The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-08

tive of Cunning ham, Curtiss & WEIGH was
in the first class.
When the frst.named firm sought to
get the inside track the Superintendent
was asked to recon bank-note ia blets,
which he declined to do but told the
solicitor that he would commend blue
paper, provided the two oculists of the
department and two mem bers of tie
medical profession sh Juld give written
Endorsement that blue was good for the
vision. The solicitor got the required
statement in writing, which made the
blue good if II was not good before.
Myself & Rollins Immediately communl.
caied the facts OF the Endorsement TO the
principals, and some clever work was done
IN advertising the blue pad with picture
of The dog on the cover. Cunningham,
Curhss d WEIGH at once got out blue
tablet generous in its quantity of paper
and fully up 10 the standard shade OF
color, and this pad was called bank parch-
ment
1t is prettily named blue Balls" and
the picture on the cover of pretty woman
fondllng child makes it quite as attract
i've 10 the young idea as the dog pictures
on the banknote pad.
Yesterday it was explained how princi-
pals stand in with the dealers and convey
trade to the establishments of their liking.
For example, blankbooks are to be used
and a principal fanCies one which con-
aims 100 pages. She tells the childrsn to
get book of that k nd obtaining that
mum Der OF pages, each page being num-
bered. The child goes to the first book
store and inquiries for a blank book OF 12O
pages. The dealer has none of that exact
number of pages, but he has others equally
as good. Presently one of the pupils finds
store where the book of 100 pages is
kept, and word is soon passed from one
to another where the desired article can
be had.
The law provides expressly that teachers
must not recommend the purchase OF any
particular article not EN- braced in the
course of study or prescribed for use by
the Board OF Education. Penalty for vio-
laton OF the law is six months in jail and
fine of $500. The Superintendent hears
that the law has Ueen violated recently
and is about to make an investigation.
Solicitors have been so busy and persist
enL that teachers have become interested
in the contest for school trade. Protests
against their conduct have been filed in
the office of the Superintendent.
at the next meeting of the Board oil
Education the Sup rintendent will submit
a statement bearing on the recent changes
in the course of study.
Where contracts do not exist some mod.
itications may be made. There is no con.
tract with the Whitaker d Ray Co. fol-
Heart Culture or Harr .Wagner's Stories
In fact the last named book was not
added to the course by the board, but as
nearly as can be ascertained was intro
duced in the sixth grade by direction O.
the Superint, nient.
Inquiry in various quarters yesterday
leads to the belief that the textbook Job
was Matched in Sacramento last winter
1t was then supposed that the veto of the
appropriation for maintaining the State
Printing Office would open the way fol
the book-rlng to control everything ir
sight, but the managers of the scheme
did not know that the State printer cou
find some way to supply the State.books
School Directors in the service
OF the ring have gone further thar
they fancied they we're foing. Several
are preparing to hedge in the face of the
angry remonstrance from thousands Of
! people The next session Of the board
will give some of the ringsters au oppor.
tunlty to explain their positions on the
subject. An attempt may be made te
throw the responsibility on the Superin-
tendent and to plead ignorance of ole
contracts with the American Book Com
| pany. The wrath of thousands of out
ragged parents is not what the ringsters ex.
pected to encounter.