The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-19
BOOKS FOR SCHOOLS.
NORTHERN AUTHORS SELECTED
IN PREFERENCE TO SOUTHERN

ne NtlI~INuIIl UAlliN R'f't' Ft'
Board Of Education between the trust and
antitrust book firms Of the United states y
nearing close. Although she weak forces
OF the antitrust have had a powerful zoe
% contend with, they have made a good
fight. If not successful one. Several
months have elapsed since the Board began
20 make up the school book list for the COM
ing four years. and the many who are inter
csted in the matter are wondering why the
list has not been announced. This
paper published an exclusive article some
time since regarding the contest, and this
morning gives another article relieving the
anxiety Of its readers by giving the result.
The monopoly has made a special effort 20
win Virginia ON tbcir side because this Is
their first fight since the trust has been
formed, and " Virginia is won, In spite OF
their intentions. other Southern states, they
think, will be won without trouble.
SELECTING rnE BOOKS.
For many years IL has been the custom OF
the Governor and Attorney General 10 leave
the making up Of the list Of school books al-
most entirely % the superintendent OF kdu-
cation. who, after consulting "a sufficient
port 20 the board a list for lbs adoption.
Tbs present board has pursued the same
course. and Mr.. Massey has made up his
Dist bat whether it'has been adopted 10y the
other two members Of the board is not
known. The superintendent has uncOm-
prOmisingiy adopted .'trustr books and the
other firms have all been rejected with the
exception Of one book, which is Maury' 5
BIOGRAPHIES, published by the University
Publishing Company Of New York. This
il the only antitrust book retained. and in
all probability this would have shared the
fate Of the others but for the fact that no
other geography has been introduced that
would even by slight degree compete
with II.
The ARTTHMETICs.
Holmes history and Nenable's arithme-
ties. both Dy Virginia authors. and the
pride Of her teachers. have been thrown
aside in this proposed list, and Barnes his
tory and Whites arithmctics. both Northern
authors. adopted in their stead.
II is also reliably reported that these
firms, whose books have been adopted, have
been informed that their books will De used.
while the anti-mOnOpOly firms who have
been furnishing books heretofore, are kept
in suspense believing that for some un-
known reason the board is delaying the an
nounccment Of the list.
The present list expires about the latter
part Of July. and the firms are anxious 10
know whether their books are adopted or
not. in order 10 get ihersupply ready for the
school session. II is 10 the advantage of the
combine that tine list De not announced be-
fore the lst Of May, as they will not begin
their operations publicly until then.
NO ORAL STATEMENTS.
Some time ago the board issued a circu-
lar 10 a number Of the agents OF the book
firms in the city 10 the effect that they
would not hear any oral statements from
them on the book subject.
The meetings Of the board have been con-
Quoted with great secrecy, and representa-
tiyes OF the press and most Of the agents
have been especially excluded, and upon no
condition were they allowed 20 obtain any
information of the proceedings. ON one or
two occasions the secretary, an eX Oiiicio
member Of the board. was excluded.
The above is the result as proposed by the
State superintendent, but whether 10 has
been or will be approved by the Governor
and AttOrnev-General, the other two men,
bers OF the board, is yet 10 be seen.
THE TRUST THE ISSUE.
A prominent citizen, who is pecuniarily
disinterested in the result. said. in CONVERSE
ton with reporter, thathe had never taken
any interest in the schoOl-boOk list until this
wear, when the trust was announced TO be
in the issue, and he was watching with
great interest 10 see if the State Board of
Education would encourage this monopoly,
which il was the motto Of Virginia TO fight.
lie thought under no conditions would
the able and patriotic men who COM
pose this board reject Virginia authors
Tor Northern ones simply 10 patrOnize
the trustv The Virginia Legislature
had openly refused 20 charter cigarette
l.. ~, in Afr0fnfu uft
he was sure that a book trust would not
be encouraged when Virginia authors
would be sacrificed. "Ihe fact" continued
he. that Southern children had been forced
20 study Northern historians. who made 10 a
rule 10 ignore the great men i'm the South
who should be familiar TO them. is COM
mented upon by many and regarded as an
intOlerable shame
1t is believed by many that the Governor
and Attorney General have not, and will
not. adopt these proposed changes in the
schO0l-bOOk list when IL is submitted 90
Them.
The list for number of years has been
conducted upon "A -four and One' book
list, which has given great satisfaction and
has brought the books 10 almost "a standard
of perfection.
FOUR BOOK LIST.
rhe list adopted twelve years ago was a
fOur-bOOk list.-Niz.: -Four readers, four
biographies, &c. These books have been
allowed 10 continue. OptiOnally, during the
first four years. and includes all the books
in the Onc-bo0k list adopted four years ago,
excepting copy books, besides books Of APP
pletOn's Biographies and penmanship),
Barnes (readers, spoilers, arthmetics and
geographical. Thus the present one-book
list is made up of books that were most
largely in use four years ago, and the selec-
fiOn was carefully made, and has given
general satisfaction. such dissatisfaction
as does exist has been produced mainly by
the publishers agents. whose books were not
ON The state list. Reports from the various
counties show that the books are gener-
ally satisfactory, and a decided opposition
10 change comes from all quarters. The
rivalry existing to-day among school book
publishers is 80 great that they cannot az
ford To place an inferior book upon the mar
ket for il would not be used. II the books
in use were old and antiquated, which they
are not. there would be grounds for a
change bnt there il not a book upon the list,
il is claimed. that is not of the most modern
make, and brought up, in fact ana figure, 10
date.
ONE BOOK LIST.
The one-book list was adopted four years
ago by the state Board of Education who
had the able educator aud practical scholar,
Hon. John L.. Buchanan, as one OF It's men,
hers, and who. no doubt, from his eNpe-
rience in teaching, gave the aid that was
necessary 20 render IL SO acceptable Nc
Guifv's readers. McGuiiy's spoilers, Har-
sey's grammars, Van Antwerp; (Maury's
Biographies. Nenable's arithmctics. Holmes
History OF the United states, University
Publishing Company; (copy-books, 4.
Lowell a Coz; dictionaries. Norcosiersl;
(llstOry Of Virginia, Mct'ilfsl.
COW Cribbcr Caught.
MIR. :. 4. Hancock, of Manchester, owns
acOw. Yesterday morning while he Was IN
Richmond. his wife sent the crumpled-horn
bovine, accompanied by Thomas farrar, 10 /
this city 10 be sold. Instead of delivering /
The animal a. directed, farrar drove Der
up to the second Market, and tried % sell
No. 40 NJ N A \aurhan for so saving /