The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-11
Live School Issues.

Strive have read several community l.
tons recently published In your columns.
discussing various important questions
pertaining to the welfare Of our schools. I S
desire to express my views on the same to-
pics-topics which deserves more than
passing notice-topics which should be d s.
cussed until we have evils removed ana
reforms inaugurated as
The sctool-book question is one which
has ELECTED much discussion, yet there
are several phares of the question wG
have never seen touched upon by any
one yet. Delegate Byrds resolution. con.
corning the price of textbooks to, vir- :
ginia pupils is timely; yet the answer to .
his query is not all that should be-
sought for The fact is that in some
places in the Commonwealth children
of Virginia cannot procure books even s
at state contract prices, to say nothing
of the contract prices being higher than
they are in other States. 1t seems redi-
culous-it Is worse-a fraud on the
children-that publishers are required by
the State Board of Education to furnish
their books adopted aticertain "contragts
prices" and then when the child caIl5fs
for his hooks of the local dealer. he Ia
asked 20 per cent. more than the con-
tract prices. This Is the case In this Z
county In places. 1--WE know this of our
own knowledge.) What is Contract
price for. If the children are not to get
the benefit OF such price? The reason for
this extra charge Is not hard to dis-f
cover The book jobbers get the books q
from the publishers. they add their per-
cent, of profit, which leaves the margin :
so small that the difference betweerv
their prices and the contract prices'sf
will scarcely pay cost OF transportation &
Local dealers are obliged to advance prices
or lose money and handle school books
for an accommodation only. There is
dy, fpr l,is vii dxy-~
Let the State Board require publishers
to deliver their books direct to local
dealers Zone recommended by school
board in each magisterial districD so
that books can be bought by childrenls
at the regular price. Nothing short OF.
of this will ever solve the question. The
law provides that school trustees shall
see that books are furnished at State,
prices, hut 1t is insutflcient-till trustees
could apply remedy. how much of tho
childs time at school would be lost while
& he is waiting for the trustees to correct
the evil? The present regulation is linz
practicable for a half-dozen other rea-
sons; so the surest way to furnish pupilss
their hooks at State prices is to putt
them into the hands of the local DEALERS
within reach of the school children before
the opening of the schools In the fall Of
tho year. Books at the State contract
prices should he on hand promptly In
term begins. General regulations on the
subject are not sufficient Specific plans
for such sale of books to all pupils alike
should he made SO that there can sbe no
failure to provide every mans chldrenss
with the needed books without his heingfra
obliged to pay tribute to book jod,bers.
Furthermore. when adopting teNt-books.
the State board should refuse to consider.
the books OF any publishers who will
not agree beforehand to guarantee their
prices to local dealers. on such terntSsi
as will enable local dealers to furnisfY
books at right prices. This evil requires
prompt attention. 1T must be reachedS
and scotchcd at the fountain head and3
not let all the responsibility be shoulg
dered by the district school board Cails
they be expected to watch the handling 8
of the books in all It's details? The rcd a
tame remedy nowEat hand. becomes llES,
tangle before relief can be had, HI
10 simplify the situation, we wouldf
suggest that before another adoption iss
made, the division superintendent BET
required through their county schodl8
boards, to select the local dealers oneg
H. each nages.rial district. more II necesE5
sary-and report such names to the State:
hoard who Will furnish publishers thiss
list, that they may know when they haves
complied with the terms of their con-4
tract, to put their publications in every
district for the convenience OF their paS
irons BY thus taking time tthe situas
tion. it you please), by the fore locks
the interests of our patrons and ouss
children can be amply protected.
We Intended TO touch on other subj
jects, but our letter is ALREADY longer4
than wo intended to make IL Howevertf
a few words yet about The pay OIL
school trustees. II there is any danger
of making the trustees salary Il ',spoIlsa
of office" for little politicians to scram-e
bic over, let tho remuneration 10 rs itS
Is at present. Yet II school trustees arss
given d salary. whether $40 $50 OF sa0s
dollars annually II should be allowed
only on the express condition that theY
can draw such salary only when they
have actually earned II hs attending board
meetings or by visiting schools. ihc{fs
time helms valued at, say. 81 per day
No school money should be anpropriateds
for salaries unless the State or county
gets full received in, actual work.
4. j., 2. KIBLER,