The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-05-04
BOOKS FOR SCHOOLS
The Commission, in Session in Helena,
Considering ihs Bills.
MANY AGENTS IN THE FIELD
Officers Elected and Business 10
Taken Up With a WilI-Repre-
sentatIves OF Book Concerns
Present Their Claims.
MANY AGENTS IN THE FIELD
Special Dispatch TO the standard.

Special Dispatch TO the Standard.
Helena. May a-The state textbook
commission. whose duty IL will be to se-
lect all the books TO he used In the public
schools of Montana for the next six years,
met this afternoon in the ONCE of the SUI
perintendent OF public instruction. The
full commission. composed OF the follow
ing, was present: State Superintendent OF
Public Instruction f. A. Carleton, Attor-
ney General c. h. Nolan OF Helena; Rev.
James Reid. president OF the agricultural
college at Bozeman; Professor Oscar L
Craig. president OF the state university
at Missoula: NJ. A. Stspleton. superintend-
ent of the Anaconda public schools; J. q.
Mckay, principal OF the Butte High
school, and Il. o. Busenberg. superintend-
ent of the public schools OF Glendive. The
last ihree-named members OF the board
were appointed by the governor. The 9TH
crs wer. named as members by the act
creating the commission and defining Its
duties.
The board has an important work before
1t and may not he able to adjourn before
the end OF the week. There are several
hundred candidates for places ON the list
to be selected and II will necessarily take
the commission considerable time TO con-
slider the merits OF the various books Of
fered. Since the passage of the act Great
ing the commission and providing for
uniform textbooks In the public schools
of the state. which was the first bill pre-
sented In the house at the recent session
of the legislature. the state superintendent
OF public instruction and the attorney
general have received several hundred
xt-books. embracing books In every
branch taught In the common and high
schools of the state. Almost every book
publishing house In the country has pre-
sented books for the consideration OF the
textbook commission.
The law creating the commission makes
II It's duty TO select "A complete list Of
books and enter into contracts with the
firms publishing them for sale IN this
state at the lowest wholesale Chicago
prices. There Is great rivalry for the con-
tracts. for the successful houses will have
"A monopoly OF the school book business In
Montana. Every public school In the state
will be compelled to use only the books Sc
lected by the commission. The contracts
will extend for period Of six years from
Sept. /, 1887. The houses TO whom con-
tracts may be awarded will DE required to
furnish bonds for the faithful performance
OF their part OF the obligation. The bonds
must be filed with the secretary OF state
by July |, 1885,, and must be for one-half
OF tue Vhiue OF ,he DOCKS 10 oe iurhisheu'
III IN one year from Jniy the house OF
houses 10 whom contracts nave peen
awarded fail In any particular TO perform
tneir part OF the contracts the contracts
VIII ne rescinoeu ana the commission WIN
advertise Tor bids 10 supply the BOOKS
that We're TO have peen supplied py the
publishing mouse faiiing 10 comply win
the terms OF the contract.
All the leading Textbook puoishins
houses IN the United states are represent
ed IN ftieha by agents fach OF the
agents Will De given an audience with the
commission when the merits OF the books
advanced by MIN Will be presented. some
OF the agents nave been on the ground
since the UNIFORMITY Dill was passed by
the hfth legislature. captain X. l.. Ed
wards, representing the American BOOK
company, the largest textbook puoiisbing
mouse IN the country mas perhaps been III
the field longer than any other agent.
Other publishing house REPRESENTATIVES, III
the capital Just now are: L. w. ellison OF
Shicago ana montana Agent W. w. Wyne,
OF Bozeman, representing CHM TO. OF
chicago; captain W. A. Bowman. repre-
senting Rand. McNaiiy a co. OF chicago;
a. Z. Newili OF butte, resident agent Tor
j. X.