New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-02
HOLT BOOKS EXCLUDED.
KEPT OUT OF THE LISTS AFTER A
PROTRACTED FIGHT

NEI otl 'f HE LISTS Ar Elk
PROTRACTED FIGHT.
COMMITTEE Of HIGH SCHOOLS FILES a
LETTER GIVING ITS REASONS FOR IT'S
DIsAPPROvAL OF THE FIRMS
PUBLICATIONS
Tho Board Of Education for the boroughs Of
Manhattan and The Bronx held a protracted meet
Ing yesterday afternoon. The Board did not meet
until o'clock hour after the prescribed time.
and then started almost Immediately into the dis
cusson o; the old epiihet Of educational mas'o-
don applied President Joseph J. Little
some months ago. and Of the phrase easily in
fuenced by the cohesive power OF public plumber
applied to the Board in general The terms were
printed IN educational paper entitled the "Edn-
cational Rev.ew." published by Henry Holt & 20.
The matter was lately introduced at meeting
OF the Board two weeks ago. when in a casual way
Commissioner birmingham introduced a resolution
asking that the Committee High Schools should
give reason why several books published by
Henry Holt & CO. were dropped from list o;
books recommended for the high schools Al that
time the two lists submitted were laid over for
future consideration
Al the meeting yesterday the c. ..miitee on
High Schools reported that both lists should be ap-
proved as they stood This Immediately aroused
! Commissioner birmingham. who added an amend
ment that the Holt books should be placed on the
/ list This started a general debate which became
more heated when the High School Committee
handed in a letter giving its reasons for dropping
the Holt books The letter signed by three mem
| hers OF the commitice-Gcorge VI. Van Hoesen'
chairman; Vernon VI Davis and John 3 Harrison
| The other two Commissioners-Lee and la1'-re-
/ fused sign il. The letter IS as follows:
the resolution offered ay Mr. Burlin CHAM on octo-
Der H. hegs report IT'S reasons for not appr9N,ns
/ its approval Tho books IN quest on We're published
/ by company which had heretofore in perioalc,al
members u this Board were easily influence ~
Ne cohesive power o. public pIqnaer ana W.' H.
| the damaging character Of the accusdron ftif'-o
mat i va. mo worse tn4n one mus snes into
are Fin poiit.cs and that it is proper Therefore 10
accuse them Of unworthy and dishonest motives for
judgment Of the committee most unfair. un-Ameri-
and one ~ actual hostility 10 the public school
/ system Under these circumstances, the committee
when books that could meet tho wants Of the
schools just a. Well could re ootainei , lt"l 80.
mittee Of The Board Of superinendents was present
at the meeting Of the committee as well as the p'es
70 him the Superintendent whether the books IN
question were superior 10 any one's puuT 'ss ,bot
the same subjects by other houses ne IeplsI ,.a'
be could NOT say that they were. The superinien-
line Of business as well adapted 90 the purposes or
our schools as are those that We're stricken from
Your committee recognizes the fact that rs du-
tes are III 'ne 15or all cfcirnssances books
mat are best suited 10 the wants % teachers and
marv nviiiebers - schooihooks that the standard
Of the publications is generally high. and that
dinous textbooks thar glut the market. Where
/ books ~ equal standing m the estimation or eNpe-
! harm is likely 10 result % the public from the
choice NJ one in preference 70 the others That j.
assure The cornmittee that books OF equal merit
can be obtained on terms as i"Torau.e X, ir
jury therefore. has resulted or can result 10 me
81 course. it cannot be pretended that any any
dealer has just cause = Complaint because Sc. MS
him so man has q legal or moral right 70 com
! pei another 20 buy his COOS. even though ne II
! prepared 10 furnish article equal IN quality 10
and no greater IN price than the article offered oy
The committee feels that It's action IS entirely
within the Ines that bound the duties of trustees,
and that L. had and has discrst ZION ID serc'ns
limited only by the obligation to that the pub
iic and the pupils sustained no detriment.
The report had no sooner been read than Com
! missioner Davis made a motion that u be approved
as read and adopted. Commissioner birmingham
made an amendment that n be received and pub
lished leaving out ali thought Of approval The
onposition then began vigorous and bitter at
/ tack On the report, and Commissioner Lee sara
/ that r. was questionable whether the BOOKS coud
I Doe obtained elsewhere lie -Nitifl 9'i'D ''''~-
! no. be- the boast q the Board that publishers are
/ siscrininated against. II do 50 the dignity u
rho Board is descending. and for that reason, and
that alone. oppose the report
Commissioned Taft added that he also Opposed
/ -he report He declared The question was an on
,ireiv impersonal matter bur that il had not been
treated as such He demanded further inyestga-
ton and Information on the subject before voting
/ in IT'S favor
commissioner Birmingham made bitter attack
on the report. and said. The committee does no'
have the interest q the schools al heart when Il
makes such report We are not the tools OF
booksellers and their political adherents and must
no. b.. Because this publisher dd not apoiosize
as was thought III by the members Of the Board,
We aye irving 20 discipline him"
J President Little then called Comm isSioner i'l'h-
] s~d-or ID the chair and took the noOT lie un-
rolled long typewriter sprr uI'e0S l T h,
! the purchase Of the books. IT, II Pc S.'il- nave
/ no apology 10 offer FOR suggesting thar II thr9'
/ books were not necessary o. me GOOD oi inc sys-
tom they Be ioken from the ISL ,. -
The vote VAS finally taken on the amenineAt ol
/ commissioner RurilnEhan which was defeated ny
=. ~ The vote was then taken on me pass" sr
~ the letter and ITS approval and was carried py
tho same vote The same members opposing
Tho lists o. books that had been approved were
then offered for approval. and 'oIninles oAff f-l-
iirgham tired 20 tack OF bis list Of books too n-t
Va fefearei The list ~ books went through.
arpoin.ea John r McKe9na' OF 30 iss' East
/ f.r1-ave. am Inspector 70 H4l an 1ifAf''rN
! Following the open meeting OF the Board there
/ was executive meeting 70 consioer me AZ
/ Visibility of appointing married woman 70 NJ
/ eligible list II was finally decided that no more
| married women whose husbands are living would
Tbe board adjourned at O'Clock after a three
hours session.