The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-09-18
VERY HIGH HANDED ACTION.
OLD SCHOOL eooKRlNe DYING HARD.
Unblushing Law Breakers At Frankfort
Other State News-Death of Harvey y.
shirk and ID. C. EIIiott-Burglar
Captured-Notes, Etc.

FRANKFORT. Sept. 12-lSpecial. There is
a good deal Of indignation and excitement in
this city owing to the action of the city school
board in regard to the new text books. The
law allowed thirty days from the issuing OF the
governors proclamation for the making Of
acquisitions. The school board deferred max
ing its requisition until the thirtieth day, evil
IDENTIFY supposing that there would not then be
time enough for the requisition to be filled be-
fore the schools opened. In this they were
disappointed The books arrived on
Thursday, the 9th, and the schools
did not open until Monday, the
9th. Upon the arrival Of the books the county
superintendent, Mr.. Hyde, who has done his
duty faithfully in the matter, notified the
school board that they were here. The board
declined 10 take the books on the ground that
they had no place to put them-this in the lace
of the fact that responsible dealers here had
asked the privilege of handling them, offering
TO do so without charge. Saturday evening the
board met and resolved, in defiance OF the law,
to continue the old, high-priced trust books.
They notified the city superintendent, Prof.
Griffith, and the teachers accordingly. Many
patrons Of the schools, however refused TO pur-
chase the old books, and a number OF them
made formal demand upon the board for the
new books. One gentleman made written
0emAn0 lOF one cOulDlelt NtOEIdpHgt Out SUI
ond reader one copy book No. and one copy
book No. i, rendering at the same time the
amount OF money which these books
should cost at contract prices. The trustees
first denied having the books. and afterward
refused to sell them.
This high-handed action is generally con-
demned. The old book ring, OF course, stands
at the back of the board. 1t is believed that
the ring has given the trustees a bond to
indemnify them against any damages or costs
that may be recovered from them in the courts.
The people feel this matter keenly because the
trust has had specially fat pickings in Clinton
county in years past. For instance, our people
have been compelled TO pay 20 cents for Nc
Gufey's first reader, 80 cents for his second
reader, As cents for his third reader, go cents
for his fourth reader. and So cents for his fifth
reader. In the adjoining county OF Upton
this series was sold as follows: First reader, IL
cents; second reader, 80 cents; third reader, AZ
cents; fourth reader 90 cents, and fifth reader,
y cents. In many other counties the same
books have been sold for even less. The ring
has been charging 90 cents for practical
arithmetic IN Clinton county when il was sell
ing the same book for 90 cents in many conn-
ties, aud as low as az cents in some. 1t has
charged 60 cents for an elementary geography,
when ii waB getting only 46 cents Tor the same
book in some other counties. Now that the
people have chance TO get books at about
half the old prices, and books which are in
dorsed by the highest educational authority of
the state. the school board, defying the law, re-
fuses to let them avail themselves of it. The
Crescent is pouring hot shot into the board.
Proceedings for writ of mandate upon the
board to compel them to sell the new books to
patrons have been instituted
At the Office Of the Indiana school book com.
pany last evening il was stated that the Frank
fort board were the only school officials in the
state who had refused to sell books 10 pupils.
The board had to certify in its requistion that
these books were needed in the schools of
Frankfort in order TO get the books.