Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-28
NAY HAVE THEM YET
STILL CHANCE or GETTING HON.
BOOKS on LIST.
Disappointed Pubiishsrs Accept IN.
situation Gracefully - Am.r,..
Book Company Cannot Sell BooL.
Not ON New List.

There is every reason to believe thor.
will be no harsh criticism or ~,
| State Board OF Education, for no, nj.
ing on the list OF books to be used =.
the public schools more OF the wor,-
brought out by Virginia houses.
II looked as though. when the list wa.
first made public. the labor organlza,,o,.
Of the city would express their dissa,,,
faction and disappointment In the mo-,
decided manner. but reaction has SO,
In. and there is general disposition .,
quietly accept the work OF the board .,
the result OF days Of patient labor a.
which the members were actuated bv On.
most exalted desire TO place in the hand,
Of the children of the State the b..,
books that could be obtained.
SATISFIED WITH THE BoARD
representative OF the firm of r =
johnson & Co., OF this city, whose re,s
ers were rejected by the board. said v..-
terday: We do not question the hon.
esty or the fairness of the board ~,
were treated justly in every way. thoueh
We do not admit their sound judemor,
In leaving out our books. But the matt,
is not finally decided. Only the one "a,
OF readers has been selected, and thsrs
Is good reason 10 believe the board h..
at heart the material interests Of tina
state, and will give us, and give evarv
other Virginia house which presented n.
books for adoption, a fair showing on tbs
list"
The speaker assured tho reporter tina,
these were the sentiments OF every ron.
resentative of Virginia publishers. They
all hope veto get their books on the list
But there is a difficulty In the way
Though the law allows books-readers
for instance by three different authors
to be placed on the list. publishers in
every case stipulate that their books ara
to be furnished at a cheaper price where
they are given exclusive rights There.
fore. a disadvantage in selecting mora
than one textbook is the fact that the
cost TO parents will be greater.
MAY GIVE THEM A PLACE
But there is every reason TO believe
that the board is considering the addl-
ton TO the list OF several books published
by Virginia houses. and there is at least
a possibility OF several OF them belnr
placed there.
1t seems that the American Book Com
pany did not fare even as well as It's
representatives at first supposed IN
stead OF being given practically all the
books as formerly It had o1ly about 10
per cent. Of it's publications placed on
the list, but its representatives derived
comfort from the fact that pupils who
now had it's Biographies, grammars, and
readers would be allowed 10 use them
1t was thought that this company's books
could be purchased in the State for the
periods named.
member OF the board said yesterday
that such a construction OF the boards
ruling was entirely erroneous. The
pupil who-now has the American Book
Company's geography can use il for one
year" he said; "he can use his old Har.
vey's grammar for two years more, he
can use his old McGuffey's reader for
three years. But where new books are
to be purcha sed he must buy those just
adopted by the board. This will necessl-
tate the formation OF some new classes
of course. but II will not work any mate
rial inconvenience.
LIST PRAISED BY EDUCATORS.
There is very general praise Of the list
selected by the board. Professor Pow
hatan Wyndham Robertson, Instructor
in the Public High School in Washing
ton and in the Columbian University.
who is now In the city, said Of the list
yesterday:
Il have carefully examined the list Of
books adopted by the board for use in the
State and do most cheerfully say that |
their decisions excellent"
ate-Superintendent Frank NJ
Smith, of Tennessee. now with sheld0T
& Co, and Professor I. II. Kempton. o.
the Boston University. now with Leach
Shewell & Co., neither OF whom have any
books on the common. school list. speak
In the highest terms OF the work OF the
board. Mr. Smith says no State In the
Union has a better list than the one Just
adopted.
Letters and kilograms from public
school teachers all over the State have
been coming into the department, ex-
pressing the highest commentator OF
the work of the board.