The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-04-22
GOVERNOR APPOINTS
BOOK COMMISSION
All Connected With the Public
Schools Some People
Surprised.

Governor Vardaman, after many
months of waiting, announced the
Text Book Commission on Monday
last. Some of the appointments were
quite surprise to those who had been
keeping their eyes upon the situation.
The qualifications of the members of
the Commission are unquestioned by
any one, but only three Of them have
been prominently identified with the
educational affairs of the state, those
being Profs. Saunders, Bailey and
Hughes. The others are men of recog-
nized ability but are from small
communities and consequently are not
SO we'll known throughout the state.
The following is the personnel of the
Commission:
First DiStrict-Prof. d. A. Hill of
Bonneville.
Second District-Prof. L. II. Jobe
OF Dumas.
Third District--Prof. C. E. Saun-
ders of Greenwood.
Fourth DiStrict-Prof. o. A. Shaw
of Winona.
Fifth District-Prof. L. Q. G. Will
liams of LeakSyille.
Sixth District-Prof. T. X. BOggan
of Collins.
Seventh District-PrOf. III. 2.
Hughes of McComb.
Eighth District-Prof. E. L. Bailey
of Jackson.
We are personally acquainted with
several members of the Commission,
and know one of them quite intimate
ly, Prof. c. E. Saunders. He has
been at the head of the Greenwood
public schools for more than half
dozen years and has so thoroughly es-
tablished himself in the confidence of
the people of that towu that they are
now paying him a salary of nearly two
thousand dollars year and regard
him as indispensable to the progress of
that stirring little city. We have every
reason TO believe that Prof. Saunders
Is bot 4 fair representative or the other
members of the Commission; If SO, the
affairs of the state committed to their
hands will be held sacred and the
packet books of the people who buy
school books will not he depleted to
enrich the Golfers of huge book con-
Germs. 1t is not difficult for the mind
to comprehend how the question of
school books-their costs, etc.-af-
fectS almost every family and almost
every child in the state when we con-
slider that the cost OF every book used
by almost every pupil and the amount
paid by the head of every family for
books is to be passed upon by the COM
mission. Besides the cost of the
books, they haze the still greater
questions to consider, merit and
adaptability for the schools. For the
sake of the commission and the name
of our beloved state, let us hope that
they will discharge their duty wisely
and well. The following from the
Jackson Evening News tells something
of how the Commission is to proceed:
The uniform school book law fur
ther provides that the bids must be
opened and considered in executive
Session; that the attorney general is to
draw up contracts; that the governor
and secretary of state is to execute
same in triplicate; that the bond OF
contractor must be made in guarantee
company; that forfeit money is to be
| returned to unsuccessful bidder, and
that contracts must be executed with
| in thirty days after making same.
Books furnished must be equal to
specimen copies, and the superintend-
ent of education shall preserve sample
copies; the price must be printed or
lstamped OH books; prices shall not ex-
ceed the prices at same books are fur
/ nished to other states; the state shall
not be liable to a contractor in any
manner, bat the contractors shall re-
ceiye their compensation wholly from
the sale of books; bids submitted may
be all rejected and the commission
may re-advertise; contractors shall es-
tablish book repositories with two or
more agencies in each county; damage
for failure to meet demand for books
is provided; the commission is en-
powered with jurisdiction to enforce
all the provisions of the law, and af-
! ter the adoptions are made the state
superintendent shall give notice to
the county superintendent; the books
adopted shall supplant all others now
in use; penalties are provided for
teaching other books, and for demand
ing more than contract price: the COM
mission is required to keep journal
of it's proceedings, and cannot extend
contracts beyond five year period; the
members of the commission shall re-
/ ea;xro a .oy,n nonSafiora of S5 r,ar dav for