The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-16
.SCHOOL,B::||0lOK
SELECTION. |. I: ! [ .
State Education Board Agrees.
Upon d Multiple List Plan. 4
With Local Selection. \
4 BROAD POLICY y ADOPTED Al! j {: B: !
Local School Committees TO be
Named, Who Shall Select I.
Books From List Provided.

The state Board ,l!'Edlcation held an,
important meeting yesterday preliminary
to the adoption $: textbooks for the
putllc schools OF tn, Slate for tho next
four years. and ousll:cd Its; powers, az
&C Inferred by tfsa new Constitution con-
strued tho language 81; that instrument
with respect to the school system, and
cdopted broad AMI liberal policy with
respect to school textbooks and their
! SC lection. While it. ncc gnized that the
trainers OF tho Cons.itution desired and
Intended to place the selection of text
books to large extent. III the hands OF
the State Board, the board in the action,
taken yesterday gives the local school
authorities a volee In the ess.ction.
The net result OF tie meeting was the
adc ption. after a thoEghtful and ex--.
huustIve discussion OF more than four
..curs, Of resolution setting forth In
detail the plan devised for tEe selection
<cf public school te xt.t,ooks This reso-i
luton, originally offered by Or. Kent
gos the University of Virginia. was so
changed BY amendments and suggestions
incorporated thatsIt is asreal composite
resolution Of the hoard iteaf.
Have Multiple. List.
II Is In full as follows. IS
II The State Board of Education
shall adopt a multiple ISL OF not less
thar two,t nor nor e than four, ser.es
ef t-books in ca chs OF the subjects
high SCHOOL grade. and III. addi ton 1t
II sha.! adopt an a ppr oycd list Of high Y
school books. s "a y. 81 8a .ii5s'z III
. ~ Each school division shall have
fr,fg ono af1.t NJ G =
p-actd by, The sla>e Board Of Educa-- :.
lcn howe>e er. of these books shall /.
= iaJ ror1 each . school. division the 4
b county or city school board OF said
cersisting Of three lea g: che s and three
superintendent OF FL schoois az chair
tee for Bthel. rec omn Il ion Of lex t Il
SIS Gf ths assE a1yasGn on
h the SIX zenith day Of Al;rll 1904, and
Z. med atclyS thereaf fter forward to the I
s,a.s HoA l. .ofss ssEsducat1on e recon,
Tor. the schools of SAID division. Tnetf.
state Board shall receive THIS recon- Y
n;enG alton, and approved, amend or Ie-3s
/. jec, same. md se.ect ii4.ally the text
4 DOCKS to- be used IN helpuOlic schools
a.rI said division.
8; Ire regula rly OF ganized high
sc hools :fof the State shall have the
rtlv.iege Of using any textbooks Sc
lected y.the Stale Board of Educa-
ton, which shall prepare LIST Of such
approved high school Looks. This list Ii
shall be subject to revision and addl-
ton at will.
An Important Step.
The discussion leading to the adoption
of the resolution was ON the question
whether a single or multiple list of text
books should be adopted. AS the resolu-
tion Itself shows. the multiple list was
decided upon.sThis action Is regarded as
one OF the most important Of g State
Board In many years. and IS the mark
Ing out; OF a broad gauge policy. In
marked contrast with the narrow and
Sitting policy of some Of the Southern
and least progressive Western States.
The board directed the Department OF
Public Instruction to send out c, rcuars
to superlntendents Of county schools.
instructing them to call the local boards
together at once and select committees
on text books. and return the names Of
such committees to the central office in
this city.
The board will meet in this city March
/, 1901, for the selection Of tho multiple
list.
An Exhibit at St. Louis.
Before the board went into executive
session, Assistant Commissioner George
E Murrel. Of the Virginia Commission
to the st. Louis Exposition, appeared be-
fore the board and addressed It In behalf
Of a school exhibit as part OF the States
=2sgy5l'. z. fc coptipuea on sixth Pare