every dollar it can gather, and
the only thing it is likely to leave behind
is a well-fOunded conviction that the peo-
pie have had poor show for their money"
Anticipating the Proclamation.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
GREENCAsTLE, July 24.-The schoOl-book
ring is getting in its work, and no better
field could be offered it than this rock
ribbed, mOss-backed county of Putnam.
The township trustees were called here to-
day in special session, and were met by an
agent of the ring Mr.. Duncan t. Bacon.
When it is remembered that the syndicate
has not yet executed the requisite bond
that the Governors proclamation of the
contract has not been published. nor can it
be till the law is complied with.
and that requisitions cannot be made
at other than a regular meeting of the
board, held in May or September, the
irregularity of to-day's proceedings will be
made apparent. 1t was decided to adopt
the books known as the Indiana Educa-
tional Series" embracing the several
readers, geography and arithmetic. When
the question or their gradual introduction
came up as measure of Justice to those
school children who are already supplied
with books. it met with no favor. the evil
dent plan being to boom the inferior pub
not able to bear It,. The cOmpany's agent
was also asked to give the prices at which
the books to be supplanted would be ex-
changed for the new. but he had no in
mitted, however, that the difference would
be small" and said it would depend on
the prices which the old books would bring
in other localities and States The ring is
evidently DenU Oh Unc D1g2eSC KIM Oh q
speculation, and the unsuspecting people of
Indiana will realize it when the monopoly
is fastened upon them. AS yet, they have
not got even a peep behind the curtain
that conceals what is in store for them.
Wrestling with the SchOOl-BOOk Question.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
CHARLOTTESVILLE, July M.-The county
Board of Education met in this city to-day
to take action in regard to the adoption of
the new school. books. They were of the
opinion that the new books should be in
troduced this fall. if done at all during the
next school year. They will meet ag ain on
Thursday, Aug 8. to take further action,
aud TO make q final agreement The Indiana
School-book Company, Ivison, Brakeman,
Taylor & Co., and Van Antwerp. Bragg &
Co. each had representative here, and
some lively work was done. The affair bids
fair to be interesting in this county, and
competitors seem to be prepared for war.
The Company Organized.
The syndicate which purchased the
Broad Ripple natural-gas plant, and formed
into new company. held meeting yester-
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