Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-01-02
Governor O'Ferralls Answer to the
School Book Charges.
[Speclal DISPATCH to The Baltimore Snn.


SPECIAL Dispatch to the Baltimore SUM-
RICHMOND, VA, December 29.-Gov-
ernor O'Ferrall and Attorney General
Scott, two of the members of the board
of public Instruction, to night gave to
the press statement in reply to the
charges by the Norfolk Pilot that cor
rupt methods were used in awarding
the contract for school books 70 the
American Book Company John E.
Massey, superintendent of public in
strnction. did not join in signing the
card, for the reason that he proposes
to seek redress from the courts.
The Governor and attorney general,
after quoting the headlines in the arti
Gle and mentioning the facts that it
was not signed, say:
This article charges that the public
school book list for 1894 was adopted
by the board of education with indie
cent and unseemly haste, and of the
previous book list (1S9O) says: The
archamber list-of March % was re
vised, and the last OF May or the first
of June, 1892, the university books
were put back.
The board of education met on the
18th day of March, 1894, at the Office of
Oiit vi puDllC lUSbfuc-
tiou. When this board met to perform
like duty in 1871 its meeting was held
on the 9th day of February; 1878, in
March % and June T. OF these seven
meetings three were held in March,
one in February, one in May and one
June. The 1890 book list was adopt
ed March % and June 4. Can the most
sensitive and fastidious person proper
ly apply the articles strong language
to either board
The article says: There must be an
investigation. Not an investigation
by a committee appointed by the Gov
ernor, because such a committee must
necessarily pass upon the Governors
official negligence, to say the least of
it,
The construction placed upon the
constitution by the board, composed
of Governor Lee, superintendent Buch
anan and Attorney General Ayers, was
this: There can,be but one book list.
Every four years list is adopted.
School uperintendents for cities aud
counties were called upon to express to
the board their views, offer sugges
tions and criticize the books in USE"
Extracts from the reports of the
county and city superintendents are
here given, aud almost without eXcep
tion they show that no change in the
books was desired. Upon this evil
dence, the card says, the hook-list was
adopted.
The statement goes on to deal with
the Pilots charges as to the contract
and says:
1.-The form to this contract had been
in use for years, its every stipulation,
term and condition had been agreed
upon and determined by the parties
and it only remained to write out what
had been agreed and submit the same
to the Governor for his approval and
signature. and who should do this was
a matter of no consequence. When
reduced to writing and signed by the
Governor the contract had on it the
terms, ETC., as agreed between the par
ties to it-then and now believed to be
for the good of the community and the
discreet, proper and honest exercise of
the authority and power entrusted by
the constitution and laws of Virginia
to the board of education. The rec
ords of the board are kept open to
inspection, as the law directs. They
are in the custody of their secretary,
J. A. McGilvray, efficient, industrious,
kind and courteous. He is ready and
prompt to make copies of papers and
exhibit the minutes, contracts and
other papers to any and all who come
to him with authority from the board
or any member Of it~'Wttdat more car
objectionable man ask?
Mr. Massey is known throughout
the State. He has served with distinc
/ nd in No
| bly,, with ability managed the audi
tors office, filed the high place Of
Lieutenant-Govern and is now serv
ing his second term as superintendent
OF public instruction This long anC
varied service to the wealth
should have protected him from an as
sault through the columns of a news
paper, instigated by whom he knows
not. Mr.. Massey met the charges pre-
| ferred by State Senator Flood in the
| Senate, session of 1S91-'92, and was IN
harmed After quoting from section
1472 of the code, the penalty for any
school officer who takes money or Other
reward for his influence in securing
contracts for any school supply, the
| card closes as follows:
"In the light of day, go before the
grand inquest of the country, make
your accusation and take the conse
quepces. Do not stab in the dark"
The American Book Company, OF
| New York, has sent the following here
for publication:
We have read the sensational arti
Gle published in the Norfolk Pilot OF
Sunday last charging the State board
of education of Virginia and our rep
resentative with wholesale bribery
and corruption in connection with the
adoption of school text books for the
State and awarding contracts for the
supply of the same. The proper tri
bunal to investigate such charges is a
court of the Commonwealth of Virgin
ia, and we shall only trespass on your
space at this time to say that every
material charge, SO far as it affects
this company or its representatives its
dealings or its methods is misleading,
false and libelous, and we assure the
people of Virginia that the falsity of
these charges and their libelous char
acter will be fully established by suits
which will be instituted at once"