Mexico weekly ledger., 1891-01-22
Hon. A. B. Medley, of Audrain,
Offers an Important
School Book Bill.
SOME OF THE MANY GOOD
FEATURES OF THE
MEASURE.
Publication of School Books by
the State Provided for in
an Exhaustive and
Comprehensive
Manner.

A. B. Medley, of Audrain. The bill
Is the result of months Of labor and
consultation, and will unquestionably
be the foundation stone upon which
the final legislation upon this subject
will be based. 1t consists of 10 sec
The most important points are
herewith given:
The State Superintendent of Public
Schools, the president of the State
University and the presidents of the
State Normal Schools at Kirksviile,
Warrensburg and Cape Girardeau are
constituted a board OF selection, a
majority OF whom shall be a quorum,
whose duty it shall be to meet at the
office of the State Superintendent of
Public Schools in Jefferson City with
in 80 days after the act shall take et-
feet, and after canvassing the matter
of the various school textbooks and
common school publications that may
be presented for their consideration,
shall proceed to select such books and
publications as in their judgment snail
be best calculated to serve the inter-
ests of the common schools of this
State; or they may proceed to compile
and adopt q new series of works
throughout, until a complete list or
complement shall have been selected.
The books may be changed once in five
a if two-thirds of the board SO
elect.
The State Board of Education is re-
quired to let a contract for furnishing
all the common schools of the State
with such textbooks and publications
as the said board of selection may
finally determine upon to the lowest
and best bidder, who shall file an ap-
plication with said State Board of
Education for such contract, and pro-
posing to accept all the terms and
conditions of the act that may be ap-
plicable to the contractor. A bond of
S. 900 for proper performance must
also be- given. The contract is to run
and be il force for full 10 years from
the signing of the same and filing it
with the Secretary of State.
Section 4 fixes the price of books.
All 16mo. publications, the pages of
print to be standard size, not less than
8 IA by 6 IA inches, shall be furnished
at idtCS HUI CACCCoIiH LII Hills POI
page; quarto Biographies, Z by 8 su-
perfieiai inches in size. the price shall
not exceed Al mills per page; geogra-
phies and quartos having maps or
plates 10x12 inches superficial surface,
the price shall not exceed 81 mills
per page; all other publications pro-
vided for the public schools are to be
rated at the prices of 16mos. or quartos,
as the nature of the work may most
resemble in character, to be rated
more or less as the superficial surface
of sheet or page shall be or less
in area of surface as compared with
the nearest corresponding work afore-
said.
Section 5 defines the style and quail
ity of binding, letter press, etc., and
provides a penalty of three times the
amount of damages established, which
sum shall be covered into the school
fund of the State, or the contract N ~
be annuIled, as the court may de-
termine. on a second complaint.
Section 6 provides for the notifica-
ton of the contractor of the books se-
leeted for publication, and every pub
LEGATION must bear the imprint: "Pub-
lished by Authority of the State of
Missouri" No other than such pub
LEGATION shall be used in the common
schools of the State, and it is declared
a misdemeanor to violate the provis-
ions of the section in counterfeiting
or use OF such imprint on works OF
like import, or to use in any publir'
schools of this State books with such
imprint or limitations thereof. Of
tenders may be fined $50 or sent to
Jail for six months and the contractor
is given the right of civil action to re-
cover three times the damages estab-
lished.
Section 7 provides fer the annul-
ment of the contract for fsilure to sup.
ply the demand for books.
In section s it is provided that with.
in 80 days of such time as the contrac.
tor shall be ready to begin the sale
of books for use in the public schools
of the State, the State Superintend.
ent of Public Schools shall publish in
one newspaper in each county in the
State a notice to that effect, with q
list of the prices at which such books
shall be sold. and the contractor shall
print a list of such prices on the out.
side of the covers of the books them
| selves.
In section 8 provision is made for the
school directors in each school district
to certify to the county clerk of theil
respective counties the number 0
textbooks required by the children o
their several school districts. TIL,
county clerks will then make requisi
ton upon the State Su%perindent o
Public Schools, and he shall immedi
ately thereafter make requisition upol
the contractor, who shall, within 81
days, ship, transportation charge.
prepaid, the books so ordered direct t.
the county clerks. Upon receipt O
the books by the county clerk, thu
school directors shall immediately
procure and take charge and custody
Of all the books assigned to their sew
eral school districts, receipting there
for to the said county clerks and shall
furnish them on demand to the schoo
patrons or school children at the pric,
fixed. for cash only, being PERSONAL,
liable, and liable upon their officia
bond, for any books otherwise dispos
ed of. Any patron or pupil may
however, buy directly from the count,
clerk under similar conditions. 1t /
also provided that the State Board O
Education or boards of school direc
tors may devise means for the sale
exchange or other disposition of suct
books as may be owned by the pupils
oil the schools under their charge a
the time of the adoption of books un
der the provisions of this act.
An accounting every three month.
Is to be required of every official hand
ling such books, and cash receipts ar,
to be also made over to the count,
clerks by the school directors. Suit
In case of failure to make such &C,
eo~untings, Is provided for.
County clerks are required to give {
special PENAL bond of 500 for eaci
1000 Inhabitants of their counties fol
theproper performance of their duties
under the act; and upon the failure O
any county clerk to give such bono
his office shall become immediatel,
vacant, the Governor appointing 1
euefessor