Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-01-17
SCHOOL BOOK DEPOSITORY.

zone of the main objects III calling!
meeting of public school trustees" said
School Commissioner Shurley, when ask
ed about the matter on yesterday, "is to
see if we cannot do something to facilitate
the opportunities of the children to get
school books and to cheaper their cost"
"And what is your plan?"
81 think it can be done by means of
depository. AS you are no doubt aware,
the State board has long since agreed
upon standard system Of books for use
in the public schools; but this system
has not been generally adopted, and if l
am to trust my experience in regard to
the matter, I think 1 know some of the
reasons why.
"In the first place, the fault lies partly
with the teachers. There being nothing
compulsory about the matter, the selection
of books is left to the teachers. Each
individual teacher is naturally partial to
the books that he or she studied while at
school, and. as the result, with every
change of teacher, there is, to agreater or
less extent, change of books. Under
such conditions, anything like regular
system is impossible, and the tax on the
parents of the children is consequently
very heavy.
'Then there is another drawback.
Some school books sell well, others don't
sell quite so well, and still others don't
sell at ALL" and consequently with the
business in the hands of private parties,
r;1x n
prices sometimes. Don't understand me
to mean any reflection. 1t takes pretty
steep investment to keep up full and
complete line Of school books, and on
business principles, the bookseller is COM
PEELED to make the profits on the books
that sell easy, pay the losses OH such as
are left on his hands. He is not to be
blamed, of course, and it is quite clear
that the only hope for remedy lies in the
adoption of recognized standard system
of books and the establishment Of de-
pository.
"While I realize the existing evils, L
also realize that I am powerless to do
anything without the help of the legisla-
ture, and want to advise with the school
trustees to see if, in their opinion, the
legislature should be asked for help. Ii
the trustees think that the ideas of adopt
ing a regular system Of books and estao-
fishing a depository are good, have
every reason to believe that the legislature
can be induced to help US out"
"How would the proposed depository be
managed ?"
THAT, I think, will be simple enough.
There are several good plans. One would
be to arrange with some bookseller to
have charge of the sale of school books for
the whole county, on reasonable COM
mission, that would enable him to furnish
the books to the children at much less
price than is now being charged, and il 1t
should be found desirable, he might have
branch depots at convenient centres. 10
ensure good faith, the booksellers can be
put under bond, and also under the super
vision and responsible to the school COM
sioner and the county board OF examin-
ers. If the matter cannot be arranged
this way, 1 see nothing to hinder putting
the depository in the office OF the school
commissioner, and letting that official
have charge Of the whole business With
such restrictions as may seem desirable to
secure the best results.
"Where is the money to come from ?"
"I have thought of that too, and the
question offers no difficulty. five adopt
and require the use Of the various books
that have been adopted by the State board,
T ;,Eo Il l,nt
made whereby the publishers will be
glad to allow them to be sold III the county
depository on commission, and at a price
that will be lower than has ever been
made to the users of books before.
"Of COURSE" concluded Mr.. Shurley,
"there may be serious objections to the
scheme; but do not see them, and that
is another reason why want the school
trustees to meet and discuss the whole
matter. If the trustees approve, we Will
Just go ahead and try to do something"
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