The record-union., 1896-01-07

1 1t stands cost the State about $4,000,
has it?" asked the Governor.
NO" said Mr.. Raymond, about 81
000 think
| do I understand" asked the Gov
ernor, that this book has all been
printed and the type distributed, and
that the book will have to be set up
again finally? Is that process gone
through and expense ever incurred by
private publishers?"
Yes" replied Mr.. Raymond, cit has
been done with every book with which I
have had anything to do, either State or
private. I did it with the Bancroft
Readers, and they were not men to
throw away money unnecessarily. I
have examined a number of similar
proofs which were sent to me by other
publishers for my criticism. I have also
done it with every book published by
the State"
Professor Pierce said that his expert
ence showed him that graduates of the
public and high schools have very little
practical and thorough knowledge of
the English language. He would like
to ask Professor Lange if he thought a
grammar could be constructed that
would give them that knowledge.
| Professor Lange thought it could, if
| his suggestions were carried out He
could not give the Governor any idea of
how long the revision of the book on
the line of his ideas would require His
criticism, he would say, had been fully
as severe when examining the work as
it was at present, but he had not criti-
cised the book on the linos of philology
and pedagogy. He had never taught
grammar in its elementary form.
The Governor asked if the law of 1893
did not provide for the revision of the
readers and the compilation of a his
tory. He would like to know if there
was no difference between compiling
and revision.
Mr.. Raymond said that he understood
compilation to refer to a book of a kind
that had not been before printed, and
revision to relate to the old books that
had been in use. He did not think it
necessarily meant that the book should
only be changed little. The board CO.
incided in his idea, at least they knew
what he was doing, and made no OBJ
lection to it, He had done it, as he un-
derstood it, under their direction
Professor Penne1l said that it had
been the judgment of the board that it
would be useless to attempt to work
over the material of the old readers
which were unfit for the schools.
Professor Pierce said the same was
true of the grammar.
The Governor said that the law used
the word revise" The old law COM
PEELED the State to accept the old read
| ers. 1t did not provide for new read
ers, but only for a cutting out of the
| bad articles. Tt was for the reason that
these new books have been made that
the scheme of State textbooks is in
disfavor
IF you gentlemen had gone to the
Legislature and told it that the State
books were a failure and you wanted
an appropriation to make some new
ones, do you think you would have Sc
cured it?"
1--WE do not consider them a failure ."
said Professor Chi1ds. But if we want
books that will suit the people and the
teachers, we need to make new books,
as the old ones are not suitable
| President Kellogg said that he was
not member of the board when the
revision was commenced and was there
fore an impartial judge. The law pro-
vided for five books or less on the re-
vision and provided for their expan-
sion. Only four books had been made.
The Governor said the law stated
that the readers were to be revised
and printed in five volumes or less,
but did not authorize making new
books.
I'VE considered 1t would be as cheap
to make new books as to vamp over
tn old ones, and then have poor books, -
said Professor Pierce.
But you are trustees for the State, to
carry out its laws, and yet you make
laws for yourselves" said the Gov
ernor. 81 am astonished that the heads
of three of the highest schools in the
State should disregard the law. The
State Printer told me that the books
were not being reprinted. but new
books made"
Professors Pierce and Childs both
said that the work was not to their
liking, as they were not bookmakers,
but the law had laid the work on the
State Board. They thought it should
have been laid on a committee.
Secretary Of State Brown submitted
a report on the whole subject of the
cost of textbooks. He said in explana-
ton of the fact that the revolving fund
was so low, that the first $4,000 of the
geography sold at 81 O2, when it's cost
was 81 45. He explained how the price
of the books was fixed on an estimate
of the sales for eight years, and that
the first edition was always sold be-
low cost, while the last editions sold for
considerably more, the whole sales dur
ing the period being equal to the whole
cost, while the bulk of the cost fell on
the first edition
The Governor asked James Denman,
who was present if he knew how pri-
vate publishers fixed the cost Of books,
and was answered that the method was
similar to that of the State, being esti-
mated on a term of years. Some books
published, which only have q short run,
are estimated at one year, school books
at eight to ten. In regard to the revis-
ion of the Bancroft readers, which he
did, few Of the pieces were used again,
but the books were practically written
again. The meaning given to the word
revise" by the dictionary and by pub
fishers was greatly different.
The Governor said that this revision
had thrown out large number of
books and rendered the old plates use
less.
Professor Pierce said that the waste
Of books was not the fault of the board.
The State Printer who occupied the po-
sition before the present one had in
sisted on printing large editions of
books without being ordered to do so by
the board, and told them it was none of
their business, as. it was his duty to see
that there were always plenty of books
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