Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-07-04
ANOTHER MUCK RAKE
School Book Prices Must Soon
BE Investigated

DC AhNCbtfEhtCu
The next thing in the way OF 9
public investigation to which Yir.
ginians may look forward, is the
inquiry Tito the price of school
books furnished the Old Dominion,
AS usual, the inquisftors in this
case will be legislators, and the
committee designated to do the
work is composed of the follow
ing:
Hon. Richard Evelyn Byrd,
chairman, of Winchester; Hon. &.
2. Cox of Richmond, ana Senator
A. L. Strobe of Amherst. Mr..
Frank Is. Watkins will act as SER
geent.at-arms, and Mr.. L. E.
Owens will be the clerk to the cum.
mittee and official stenographer.
The resolution under which the
CON mittee will act provides that
the members shall sit during the
recess Of the General Assembly
and inquire as follows:
L. L. the price of school books
required to be used in the public
schools of Virginia higher than in
any other State, and, if go, why2
2. Could the State, with due
consideration to economy, publish
Il Q school books used by the pub
lie school pupils9
Q. Are the profits of the school
book publishing companies exorbi-
tant, and, if so, is there any rem
edy for this condition.
The committee shall have power
to call witnesses, examine them on
oath end require the production
of books, papers and contracts.
Chairman Byrd is the man who
presided at the Corporation Com
mission investigation and as q
cross examiner he is truly "holy
terror "-that is, to those not in
cIined to be absolutely frank. He
he's indicated an intention to get
right at the bottom of the school
book question-if such a thing be
possible-though he may find him
self handicapped by the fact that
the committee has no power to
summon witnesses living outside
the State.
1t 10 an almost universally ac-
knowledged fact that Virginia has
Jared wretchediy at the hands Of
the publishing houses, and the
following comparative table Of
prices will give the uninitiated
reader a pretty fair idea of exist
ing conditions:
Maury's Manual Geography
North Carolina, Alabama. Texas,
escents; Virginia, $I.l5. Msury's
Elementary Geography-North
Cerolina, Alabama, Texas, 40
cents; Virginia. so cents. The
Holton Primer-Alabama, 10
cents; Virginia, % cents. Graded
Literature: First Reader-Geor-
gia, 20 cents; Virginia rs cents.
Second Rsader-Georgia, 20 cents;
Virginia, 40 cents.
All of these books are exactly
tie same edition; page by page,
they are alike, and even their
covers arc identical.
The book men offer as an excuse
for the high prices prevailing in
Virginia the following explana-
tIon:
The Virginia Board of Educa-
ton decided that the III cities
and counties Of the State should
each determine separately what
books should BIZ used in skeir re-
spectlve schools, and approved |
the III selections made by the |
local committees, consisting OF |
seven members each.
This action meant that the book |
publishers, some twenty or thirty |
in number, were compelled to send
separate samples of their various
publications to all seven members
of the III COMMITTEES. or $40 sets
of books, worth in all, it is said,
about $4,000
Moreover, the publishers claim
that they have been put to vast
expense by being compelled to
ssnd agents to the various counties
and cities in order to have their
books pushed.