The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-28
SCHOOL BOOK FIGHT
One Phase Before the Raleigh
School Board Yesterday.
MAURYS OR FRYE's 2
The Arguments Against Dis
placing Books Now in Use.
University Publishing Co. and CHM and
Co. CoIIide--The Preliminary Fight
for Position Now Being Made
in the State

~ VIE S'teNtCs
The city school Board held a meet
ing yesterday,
They met at four o'clock yesterday
afternoon.
1t was a special meeting of the Board,
called to consider one phase of the
textbook question.
A proposition has been before the
Board to displace Maury's Geogra-
plies in the graded school, and sub
btitute for them Frye's Biographies.
The Board met to hear the argu-
ment against the proposal to change
the books.
Capt. w. b. Kendricz, State Agent of
the University Publishing Company,
and his counsel, Mr.. G. NJ. Busbee and
Mr.. r. ii. Battle, were present.
Capt. Kendriek made a long and eN-
haustiye argument, on the merits of
Maury's Biographies, and the impro-
priety of displacing a Southern book
by Southern author for Northern
publication Of the class Of Frye $
books.
'Frye's Biographies, said Capt
Kendrick, "do the South a great i'm
Justice; and are i'm many particulars
altogether erroneous. The Captain
cited as illustrations the statements
in one of the series that Raleigh was
| the largest cotton market in the State,
and that Wilmington exported tobacco
very large. These are" sand Capt.
KendricS, "only samples of the errors
| I'm the book" He also said that the
Board ought not to displace a geogra-
| ply which had been used for great
many years without adverse criticism
| from ANYBODY, and which was written
| bv one of the greatest men the South
has ever produced, Commodore Mat
| thew #. Maury) in favor of a New Eng
land book, which either ignored or
| misrepresented the South, and which
was written by man of whom nobody
/ had ever heard.
Mr.. G. NJ Busbee and Mr.. r. III. Bat
tie also addressed the Board against
turning down Maury's Biographies in
the Raleigh schools.
The members of the Board indicated
| their purpose to make thorough per-
| sonaI examination of the two books
before coming to a final decision.
The representatives of CHM, and
| Company publishers Of Frye's Geogra-
ply, were not present at the meeting
AROUND THE STATE.
The school-book fight is getting live
| lv, and the different publishing compa-
/ MES are laying their lines and plant
| ing their batteries all around the State
The American Book Company, the
/ University Publishing Company and
| the other houses whose books are now
on the State List and are being used
| i'm the public schools are striving t.
| hold their own, while CHM and Com
| pany and the other houses that have
before been left out in the cold are
| hustling for a place in the State.
Mr.. John w. Thackston, State Agent
for the American Book Company, Col
| Eugene Harrell, State agent for CHM
and Company; Capt w. B. Kendrick
State agent for the University Publish
| ing Company, are travelling through
| the State In the interest OF the houses
| they represent.
Each company has number Of
/ lieutenants that are also at work
| Many Of these special agents are men
| OF prominence i'm the political and edu-
/ cational circles Of the State. The yari-
| Gus combinations are bringing 7&any
| influences to bear on the situation:
and a good many dollars are floating
into the State on account of the dis
turbed condition of things.
And this is only the prelude to the
/ grand, sweet song that will be heard
before June, when the Commissioners
nail up the list of books they have
| selected.
The change from State adoption to
| county adoption of textbooks viii cost
the publishers some long cash, and
worry uncomputed.
1t seems to be a case of nip and
/ tuck, and the devil take the hindmost."
And each one is determined to keep
| up with the band-wagon.
| tn HtIPE q mi n IN ONE nav