The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-11

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l Board to select. Schoolbooks are not mad
for five months schools: they are mud
to suit the graded schools, running fror
nine to ten months. How, then, en-
books be chosen specifically for the fv
months SCHOOL,"
"A statement a been made by mem
bers OF the board thar there is a decide,
difference between the educational need
OF the counties and cities. What ar
your views as to this?'
"that argument Is close kin to tn,
one Just mentioned. 1t Is that the elite:
nave inherent Ideals and systems from
tue rural schools; that they have longe,
terihs. and that they should not. there
fore. BE forced to uso tho same taxt.
DOCKS as the rural schools. Now. the
constitution provides that the State Boa ri
may d~tlterenttate, If 1t sees ft TO do 40
NJ state Board has the power to select
any list 1t desires. It can select hook
70 NJ conditions, II these conditions are
inherent. There is as much difference no
tween some of our city schools as be ween
some Oh our city and county schools: soma
y our counties have better teachers and
sSoois tuan some of OUR cities.
h .t'u y t,ere IS TO be a cleavage. 1t Should
ue BASED on the school itself and NOT on
the artificial basis of country ana cit,,
IN some OF the same counties Won can
ma 'eachlng as good and as bad as may
~ iound in the State. and the
"it taihg is true of the cities"
Honorable Profession.
what is you opinion of the educational
ItaG n - Nv Iii
book agents?3 'He
II argument is that the se,ec.,o,
or recommendation by local committees
Is az educatlVe process in itself. Much
stress was laid on this by those who have
persuaded themselves that n book cam
pAsn is an educational campaign cort.in
10 arouse the people to a white heat NJ
enthusiasm for education, and certain to
De an inspiration and an education IN
.hose VINO are SO fortunate as to be On
~ oook committees. l have here. Mr..
Snoi.n'dh' a picture taken in Fauquier
county on the day that the loca, com-
mlttee recommended books for the con
sideration of the State Board. You viii
notice that 1t is a picture of sixteen yarv
sooo-iook1ns fellows; they are all book
aeehts' WHO were, on the day appointed
ior 'he recommendation In Fauuufer fo-
the purpose OF educating the committee
ana oil stirring up educational enthusiasm
ohiohs tne people. l understand there
We're tWenty-three at Chesterfield Court
house on the day of selection. There
WY, l. thirk' nine in Prince Edward
county on the day the committees mot
and l suppose the only reason there We're
not more was because all of rs who
were on that committee were pledged
arioHs ourselves not to let the agents
NhoW "hen or where we would meet. II
WIS my privilege to be the chairman of
tt'c committee, and | am bound to confess
that the committee deliberately shut its
eyes 70 all progress and light then in the
possession of the agents. and went into
" luirt meeting to themselves and blindly
ana IShorantly recommended what wa
thought hest.'' y"
Some of THE best friends 7 nave in +ba
world are book agents. That is an hon
oJapie profession, and many OF these
ileh are as clean In morals and manners
us tne men of any other profession. hut
an OF us know, and II We don't know.
we can hnd out by inquiry, that these
do lower tho ethical stand
ard OF our people. Why. sir. in Princa
Edward county l had one man to come
o'fle and say to me that in view of
Tue lact that some of the book com
pahles We're employing agents and at
torneys throughout the State, he would
luxe TO make a little money himseIf
ana he asked me to omm him
10 some OF the book companies as a man
" hhuence IN his county who might
sonlc Welght In having books placed
ln the list Why are attorneys empIoved
when these adoptions come aroundp Is n
because they have the ability
20 dlscuss the merit Of tho book or no.
,allso they have influence, or are SIN.
'osed 10 nave the influence, to have the
BOOKS recommended which they repre-
'ent? one prominent gentleman, who is
one OF the most gifted newspaper
men In the State. told me a few montbs
'so that, acting as an agent for a prom
nent book house in one of tho fnrn,ar
'ook ~alnpalSn tnot in the last one). he
ound that in order to be successful IN
'ettlng his books on the list he Womb
ave 10 resort to questionable means ana
Sent IN his resignation. Let me again
ePelt ina there are agents and agents
10 not hesitate 20 say that, in my Judge
.nht, as SERIOUS as is the extra cost of ,
under the multiple system !.
ms phase of the question is far mora !,
srlous' ana as have said before. this
Apef4ehce IS not unique in Virginia" I,
What 1t Meant. {
III is claimed by the multip,e nao,,o
nat the so-called more progressive S,atos l
. not have the single list. What is vn,r /
1ea as to this?p ~ \
y would be useless to argue on this
ONT; 1te facts saeak for themselves Il
mo- tnsse facts do not bear out This as. 8
etuph, ave already cited TWENTY
Mo states which have uniformity. Ger. $
educators We're quoted before tbIs
o'''ittees as peing for the multipla l,st .
.u certain intellectual giants such as v
,resiaent Elliott, of Harvard; P]residont
!, ha.n H.. ifarper of the University ar !, =
,,gaso' and President Nicholas Murray =
,ugtea as ) noiutnpia University, are g
Ns' Us peihg IN favor Of the multiple 9