The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-02-01
TWOS[CT|ONSPASSED
The Text Book Bill to be De-
I'yed no Longer.
Committee Decides to Vote on It by Sections.
Meeting Adjourned Till This
Afternoon.

The Joint Committee on Education met
yesterday afternoon and heard the report
of the sub committee TO which the uni
form Text Book Bill" had been referred.
There was considerable discussion, prin-
cipally on the ques ton of whether ac-
ton should be taken Immediately on the
sideraton.
The bill was read, and the amend
ments proposed by the subcommittee
were noted in each section by Represen-
tative Whitaker. of Guilford, who made
a powerful argument for the immediate
passage of the measure.
A substitute was offered by Represen-
tative Shannonhouse. of Mecklenburg, as
follows:
Substitute bill for S. B. 11S.
Section l. That on or before the first
day of May. 1901, the Governor shall APP
point a committee of seven, whose duty
it shall be to examine and thoroughly
investigate the public school system of
this State and all laws relating thereto,
and make report to the State Board of
with such recommendations and sugges-
lions as theT may deem wise.
Sew. 9. That within thirty days after
receipt of such report the State Board
of Education shall, under the powers
vested in them by the Constitution. arti-
Gle TX. section 10. make all needful
rules and regulations in relation to free
public schools" etc. and the State
Board OF Education is hereby vested with
full power and authority to adopt and
make any and all arrangements and con-
tracts necessary to secure such text books
for use in the free public schools of the
State as in their judgment they may deem
v,-e.
Sec. 8. That the State Board of Educa-
ton shall make allowances for expenses
and fix the compensation of the members
of said committee. which sums shall be
paid out of the public school fund.
Sec. 4. That the State Board of Eduea-
tion shall make a full report of their
action in the premises to the next session
of the General Assembly, transmitting
with such report the report Of the COM
mittee appointed under this act
Sec. 5. This act shall be in force from
and after is ratification.
MIR. Shannonhouse' object was to defer
any positive action on the matter until
the next session of the Legislature. He
was asked previous to offering his sub
stitute whether he had, as member of
the subcommittee, a minority report
to make. He said he had not.
Representative Morris, of Cabarrus,
moved that subcommittee be appoint
ed to examine all bills that may be in
troduced in regard TO the text book ques
tion, and take the best parts from all
Of them, and thus frame bill that would
embrace all the best thought attainable
ON the subject. MIR. Morris mentioned
that he had yesterday morning introduced
a bill to reduce the cost of text books
and to give to practical teachers the Sc
lection Of the books in regard to their
utility in the school room.
Representative Smith, of Gates, coun-
seled postponing the decision on the mat
ter
Senator Aycock, the author of the BILL
pointed out in forcible and convincing
way the danger of delay in a thing Of
this kind. He said it had been his eX
perience that toward the end of a legisla
tive session, when the work has accumu
lated and has to be pushed through rap
idly, many { iostponed measure is lost
entirely.
Senator Brown said that the all mpor-
tant school question itself could not be
decided until the people knew what they
would have to pay for books He con-
Cured with Senator Aycock about the
danger of delay, and stated furthermore
that since the matter had dragged on
from day to day, the number of lobby
lists had very materially increased.
A laugh was caused by Senator Meal
lister saying that he had now received
his first intimation that any one was
complaining of the price of school books
He said he did not suppose any Of the
members patronized the common schools
1t was finally decided to vote on the
bill section by section. Chairman Conner
said that he had not wished before this
to express his own opinion, but he would
now say that, while he was in favor of
the bill as a whole, there were some
things in it he would like to see changed
or left out. These portions he would OPP
pose as a friend of the measure.
The first two sections were passed with
out discussion, and then as it was six
o'clock, an adjournment was taken until
this afternoon.