Birmingham state herald., 1896-09-09
THOSE SCHOOL BOOKS.
A Birmingham Bookseller Submits Some Fig ures Relative to the Proposed Change
 and Comments Thereon.
Birmingham, Sept. 8.

Birmingham, Sept s. To the State Herald:
 The question of a change in the text books in the public schools is one of vital importance to every family, and since it has been agitated we have been be- sieged with many inquiries as to what would be done.
 We propose to give you few of the inquiries and our answers to the same, hoping they will bring out something that will tend to the settlement of the question.
 In the first place we have been asked if a change is made what would be the cost to the patrons of the schools. Now, to answer this question we will suppose that the children who attend have to buy the list of school books as used at pres ent (and the prices charged for the pres ent list are lower in Birmingham than in other cities, as will be seen by compari- son). If you will add the cost of books in the seven grammar school grades to the four high school grades and make the average you will see that the average cost per pupil will be about $6 Now this would be the cost of books per pupil IT the change is made and the new list adopted should cost the same as the present one, and each pupil had to buy the full list.
 Multiply the number or DuD1lS alleliu- ing the schools (3500) by $6 and you will see the cost will be $20,0O0 for the books the first year of the change. Our ex- perence in the book business for more than five years in Birmingham has taught us that when no change is made the pupils do not have to buy more than one-half the list, having half already on hand.
 Now this amount of books on hand valued at S10,0O0 new, would be taken in exchange by the publishers at $400O, if taken in the usual exchange way. Four thousand dollars from $20,0OO leaves $l6,- 000 the cost of books to the people the first year the change is made. The cost will continue each year to be greater than with the present books in use.
 We are told that the books to be adopt ed cannot be had at second hand. This being the case the $lO,00o worth to be bought each year will cost $10,000, but with the present books the $10,000 worth can be bought second hand for $6000 so that we will have an annual cost of $l0,- 900 instead of $6000 as at present. Six thousand dollars from $16,000 will show an extra cost to the people of $10,000 the first year the change Is made, and as shown above these books will cost $4000 extra each succeeding year. This extra cost, which is a considerable sum, will all leave the city.
 In the second place, we have been ask eu as to the GCldllNe merits or LHp DUOkS to be adopted over those in present use. In reply to this, we will say that we have not seen the new list, as 1t has not been exposed: and besides, we will not, in this connection, attempt to discuss the rela- tive merits Of the books.
 Third, we have been asked why this whole matter has been kept a secret. We must say in reply to this that we do not understand the secrecy business. We have been told that meeting was held some time in June, and that a slate" rep resenting the changes to be made was pre- pared, and that the information was given to three booksellers of Birming- ham, but with the solemn injunction not to give away any information. We talk ed with one of the board of education last week, and he said that the slate" as prepared would go through. We asked him why should not all the booksellers have the list. His answer was that we sold second-ha books. We told him we also SOLD NEW BOOKS, but we failed to get the list.
 We will venture an opinion that this SC. cret business means something. II MEANS TO PUT THE CHANGES INTO EFFECT REGARDLESS OF THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE, and il DOES plainly discriminate in favor ol certain bookstores in the city.
 We pay license to sell books, and nc one paid the special school tax more cHeellulN ana mere WllllnEly tnan we did, but stlll we are deprived of a public school list that has been in the hands of our competitors more than two months We are guilty of the crime CD of selling secondhand books to people who want ed to buy them and have thus deprived other dealers of selling new books at al- most double the cost. This is the only reason given why we should not have the list, and we do not see why the public should not have the information also. After all. this whole burden will fall upon the people, and in times like these. when there are many people in Birmingham scarcely able to buy bread, to say noth- ing of school books, we think the most rigid economy should be allowed.
 Many other questions have been asked us, but we will say no more this time Very respectfully,
 JOHN M. WEBB,
 Manager Webb Book Company,
 202o Second avenue.