The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-04
WARY OF BOOK AGENTS 1E;
Opposition to Proposed Plan Of
Selecting School Books Develops.

Il +
The House Committee for Schools and
Colleges and the Senate Committee Tor
pubic Institutions and Prisons met
Jointly Yesterday afternoon IN the SEN
ate chamber, and had a long sitting con-
sidering the statutes relative to the pubic
schools Of the State and certain amend
mcnts thereto, proposed by the STATE STATE
Board OF Educa ton st Dr.. 9. ". Kent OF Of
the University OF Virginia, and others
addressed the committee in cxposltionsof
the amendments, the occasion for them
and the arguments in favor OF them.
These school laws were enacted hardy
more than month ago. but several
amendments are being urged by the
Board Of Education.
The feature Of the sitting OF the com
nIttec was the criticism OF the multiple
\ book list pan, recently promulgated BY
the state Board This was a matter.
entirely beyond the scope OF the com
mittee hearing and 1t Is claimed a mat
ter beyond the Jurisdiction OF the ten
eral Assembly Nevertheless, the ques-
tons asked and the objections pointed
|To,lt nv members OF the COMMITTEES added
interest to the sitting. It so happened
that the inquiry as to the multiple BOOK
pan came up while DR., Kent was SPEAK
ing, and that he was the only mem Der q
OF the board who was opposed 70 tne
multiple list plan He stated TINS 1act,
but qualified it by the further tatemene
that he did not favor the application OF
fla nlan 20 all the schools, but merely
to some Of them. q
Mr.. Keezea opened the line OF Inquiry.
which incidentally developed the oppo-
sition Of himself and others to the plan
In its practical operation Mr.. Thomas
followed closely with some searching
questions. and Mr.. Opfe took q hand IN
the catecnism before it was through.
Mr.. Keezell asked II this plan would not
save to the local school boards the seiec.
tfon of lists of books. He was informed
that It gave the county boards power 70
recommend but that It was provided ina I
the State Board had the night Of veto
and final selection Of books from the
multiple list submitted. Then the sena-
tor from Rockingham wished to know II
this would not mean that the county
boards would be besieged By horde OF
hook agents 1t was admitted that this
vas likely. but Dr.. Kent and others
suggested that provision agatnst this had
been made as far as possible by,requirlng
that the ono hundred and seventeen local
boards should meet on the same day.
IT. was not thought likely that the book
/ companies would have an agent at each
meeting, Some of the members expressed
doubt on this point.
Mr.. Thomas asked some searching queess-
tons as to tho effect OF the plan and
the likelihood that politics might be In
tectcd into the school system, and as 10
the probability Of annoyance by book Ok
agents.
DR., Kent answered all the questions
and met the objections OF the questioners
as best he could The hearing devesoped
nothing further than that several menu
bers Of the committee were not at all
favorably inclined to the new plan OF
selecting Textbooks. ~
After the hearing on the boards amend.
| ments the members present retired and
the committee rose without action, There
were present DR., ]. w. Southall, Super
| lntendent OF Public Instruction; Dr. Kent:
| Mr. William A. Bowles. Mr.. Franklin 2.
! Brent. secretary of tho board; Mr.. Nc
| Gllvray. and others.
! 1t is said that the Constitution already
| specifically confers on the Board OF Edu-
cation ample power in the matter Of So
lection OF text books. and that opposition
on the part Of the General Assembly
would not affect the boards action In
this matter 1t is regarded as rather
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