The Kosciusko star. (Kosciusko, Miss.) 18??-1898, 1895-05-31
ChlNGE Oh TEXTBOOKS,
The Law Bearing Upon A Sub
Iect of Great Interest.
BOOK PUBLISHERS ACTIVE
some Figures A. % Wh,t I Change U.iIl
Cost Attall Couaty.

Every year for some time pas
! ! there has BEEN an increased sri
/ and progress in school work il
tins State, and this Year an add
tlonal agitation IS d4v to the fac
that under the law textbooks vii
be adopted for all the schools If
every one of the IS counties ol
Mississippi. A brief review Of the
laws bearing ION this subject will be
profitable reading to all interested
III the public schools.
Inc law provides that, beginning
win the year 1895, IA uniform
series OF textbooks shall be adop-
ted every five years. and the fol-
loving method shall be pursued:
The county school board at it's
annual meeting prior to the first
DAY OF August shall appoint five
teachers of recognized ability.
and the superintendent two, who
small constitute a committee TO
select a uniform series of text
books. The committee shall meet
within ten days of its selection and
organize. On the day of its organi-
zatlon the committee shall write
70 leading school-book publishers
Tor sample copies and their price
lists tor exchange, introduction and
permanent supply. On tie first
Monday IN October the committee
snail again meet and select one
text book for each branch enumer.
ated IN the curriculum Of the public
schools. The superintendent shall
puDllsh IN a newspaper for three
consecutive weeks the list of the
books adopted, the names of the
publishers, and the price list.
lhe superintendent shall then
enter INTO a written contract with
the publishers of the books ADOPT
ed tor supply of the books at the
rates specified in the price lists;
the books to be used for five wears.
II the committee deem it expedient.
they may provide that half the new
books shall be introduced the first
year and the others the second
year, Pupils not supplied with the
books adopted shall not be taught
IN the public schools, and no other
books shall be used.
lhe trustees of separate school
district shall at the same time
adopt a uniform series OF books
tor the schools in their district
Neither officers, trustees. nor
teachers Of the public schools shall
be interested in the sale of the
hooks.
In consequence of the above law |.
'chool-bool publishers are now
,ery active in Mississippi Besides ,
ne American Book Company (an !
'mal8amahon of five large CON
'erns), there are five or SIX large /
competing firms: and. unless a .
is formed, good terms I
VII likely be secured by the com t
1lttees- All these have agents in t
very part of the State. A large i
umber OF sample books are being \
ent out to superintendents and y
4achers who are likely to be on :
1e textbook committees. .
lhls matter of changing the e
'hool books might be a consid
'abIe item to the school patrons of
ftala county and we trust the
will make no more
langes than are necessary for the :,
eliare and proper progress of the :
.hools. The average price of the :;
hool books used is about fifty =
nts and change of only one =, -
'ok would cost the county $4,000,
ere beng nearly 10000 school - -
ildren in the county. The aver - -,
e pupil requires five books at a 6. g.
st OF So. SO; SO it will be seen -
at an entire change of books
uld cost the county something 70,
e $50, 900 and render valueless Sh
: books already in use. These fir.
ires take no account of cases br,
ere two or more pupils use the wa
ne book. ,e,
'ix publishing houses have al old