The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-17
TEXT BOOK BILL
 IS DISCUSSED Board of Education Holds a
 Spirited Meeting ANOTHER SESSION TODAY Motion Made to Ask Legislature to Exclude Birmingham From Pro-
 visions of the Measure,
 But Is Reconsidered.
ANOTHER SESSION TODAY

At a special meeting of the board of education held in the city hall yesterday afternoon a motion to ask the members of the legislature from Jefrerson county to take steps to have the textbook bill amended so that its provisions would not affect Birmingham, was carried, but af- rewards a motion to reconsider and ad- iourn until 12:9O o'clock today prevailed.
 The meeting was called by Chairman A. o. Lane for the purpose of considering the state uniform textbook measure that has passed the senate and will probably go before the house today.
 The chairman, in stating the object of the meetirg said 1t was nis opinion that the pending measure was not in accord ance with the understanding of the teach CTS and educators of Jefferson county. and he thought it was his duty to call tho board together to present the matter before it. He asked pr. J. H.. Phillips, superintendent of the public schools, for an expression.
 The superintendent said he had ctudied ihe question of textbook uniformity for tho past twenty years and had made it a point to become well acquainted with 1 it's operations in the states whero 1t had heen adopted. He stated that he could say positively that 1t vas not satisfactory in Tennessee and other states where 1t lad been tried
 He was sure the teachers of the county were not in favor of the bill now before the Alabama legislature. though 1t was their opinion that a system of uniform textbooks was desirable should 1t be con fined to the lowest possible unit county or a city. for instance.
 Large Publishing House.
 In his argument against the bill Dr. Phillips said that large publishing houses were in favor of it because he thought they had formed a trust of some kind and would be glad to secure large con- tracts. Some of the houses were not in the trust. he said, and wanted competi- tion others that had not been able to have their books adopted in Alabama would like to see the bill go through and try to secure large contracts. He said that already he understood a man had offered to furnish books at one-half the price now being paid, but he thought the offer had been withdrawn. This person, he said, represented concerns who had books of which 90 per cent were unfit to be used in the Alabama schools. Again he thought that teachers and educators should be consulted in making out the lists, if such a bill did become a law, and he' had no assurance as to who was to constitute the commission that would select the books for the schools
 What pbfiIInc Had Laa,d
 Dr. Phillips said he had heard that pressure had been brought to bear upon some of the papers and politicians by the "book trust"
 Mir Steiner said he did not think this was a fact and that he was sure none of the papers had been influenced in the matter Mayor Drennen said that he, too, was confident that neither the press nor any member of 1t has been subsi- dized'
 Superintendent Phillips said he was in favor of a county uniformity of text books, not for a system applying over the state.
 The superintendent asked the board, as the representative of the city schools. to protest against the inclusion of Br- mngham in the operations of the pro- visions of the measure.
 Steiner for the Bill. B. Steiner said he had always been in favor of a state uniform text book law. He said he did not know what the object of the meeting was until a few hours be- four it was held, but thought 1t was called to endorse the bill instead of to fight against it.
 Mir Steiner said he was in favor of the bill because if it passed, children all over the state would study the same text books, and if they moved from one place to another would not be put to disad- vantage in their studies As to the fnan- cial part he thought 1t would be cheaper Mir Steiner said he had not had time to study the question, and said he would like to have any action on the part of the board postponed until today. Mayor Drennen said he was in much the same position as MT. Steiner and did not know the object of the meeting until few minutes before o'clock.
 Samuel UlIman.
 Dr. Samuel Ullman said he did not know a great deal about the matter but was willing to follow the advice of the super intendent, who had studied it for so long time and was well informed. He said the teachers knew what they wanted and needed better than anyone else. He stated his objection to the bill was based on the statements of Dr. Phillips in whom he had the utmost confidence. Dr. Ullman moved resolution to ask | that the Jefferson county delegation have | an amendment to the bill introduced ito exempt from the operations of the provi- sions all cities in the state having q popu- laton of 5000 people or over" MT. Steiner said he wanted to go on record as pro- tecting against such an action, that the board had no right to interfere with other cities. that they must act for themselves. Mayor Drennen said he was opposed to 1 the motion as it would appear that Bir- | mingham would be put in the light of try | ing to dictate to other cities laws to gov ern them in the matter Chairman Lane said that for the same reason he did not | favor the motion as 1t stood The motion was tabled.
 Yeas and Nays. l Dr. Ullman then made motion to have | the superintendent of education go to | Montgomery today and task the legisla- | tors in the name of the board to take | such steps as were necessary to have 1 Birmingham exempted from the opera 1 tions of the provisions of the bill" The vote was yeas ullman and Parker: nays, Steiner and Drennen. Chairman l Lane voted for the motion. 1 Mir. Steiner then said he wished to send to Montgomery a minority report of the action of the board. Superintendent Phil | lips said he would not go to Montgomery under these circumstances. MT. Steiner 1 said, .'Well, you all have forced the mat 1 ter and would not give us time to con- 1 slider it. I will not vote on a question until I know all about it. Motion Reconsidered. Mayor Drennen said he did not vote