The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1908-09-25
CAMERON WRITES CONCERNING
EXCHANGE OF BOOKS
COMPANIES MUST EXCHANGE.
State Superintendent Says Grade
Cuts no Figure in Exchange
Asks County Superintendents
to Report Refusals to Order.

Guthrie, Sept 22.-State Superinten-
dent E. D. Cameron yesterday issued a
circular letter to county superintendents
In response TO numerous inquiries re-
ceived by him from different sections Of
3 the state registering complaints against
retail book dealers that they are refusing
to take old books on exchange for new
books, except for the same kind and
grade The circular is as follows.
In the revised official circular relating
10 the state uniform list of text books
issued from this ofilcs few weeks ago,
this language was used in regard 10 1.-The
exchange price of adopted. text books in
Oklahoma. The exchange price in Okla.
homa is the price at which supplies or
bastie texts may be obtained when old
books Of corresponding grade Of other
series in use are given in exchange. The
period for completing the exchange viii
expire Sept. IA, 1909"
Il find that confusion has arisen in re-
gard TO the exchange price of books, and
that the book companies are only ex-
changing new books for old books in the
same ;grade. This statement from our
office was based on a clause in the con-
tracts signed by the book companies, but
find that the contracts further stipuate
that the act Of the legislature providing
for uniform system of text books is made
a part of the contract with each and
every book company and my understand
ing Of the law is as found in Section 4 Of
House Bill No 1881, that il provides that
hooks shall be exchanged regardless Of
the grade and that proper exchange
shall be fixed on each book, to 90 as far
as It viii toward the book needed; that is
70 say, that the books in use in any grade
may be exchanged for books placed by
the adoption for any other grade at the
price fixed on the respective books.
Grammars for grammars, arithmetics for
arithmetics. readers for readers, and so
on through, | think the word resp eetive'
in the law refers not to the grade but to
the class Of series that is 20 say. as
above indicated, erammars for erammars,
arithmetics for arithmetics, readers for
readers, etc, regardless Of grade at the
price fixed.
II is the opinion Of this office that the
book dealers be required to exchange
books as above indicated regardless Of
grade This was evidently the intent of
the law and viii save our people thous-
ands of dollars. Where book dealers have
refused 10 make exchange as above in
dictated and books have been bought for
cash when exchange could have been
made. the dealers should be required to
refund the money
IF any book company refuses TO com
ply with this circular, report the matter
to this office
Superintendent Cameron holds that the
following part of the contract entered in
TO by the state through the text book COM
mission for supplying the text books is
not in keeping with the text book law:
Party Of the second part further
agrees that where change shall have
been made from the books now in use or
In use on the date of the passage of the
act referred to in this state the party Of
the second part shall take in exchange
the respective basic books and receive In
exchange the same for new books of the
same kind and grade at the prices follow
ing, to-wit;"
The contract was drawn by Attorney
General West" stated Superintendent
Cameron today and was not what the
commission had in mind, am sure
Their intention, as gather from the in
dividual members, was to have book ex-
changed for book, regardless of grade. al
the price agreed upon in the contract.
The above circular was approved by o.
T. Smith, as attorney for the text book
commission. who declared that the com.
panies .holding contracts in this state
must comply with this ruling and that
the commission would insist on the pub
fishing companies taking the old hooks
off the hands Of the retail dealers, which
they we're replacing by books adopted by
the commission, and to pay dollar foI
dollar for the old books