The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-06-14
TO DECIDE TOMORROW
BOOK COMMISSION MAY COM
 PLETE ITS TASK,
Will Meet to Open Bids and Award Contract for Supplying School Boards in Alabama-Other
 Matters.

The State Text Book Commission will meet tomorrow at noon at the State Cap itol to end its work of establishing a sys- tenn of uniform text books for the State.
 The work of the two commissions here tofore while important has been prelimi- nary. The decisive work of the State Commission will be accomplished between now and July 1.
 The State Commission will meet to re- ceive and act upon the report of the sub commission, the members of which have been hard at work examining the speci- men books of the bidders. The first duty of the State Commission will be to pass upon these reports. and by reconciling them with the bids in the Secretary of States office award the big contract.
 Drawn here by the approaching meet ing of the State Commission a large num- Der of the book men reached the city yesterday and more will come in today.
 The State Commission is composed of Governor Jelks. State Superintendent I. w. Hill, President John w. Abercrombie of the State University, President c. C.. Thach of the Alabama Polytechnic In- stitute and President r. M. Peterson of the Alabama Girls Industrial School.
 The duties of the State Commission are executive. The State Commission takes final action. It alone has to do with the prices submitted by the bidders. The OtdtC cOulu, II IL 6dW Ill., re- ject the work and the report of the sub commission.
 The sub-commission is charged with the detail work in connection with the inauguration of the uniform school book system. All the books which were sent in by the many bidders were turned over to the members of the sub-commission at the last joint meeting of the two com missions. Since then the members have been engaged in the exhaustive task of carefully examining the sample books. A great part of the work has been accom- plished at the homes of the members of the sub-commission. The members of the commission. however, met last week in Birmingham to make out their report.
 This report will not only review the diff ferent books submitted, but will contain a comparative list of the merits of the books as to their contents. text, binding and durability. The series thought best by the sub-c b-commission will be given first place on the list, the second best, second place and so on' down the line.
 The State Commission will take this report and after opening the bids in the office of the Secretary of State. will rec oncile the two and award the contract.
 The sub-commission Is composed of Profs. M c. Wilson. J. H. Phillips, J. H. Foster, H. J. Dillingham; and w. W. Ben son.
 In addition to the aWardlng or the State contract the State Commission will decide several other important questions. The law provides for two Repositories in the State for the distribution of the books. The commission will locate these Repositories and name the men to have charge of them.
 The law provides that towns of more than 5000 inha abitants may be excluded from the provisions of the act. There will undoubtedly be several applications for this privilege and the State Commis- sion will pass upon them.