The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-18
STATE ADOPTION
Of SCHOOL BOOKS
Recommended by Superin-
tendent Mebane.
HE GIVES HIS REASONS
The Books Can be Bought Cheaper
For the Whole State.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE UNIFORMITY
Mr.. Mebane Says Books Are Now Costing Ioo
Much Because School Book Lobbies
Have to be Paid 0u' If
Their Sales.
Their Sales.

In his recommendations to the Leg
islature, State Superintendent Me-
bane devotes considerable space to a
discussion of the question of text
books for the public schools.
He advises that the text books be
adopted for the whole State by the
State Board of Examiners, which is
composed of teachers, and adds:
The law should provide that the maxi
mum price paid should not exceed seven
ty-fve per cent of the published list
wholesale price.
If this Board could adopt the books fer
the whole State. we ought to secure the
books at sixty per cent of wholesale
price, or perhaps even fifty per cent, be-
cause there would be no expense OF thou
sands of dollars for agents, which expense
as was mentioned comes out of the par
ents' pockets in the end, and this deduc-
ton of the thousands could be taken from
the prices our parents pay at present for
the books of their children.
In all the mercantile business, and
other business of which l have heard
anything, the amount of goods bought has
q great deal to do with the price to lie
paid by the purchaser. For example, the
merchant that buys a carload of bacon,
gets a great reduction of price in COM
parison with the merchant that buys
only a few hundred pounds.
Applying this method of business to the
purchase of books, it is reasonable to eX-
pect better terms as to cost of books
from publishers house, if said house can
lo cola for nj Qc6
of county here and there.
But if the General Assembly does not
think it the part of wisdom to put the
adoption of text books in the hands of the
State Board of Examiners. and prefers
the adoption by local boards instead, then,
in this case, advise that the local boards
be given all the protection and aid pos
sible in this important duty.
In this connection the Superintend-
emf prints the Ohio Textbook law and
recommends its adoption in case State
adoption is rejected. Under this law
each county board determines what
books shall be used in the schools UNI
der its control-the choice being linn
tied to books filed for that purpose by
the publishers in the office of the
State Superintendent. Each board
also has power to make necessary pro-
visions and arrangements to place the
books within easy reach of the pupils
Ten per cent may be added to the
cost of the price to pay for handling
the books. Under this law also
the boards pay for the books, and the
proceeds of their sale are repaid into
the contingent fund. There is also a
provision for the textbooks if the
electors so direct.
1t is reported that thirtv-eight lead
ing companies have sold books under
this law to the different boards in
Ohio. This law, at least. does not
crowd out the book companies.
Mr.. Mebane points out that many
children in North Carolina are kept
away from school because they have
not the books and their parents are
too poor to buy them. He declares also
that the books cost too much money.
In my opinion the cost of books is not
so much the expense of the literary work
and mechanical makeup of the book as
the cost of putting the books on the mar
ket. The adoption of the textbooks in
North Carolina in June, 1896, cost the va
rious textbook companies thousands Of
dollars.
Who pays all this enormous expense in
the end? The parents of the children,
of course. Those who use the books foot
the bill. Why not do away with the ex
pense of adoption and give the children
the benefit of all these thousands OF dol
lars in reduction of prices on text books
The State of California owns its
own plant and prints its own books.
Mr.. Mebane gives figures showing the
amount of monev spent by the State,
and the prices Of textbooks to the
children. In 1885 the sum of $4,000
was appropriated for compiling Sc
ries of textbooks for the common
schools. One hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars was set aside for estab-
fishing a plant, purchasing material
and payment of salaries. Tn 1887,
$165,000 was added for the purpose
last mentioned Other appropriations
have been made from time to time to