The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-17
PUBLICATION BY STATE.
Text Bssk Board Deems Il InsdvlssbIe Il
This Tine.
AN EXPERIMENT or STATE UNIFORMITY
Should BE Conducted Under the Pres.
emit system Until n Has been
Thorou9hly Testea.

Austin. Texas January 16.-zThc follow
Ing message from the governor was read
In both houses this morning;
To the Senate and House az Represents
tlvcs
Executive Office. Austin, January IL,
1S9e.-The State text book board has Just
submitted to me a report required by Sec
tion 15, chapter 1874, acts OF the regular
session OF the Twenty-fifth legislature. Z
copy Of which is transmitted for your in
formation. G. A. Culberson.
To His Exccllency. @. A. Culbefson. Gov
crnor.
Austin. Texas January lo--Dear Sir:
We, the State text book board. In com
pliance with section Is. chapter 164, nets
of the regular session OF the Twenty nsth
Legislature, the same being the uniform
text book law. submit TO ydu the following
.tion Of common school text books;
The State superintendent. acting for this
board. sent the following questions to all
the State superintendent OF the United
states. .
1, Has your State uniform series Of
text books2 Nh
:. las your State hal any experience
In State publication of text booksy 1t so,
please state whether favorable or unfa-
yorablc.
s. DO you think State publication adyis-
able?
Please send any printed matter you may
have concerning State publication.
Replies TO these questions were received
from the superintendents OF large num-
third questio& the answaV were no, OK
cept as follows: Till: Is
The superintendent of public instruction
OF Florida answered no to the first ard
second questions, and to the third replied:
Yes, If the proper men are at the helm. :
The superintendent OF public instruction
of Vermont replied mo- to the first and
second questions, and to tho third ques-
ton he replied: Under certain condi-
tions.,
The superintendent OF pulic instruction
OF California replied as follows: To the
first question, yes" to the second ques-
tion. Yes. The cost OF publication and
printing Is excessive and the character
of the product--the substance Is meii-
OGRE" 70 the third question he replied,
No" He also sent copy of tho seven
teenth biennial report OF the State, which
contains much Information In reference to
the experiment OF State publication. The
experiment was begun in that State In 1885.
The State appropriated for this purpose,
from 1885 to 1895. $i7S, 505.47; of tho funds
received for the sale of hooks, there has
been used In paying the expenses of pub
fishing text books 1894. 74s.S6, making .
total expended in publishing text books
Of 81 ,67S, 254.S3.
The receipt from the sale OF books, with
the value OF nnsold books and material on
hand, amount to $767.s3t.31. This IL $685.
32s32 less than the total outlay. The
State has printing plant valued by the
State printer at $1S9, 3S0.47, which, sub
tracted from the $305.323,32, leayes a net
loss of $115. g42.87. Even with this loss the
State is selling Its books at higher prices
than are being paid for sirntiar books
bought in the open market. To show the
difference In the prices paid for books in
State publications and the other with q
uniform State text book law the follow
Ing comparison of prices Is given:
The three readers of the California old
series, which had to be revised after hav-
ing been in use from 1886 to 1894. only
eight years, sell for s1.27, while the first
three books OF the Texas series sell fer
prices, and the Ave books OF the Texas
series sell only for s1.52 at retail and 81
cents at exchange prices. The four re-
yised readers of the California series sell
for $1,64, against SLOT retail and so cents
exchange for the first four books of the
Texas series, and s1.52 retail and 81 cents
exchange for the Ave books OF our series.
In these estimates the number of pages In
the books is not taken into consideration.
as the number Of pages In each OF the
California books Is unknown to the board.
The two arithmetics OF the California
series sell for rs cents, while the two
books of the Texas series sell for GA cents
regular and so cents exchange In board,
and so cents regular and 40 cents exchange
In cloth.
The two books In language and English
grammar of the California series sell for
SO cents. while the three books IN the
Texas series sell, at regular prices, for
s105 and, at exchange prices. 81 cents.
The two Biographies OF the California
series sell for $3.50, while the two books
for the Texas series sell at retail for $l.23
and at exchange for SO cents.
The one spcller OF the California series
sells for 81 cents, while the two spoilers
of the Texas series sell. at retail. for 30
cents, and at exchange for 10 cents. and.
when bound together, for 20 cents retail
and 10 cents exchange.
mia series sells for So cents, while the one
in the Texas series sells at retail for %
cents and at exchange for 40 cents.
The one physiology in the California So
ries sells for IS cents. while the two ply
siologies of the Texas series sell for $l.20
retail and re cents exchange price.
The thirteen books In the California Sc
ries sell for s870. while the seventeen
books, on the same subjects. In the Texas
series sell for Sc. at regular retail prices
and for 1891 at exchange prices
1t is generally admitted that the books
OF the California ssries are inferior TO the
books that could have been purchased In
the open market. When the State pays Tor
compiling, printing and binding OF book
It has no choice. The book must be used
without regard to whether II Is good.
fair or bae book. The California books
have not come up to the standard Of excel
Ience reached by the publishers OF text
books. ~.
prominent California teacher says: II
goes without saying that am not salts
fed with the books of the State series.
Indeed. I have never yet met q teacher
OF experience and good judgment--no mat.
ter how friendly be was to the plan OF
state publication--who would say that the
books were free from serious fault J be-
lieye that there Ii not single book ID
the series that Ia even nearly as good al
could be bought In open market Vt the
same. II not less cost. All OF the series
need revision, or better, need throwing out
arttr.tvs ana nthnrs substituted" Theuo