The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-09
ADOPTION OF
 TEXTBOOKS Busy Times Are on at
 the Capitol THERE ARE B BIDDERS Yesterday Was the Last Day for
 Bids.
With each Bid, Bidders Named TheiI Accredited Agents who win Appear Before the Board se Argue Their Briefs
 Already Flied.

of the Secretary of State and the De- partment of Education presented such busy scenes as were those of yester- day there. It was the last day on which publishers could get in their bids for supplying the public schools of Alabama with text books.
 Agents were here and agents were there. The office of Secretary of State Frank N. Julian was filtered with book specimens which have been piling in on him during the last two or three days. Every bidder for the States eon- tract must place with the Secretary of State specimen copy of the book or books which he proposes to supply for the next five years.
 At the closing hour yesterday the Secretary of the Text Book Commits sion. Hon. Harry c. Gunnels. State Superintendent of Education. had been notified of bids from no less than thir- ty-three publishing houses. When 1t Is realized that several of the bidders are fighting for the adoption of books on more than one branch of study, some idea of the physical labor entailed on the clerical force of the Secretary of State can be obtained. There are spec. separate bid. One man remarked of the stacks of books in the Capitol, They look like range of small Hi- malayas."
 The representatives of the publish ing houses were busy yesterday sub hitting bids in person and depositing their certified checks. Some of the houses have in Montgomery more than one accredited representative. Many of them have certified to the Commits sion four agents Some have three, some have two and others are content ed to rest their eases with a single
 rr,ss ,,as-s a,,t,as .S ss,nwn ..a.ta Aftnr perfecting their bids yesterday will be to elaborate on the briefs which are now in the hands of the individual members of the Commission. This or- atorical privilege will be theirs as soon as the Commission meets next Friday in the Capitol. Originally the meeting was set for yesterday but owing to the reunion in Birmingham the date was changed until June i2 So, on that date the accredited representatives can appear in person ana expatiate as much as they want to on the merits of their pet books.
 It is said that 1t is hard to nnd q set of men more partial to their manu- factured products than the publishing houses The agents are the personifi- cation of the publishers and if any of the points about the books have es- caped their tfentiou somebody may he handsomely rewarded ands maybe, pro-
 
 such points. What, therefore. the mem bers of the Commission have not learn ed in the briefs they have been study ing since March II will be explained fully at the sitting here in Montgonl- cry. It is said the Commission may be in session four or six weeks.
 Five Alabama authors are offering their works for adoption by Alabama. One of these is ex-supe of Education Isaac W. Hill, Of Opelika. He conceived the idea some time ago that Alabama is. in need of a practical and up-to-date text book on the civic government of Alabama. He has been bard at work with experts of one of the publishers on book especially de- signed for the education of the children of Alabama. It proposes to put In con- crete form for the intelligence of the bows and girls of this State the fun- damental principles of our State as well as our National Government.
 Another seeker after Alabama's adoptton is Prof. J. F. Duggar, of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. He has a book just completed on agricul- ture for the common schools of any Southern State. 1t has met with the final approval of Virginia. He has one of the largest publishing houses Of the country handling the work.
 Prof. Joel c. DuBose of Birmingham wants the State to use his Alabama history for the next i've years, begin. ming September l, 1908. That is the date of expiration of all present con. tracts. Supt. W. B. Striplins of the Gadsden Public Schools. will try for the adoption of his own style of copy books His bid and specimens are hled fin good order. The same can be said of the primer of Miss Nettie Terrell of Shef1eld.
 The Commission having adopted Q rule at their initial meeting that no Repositories would be designated until after the contracts were made, the problem of distributing the books dur ing the negt five years will not per plex the Commission at this sitting. It is a difacult proposition, however and it is possible that whatever meth ods will be adopted may be the re- suit of consultation with the publish ing houses. It Is understood that there is general dissatisfaction at the prevailing ssytem of distribution in Alabama. Some changes are bound to be made.
 The names of the publishing houses which have submitted bids, together with the agents. are as follows:
 American Book Company. Cincinnati O.. '. D. Matlock. T. P. Murrey, R. P, Henry, Lawson B. Evans; D. Appleton @ Co.,, Chicago. H., W. I. Crane, Geo. E. Booth, A. J. McEIroy, B. E. Rich ardson: 0. P. Barnes, Chicago, H.. B. s. Lobdell; B. D. Berry 6 Co, Chicago. Ill.,, B. D.. Berry; The Cultivator Pub. lishing Co, Atlanta. Ga. G. F. Hun nicutt. B. M. Drake, T. P. Hunnicutt: