The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-29
THE BIG TASK
 IS FINISHED Books Adopted for the Public Schools. AFFECTS ALI SCHOOL PATRONS Talk of Action of Text-Book Goa
 mission. New Adoption Changed ss Per Cent of Books Now in Use--AIabama
 Authors Were Favorshled
 By the Commission.
AFFECTS ALL SCHOOL PATRONS

Acting within the powers delegated to 1t by the Alabama Legislature, the Alabama Text Book Commission Will complete today the discharge of Its duties, and their discharge will affect every patron of the public schools of the State. As a matter of fact. 1t is doubtful. if anything, the Legislature did will more directly affect the people 5 of Alabama that the adoption of the books for the schools Of the State.
 The Commission all but finished It's work at the session of Saturday. The additional sittings will deal only with minor matters. The action of the Com mission on it's more important duties Is now known.
 The Commission has selected every book which will be used In the public schools of Alabama for the next Eve years. It is said that tho new books, which will be bought in the fall, will represent an expense of SSo0,000. al- though this estimate can not be veri- fed. Certain 1t Is that the public school patrons buy an enormous no change from the old adoption. It is announced that the Commission has changed Ss per cent of the books now in use in the public schools of Ala b4uaa.
 It Is Interesting gossip that the lars- esf book company in the country lost out largely in the awarding of the con- tract. The American Book Company. which makes and sells more school books than any other concern had, 1t is stated, 6S per cent Q fthe contracts under the old adoption. The action of the Commission, announced Saturday afternoon. has reduced the amount of this company's contracts to 10 per cent of the total a disappointing result to the agents of the company. The bulk of the contracts went to the old sEnall- CT companies.
 It is notable. too, that the Alabama authors of text books fared we'll with the Commission. The copy book pre- pared by Superintendent W. E. Strip in Of Gadsden. an experienced teacher, was adopted by the teacher. The book on agriculture. by Professor !. F. puggaT, a native Aiabamian, was adopted, and the history written by Profeeaor Joel c. puBose will eused in the Alabama schools.
 The Uniform Text Book System was one of the pet achievements of the ad- nintstration of Governor Jell-s. Cow ernor Jel<s had been, in his day, a book store keeper. and he knew how irksorne was the old system under which patrons had to buy net set of books every time the school teacher waa changed Under the law as 1t was rasSad. the heads of the Alabama col- ieges were made members of the Com mission with the Governor and the Su- perinfendent of Education. The books they have adopted have been in use for i've years. The contracts under this adoption will expire in septsm- Der.
 Under the administration of Governor Conner. the uniform text book system was endorsed, but several chanRee were made ntie law. The principal change was the enlargement of the commis- sion. Governor Conner, when he came to appoint the Commission, named on it teachers and superintendents of pub. lie schools, alth gh some of the agri- cultural schools had representation upon it. The enlarged commission has been in session for more tha ntwo weeks at the Capitol, hearing from the agents and considering the books sub nitted for adoption. Their announce ment Saturday of the list of books se- lected practically closed their work al- though a number of minor details will be taken up today.
 The proceeding of the Commission were executive. but 1t is understood that the Governor, who is a member of the Commission, took an active inter est in the adoption of the books. The gossip has it that the Commission al. vided q good deal on the final votes. IL Is said that number of the Conn riaissioners were opposed to any change of books against which no complaint has been made, and which were en . dorsed by the people of the State. This division of the Commission, it is said lost out in the fght an dthe comrnis- Bioners made more changes than had been expected.