The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-11
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY II, 1904 ''9''.
School Book Contests.

Of Referring TO the school book question:,
:j,A would recall to tho minds Of those In
crested that twenty-odd years q ago there
atlas 4 school book contest in Virginia
(, t$;hich disguised the whole State and
4, nally led to reform In the manner OF
4 slecting text books. There were IN
mat fight four or five competing COM
foanies, some Of them very wealthy cor
n.torations, and they expended money With
d free hand. They employed the shrewde est
poem they could find. some Of them be-
nltg well known teachers. and they made
fight suoh as has rarely been seen IN
lis state, Under the plan In vogue at
lat time u committee Of teachers re-
a Esmmended the books to be adopted IN
lch county, and the school board after
a ards passed upon the recommendation
.,,:ad adopted the books recommended, or
lohers, as the members saw fit Book
gents first button-holed the members
nj, tho Committee on Recommendation.
n,ad did all in their. power to influence
diem. After they had exhausted their
IaFforts in this direction. they turned
H,er attention to the members of the
a.n,hool board.
rcWe do not say that money was cor
ttidptly used but money was used, and
Wat quite freely. Committeeman and
3,h,hool trustees were wined and dined,
itsh every possible influence brought to
y nrtarA upon them by this agent and that.
atore than that. it was openly charged
Asat one Of the companies In competi-
.Niyn had contributed large sum Of
In oney to the Malone campaign fund
Id that the order had gone forth from
IL Ale Ii Malone headquarters to give the
4 a nIoks OF this company the preference. 1t
/ Was openly charged that wherever Ma
Y Cine man was found on Committee on
recommendation or on school board, a
lend OF the books Of this company
as also found.
n, Be that as it may. it was most
stIensive campaign. The people general
W. were disguised with the whole bust
th,ss, and reform was demanded and
,complished.
deIt would be a great mistake for the
& mate Board OF Education to make 1t pos
STOLE for another such contest to bs
,iaged in the State OF Virginia. There
4 me- rich corporations In the field In com
sspiatition with conlara lively poor con
er!rns, and it goes without saying that tn
rns;h corporations with plenty of none;
spend will have great advantag
tr..h,er their competitors.
* alfThe books should be selected on thoi
merits. and publishers should not b
it to the expense Of sending out thou
lnds and thousands OF, sample copie
@ Ten their books and of making the ne
missary canvass.
c,rThe whole system is wrong. Experienc
,Whrces the conclusion that If 1t is adopte
ed this State. there will be scand'
hlfefore We are done withIi1t-Tha We,
lining that the board tried SO hard
iahmllard against. The State Board of Ed
ton is thoroughly competent to NAL
q selection. and we sincerely hope TIL
M y action IN adopting the mutlpie, u
I'll be reconsidered.
decn this connection the Norfolk Ledg
aTphyys.
6 ter.In view OF what has previously ha
seemed in this State in the matte OF boz
ntracts. it is to be hoped that t
lard Of Public Education will tai
DDS to prevent the local school boar
..Ii,m being annoyed by the importuniti
car book agents. The rule adopted by I
inpard OF Education about four years
Is proper one. Under 1t the loo
ards could make selections from t
tgof books that had been adopted, b
Ire prohibited from going outside t
Ce1cial list. The advantage of this pl
.ssa,lts that the members OF the local boar
1u,Yre relieved OF the disagreeable task
tening to the appeals Of agents, a
=, book concerns were prevented FRI
Eerating among teachers and truste
N they were shown to have done
@ Hosy.ols occa sions, For several YET
ser have been no school hook scand
(our state. and we should Ike to
3 condition Of affairs continue
al $3.50 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
" Eei83 :,