The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-06
TEXTBOOK
RAID HAS
DEVELOPED
Parents of School Children
Now at the Mercy
Of the Ring.
The COMMUNITY Is INDIGNANT.
Adroit Methods Employed to
Place the New Books in
the Schools.
TRIBUTE OF $225,OOO Is DEMANDED.
States Discarded for Paper Pads-A
TRIBUTE OF $225,OOO Is DEMANDED.
States Discarded for Paper Pads-A
Devil Behind Bags-Clever Color
Scheme of an 0oulist.

The text book ring has at last got in its
work on the School Department of San
Francisco. Since the opening of the
schools last Monday the parents of chill
dren have been astounded at the demands
for money to buy new books. Some out
lay is always figured on incident to the
advancement of pupils from one grade to
another, but it has been many years since
parents have been called upon to put up
coin for books as they have been this
week.
a prominent business man on Sansome
street said to a CALL reporter yesterday:
IL have two children in school and it will
cost me 81 to buy books required by the
recent changes ordered by the Board of
Education. A gentleman named Wilson
was in my office to-day and he said it
would cost $l2 to ouy the books which
three of his children must have"
Many statements of similar character
were made IN all sections of the City yes
terday. 1t was reported to THE CALL that
one parent had to expend $l4 for the
books which the new rule required his
children to produce. To say that the
parents are indignant conveys but slight
storm of angry remonstrance Is sure to
break over the heads of the School Direc-
tors, who are responsible for this outrage
on the comm unity.
A history of the methods by which old
books were cast aside and new books in
troduced shows that the solid nine in the
board, backed by the agents of the pub
fishing houses, resorted 10 cunning tricks.
II ont he 70 o6u
tse for books was rejected by the board,
on the proper ground that no changes OF
a general character were required. This
action of the boaru lulled the public into
sense Of security. While the public
N ind was at rest the friends of the ring
in the board began system of gradual
change.
Bailey's Mental Arithmetic new to
the department, has been introduced for
use in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and
eighth grades. The cost is 40 cents, but
the Board of Education quotes il 80 cents.
This is one of the pigeons of the Ameri
can Book Company, OF which Fred Ca mp
bell. formerly of the Alameda School De-
partment, is agent.
Swinton's new Word Analysis" cost
ing 40 cents, is another new kiuk intro
duced. 1t has a fine sweep from The
fourth to the eighth grade inclusive. 1t
is another pigeon of the American Book
Com pany. Parents who innocentIy fancy
that only one grade is affected will have
that sweet delusion dispelied when they
ascertain the full sweep of the raid.
Heart Culture" is new and II is daisy
in its way. Mr.. Waibel, who keeps the
bookstore on Mission street, near Twen-
ty-second, could have sold thousand
books on the culture OF the heart if he
had had them in stock yesterday. Young
sters were running all over the City to
get the book. Parents may rest assured
that it will get here. The expense Will
not be less than % cents and it may be 80
cents. Should any parents fancy thas
heart culture is to be neglected or lightly
passed over THE CALL can assured them
that the book which the Board of Educa-
tion has introduced is in four parts. The
first part Is for pupils OF the second grade,
the second part Tor the third grade, the
third part for the fourth grade and the
fourth par for the fifth grade. The
Whitaker & Ray Company represent this
charming publication.
Parents appreh nding that olt-fash-
toned writing books are to be retained
may rest assured that change is in store
and the old books may be cast aside. The
Amer can system OF YER ical writing goes
out, and H. S. Croker 81 Co Is pared
to supply the children with California
system. 1t is said in justification of this
change that the pupils will not be put to
additional expense, but the dealers who
have quantities of the old style on hand
are not blessing the board to-day.
Some books which are not new to the
department have been introduced in GER
tain grades. For example, in the sixth
grade: Swinton's Word Analysis is
new to the department and the State
advanced arithmetic is new to the grade;
Balley's Mental Arithmetic" is new TO
the department and the State advanced
geography is new to the grade; Wagner's
Pacific History Stories" is new to the
grade. The price, is 60 cents for the his
tory. Last evening we'll known dealer
told THE CALL that the book could be SUD-
piled at profit for % cents.
The eighth grade ha~ Dole's American
Citizen" costing 81. This is said to be
new to the department. Perhaps the
ghtA grade Is being used as a TRY ON
Bryant q STATIONS Common school
Bookkeeping is classed as new. 1t costs
80 cents.
Some new-fangled notions in mechani-
cal drawing and music books have been
introduced. The Increased expense is not
given al the present time, but the parents
OF school children will ascertain the
amount later on when they are called
upon to foot the bills. 1t was stated YES
terday at the Office OF the secretary OF the
Board OF Education that no new music
WAS W ue lHtToouceu. Inc secretary salu
The Heart Culture" Swinton's "Wora
Analysis, a new drawing book ana Bal
ley's "Mental Arithmetic" were the only
new features.
There is a widespread inference that
some OF the principals are doing a little
work on the side to help along the ring.
The gentle oculist is in the j 10 up 10 hi
eyes. lie holds that paper pad and pad s
of d sweet baby blue shoald be used IN
stead of states. The oculist has converted
he Superintendent to the use of pads.
but Webster at last accounts had refused
to draw the color line on the new pads
1t crops out, nevertheless. that Myself &
Rollins make lovely pad with lust the
correct shade of blue and that Its merits
have been presented to all the principals
by an enterprising lady in the service of