The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-31
ALLEGED PLANS TO
BREAK CONTRACT

@ s@AhN ~; =
Interesting Developments IN
pected in Matter OF Furni-
.turc for the Schools.
trhe contract of the State Board Of
Education with the Virginia School
Supply Company to furnish tho school
desks Of the American Seating Com
pany for exclusive use In the public
scho Of Virginia for the mex: two
years. promises to have interesting
developments.
pany, Of Chicago. has made what u
claims is a contract with the ,NorfolR X
price that, 1t is alleged Will save the
city Of Norfolk 5000 over the amount
1t would have to pay II the CONTRACT
between the: State Board and the N ara
observed. And thereby hangs the
The General Assembly Of 1926 1925 passed pa Sc
State. Board of Education TO select
books, school furniture and educa-
tonal appliances" for use in the, public
schools Of the State the words nschool
Assembly Of 1908. Acting in accord
ance with this law, the State Board IN
the spring and summer of 1906 asked
for bids from the school furniture
houses, throughout the /. country. When when
to be practically the same. In fact
it is said that the agents representing
the various school furniture houses did
lie the same, and that there was an
understanding between the various
companies:
The official Instructions.
At. any rate the State. Board sniff
fed a rodent and appointed a com
mittee TO 5investlsate,, and report, mean
Rlehnfopd .siJulY 5, 1905.
To Division superinttendents and
Clerks Of Boards:
at a meeting of the State Board
OF Education, held in the city Of
Richmond on gJune@22 1906. the
board, after hearing from the. rep,
resenta tives of a number Of school
furniture manufacturers, and after
considering the bids Of said man
ufacturers, appointed Superintend-
ent Joseph D.. Eggleston. Jr,. SUI
perlntendent E; g. Glass and SUI
mittee to Investigate fully the. /
market for school furniture. The
committee was authorized to in
quire into theprices Of school fur
examine more thoroughly. into the
quality and workmanship Of all
the desks oRered.sgto investigate
the matter Of freight rates and to
State Board Of Education as they
may deem wise in the premises.
It was further ordered that the
local school, boards should be per-
mltted to buy school desks and
other furniture pending the inves-
tgation Of this special committee,
upon the. following conditions. I
namely. Before any contract Is +
j desks and school furniture. the
same shall be submitted to and
approved by the Superintendent Of
! Public Instruction..
| This action was taken in order
that subdivision 6. section 1888 and
subdivision 8. section 1856 OF the
Code. as amended on pages 433 and
40, OF Of !, the Ats Of 1905 might be
time this years purchases might
/ not be delayed.
School officers should make their
/ contracts for desks for the coming
session as heretofore. subject to
(, the above provisions. Contracts
/ IN all cases must be, referred to
i this office for approval.
j. D. 5EGGLESTON. JR.,
i Sup't OF Public Instruction.
+, Act Not Operative Then.
i For the session OF lo06-07 tho 5schoo
desk matter was conducted an accord
ance with this circular, Last spring
however, It was reported to the Stat
eral Assembly had not yet been pu
into definite operation. This enactmen
i Is found In section 1893, subsection
Of the Acts of 1905,
1t Is rumored that there was som
Board at this added responsibility, blu
A the problem was tackled. III May las
. It was reported to the department tina
prices on school desks would advanc
Meanwhile the Virginia school suppl
J Company made an agreement with IN
! American Seating Company that TIL
f latter1 would furnish to the State o
4 Virginia certain desks at the old rate
per desk. The offer was accepted, an
i further consideration Of the matte
was postponed to the June meeting o
d the board.
Bids Were Advanced.
4 At this latter meeting the yarou
c con, including the Andrew
Company. appeared and submitted BIDS
All the bids except those of II
1 American Seating Company. were at TN
advanced rate The american seatln I,
4 offer made in May, and to have offere
six desks. instead of two or three, ia
tho old rate, The State Board close
1.-THE Attorney General was asked t
n draw the contract. which has sine
been signed, The state Board orders.
4 ting forth Its action In the matter.
Plan to 'Rreak Contract.
Failing to land the contract, the I
4 IL. Andrews Company's agent an
nounced, It is said, that he would brea
4 the contract, IL possible. and his frs
move seems to have been an offer I
good. For in a short time he appears
lat the Department OF Public lnstruc
ton with the contract, and reaueste
This request was refused In View G
the contract made with the America
a Seating Company.
II I n "a latfar TO Suneflltendent I)ODli