The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-18
Old Books May BE Used by Pupils
Until Courses of study Have
Been Completed.
DEFEAT FOR THE BOOK TRUST
CONTRACTS WILL BE RETAINED BY
COMPANIES NOW HOLDING THEM.
Financial Interests Of state and En-
cheney of schools Amply Safe
guarded-Board's Action.

H
The State Board of Education has ordered
that the textbooks now used in the schools
of the State shall be thoroughly revised.
The order OF the board was made yesterday
afternoon, after the entire day had been
spent in exhaustive discussion. The In
diana series of readers, the Cook-Cropsey
arithmetics. Fryes Biographies and the
New Era copy books will be subjected to a
process Of revision designed to eliminate
all Objectionable features and to make the
texts in harmony with the advance in ideas
of education. The members of the board
were unanimously in favor OF revision.
and not dissenting vote was cast against
any of the resolutions.
The Indiana Book Company, which pub
fishes the readers; CHM & Co., which pub
fishes the Biographies; Silver Burdette &
Co., which publishes the arithmetics. and
Eaton & Co., which publishes the writing
books, will be given a year under the law
to make the changes ordered. 1t is hoped
that by the beginning of the fall term next
year the entire series of texts will have
been remodeled and ready for the use OF
pupils
NO SWEEPING CHANGE.
The revision will entail no annoyance
or unreasonable expense to pupils or pa
rents. 1t is expressly provided by law that
when revisions are made pupils who have
been using other books shall be allowed
time to complete their courses of study I'm
them before being compelled to buy the
revised texts. The part of the school law
which covers the point is follows: Such
books shall only be required to be intro
duced in the schools as new classes in the
study of such branches are being formed,
and all classes in such study or studies
who, at the time of the expiration OF such
notice, shall have purchased books fer use
in such classes, shall be allowed tinie to
complete such books before being compelled
to buy new or revised books" A sweeping
| change, with accompanying disarrange-
ment of school work and onerous expense.
| is, therefore, out of the question.
The agents of the four companies having
the contract will be notified at once by the
| State Board of Education of the order.
| These agents will submit to their COM
panies the resolutions OF the board. IL
the companies agree to revise the state
board will be notified within a reasonable
| time of their Willingness. The authors OF
| the books Will then be instructed by the
| companies to proceed with the work OF re-
| vision, the whole when completed TO be
| presented to the state board for its ap-
| proval. Without the final approval of the
| board the revision will not be accepted
| The financial interests Of the State and
| the standard of texts are effectually pre-
served by the safeguards provided by law.
| That the companies will agree TO the re-
vision is practically assured.
The contracts will be retained by the
| four companies now having them. The or
| der OF revision does not mean that new
bids will be advertised for. The board has
decided that the texts provided by the COM
panieS Will be eminently satisfactory in
| case they are rebuilt according to the
| necessities Of the schools, these necessities
and requirements having been definitely
1 nrfn nfra16 hxr fhn mo al.1rr -
| the leading educators of the State.
NO INCREASE IN COST
| The revision ordered does not mean
either that the books will cost any more.
The price to be charged for each series
of texts is specifically set forth By Section
| 81 of the school law, which declares that
the publisher or publishers must print on
the covers of the books the prices charged.
| Section 2S regulates these prices. A spelling
book shall cost not more than 10 cents: a
first reader, 10 cents; second reader, Is
cents: third reader. Is cents fourth
reader. 80 cents: NTH reader. 20 cents;
an arithmetic, intermediate. 35 cents: an
arithmetic. complete. As cents; geography.
elementary, 30 cents; geography, complete.
| IS cents; grammar. elementary. 25 cents:
grammar, complete, ~ cents; physiology.
! 35 cents; history of the United States. 80
cents; copy books, cents. III they desire
to retain the contracts the companies must
revise without charging any more for the
books
These books must be used uniformly In
| the schools of the State. Section 50 OF
the law covers that point IL reads: The
| books which have been or may hereafter
| be adopted by the State OF Indiana for
! use In it's common schools by virtue OF
| this act or the act mentioned I'm Section
| hereof shall be uniformly used I'm all
the common schools OF the State I'm teaching
the branches of learning treated OF In such
| books and IL shall be the duty OF the prop
| er school officers and authorities TO use in
such schools such books for teaching the
subjects treated in them"
The action of the State Board OF Educa-
| ton will be approved. IL Is stated. by a
large majority OF the teachers OF Indiana.
Although. 1t is pointed out. educators all
have their individual ideas about what
should and what should not be I'm text
books. they have looked with favor upon
the books now in use and many of them
have written 10 members OF the state board
| urging the retention OF the present books
| with a thorough revision.
DEFEAT FOR THE TRUST.
The action of the board il regarded also
| as victory for the independent companies
over the American Book Company. the So
| called book trust. The American company
for the first time in five years saw an op-
portunity TO get slice OF the rich book
contract Blocked and barred by the pro-
vision of the law which set forth the price
of the books. realizing that there was no
chance for lucrative investment In Indiana
at these prices. the company had worked
! aesperately 10 have consideration OF the
| whole matter carried over until after the
| legislature Its plan of operations WAS
| il is stated by at least one school official
! in a position To know. TO arouse public
| sentiment against the boards taking I'D
| the matter at the present time 10 secure a
| delay. 10 kill the school law IN the Legis-
| lature TO obtain the enactment OF another
| with more liberal prices for books and