The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-01
BOOKS ARE MISSING
CANNOT GET TO ALI SCHOOLS IN
 TIME TO OPEN.
Believed Montgomery schoois win Be Able to Start With New Text
 Books-Rural Schools Unf0rtu-


 In spite of reported statements of Loveman. Joseph and Loeb, of Birm- tngham, to the contrary many of the county textbook agents in this sec- ton of the State hesitate to believe that books will be on hand for use when the public schools desire to open. Information reached the city plaining of the lack of books with which to begin the sessions.
 To each of such inquiries, the De- partment of Education advised that if the new books were not on sale at the appointed places In the county, the schools should open up anyhow. The presumption Is that the old books will be used until the new books are avail able.
 Inquiries at the Montgomery Fair, the local agents of the publishers. de- veloped that there are no books on hand. The city schools here will not open until September 2sth and 1t is be encountered by the teachers and pupils about getting the books Though it is by no means certain that even in some of the new books the local depositary will be found wanting.
 There are rural schools opening in many parts of the State this week. Iney are the InAL are SuI- fering by the delay of the publish CTS. Even If the authorities go ahead and authorize the schools to open on the scheduled time and the old books are used. 1t will work much confusion. Just as soon as the new books land in the community the old books must be Immediately discarded and the course started all over again in the new books for every branch.
 When the State Superintendent of Education issued his statement in yesterdays Advertiser there was no effort to suspend the law. Both he and the Governor or any other officer are powerless to grant immunity to those who go ahead and use old textbooks on and after September 1st the date of expiration of the contracts which have been in existence for five years.
 The Attorney General and State Superintendent of Education were only giving formal recognition to an exi7 u- cy. The law Is plain that persons using other than the new books on and after September lst are guilty of a misdemeanor and are punishable by fine. The intention of these officers was to inspire the people with conf dence In the grand juries and courts of the State who would not be likely to prosecute for violation of this kind when it is known that to observe the law strictly will be to retard the cause of education.
 It is not known just when the State depositary. Loveman, Joseph and Loeb, will have on hand the books for distribution to all the counties. It is said, however. that in many of the counties no agents at all have been found to take the contracts for local supply. It may be October 1st before some of the counties are supplied, and 1t may be earlier.
 There were a few inquiries yester- day by patrons of the colleges as to whether the delay in the book distribution would effect the open Ing of these institutions. As none of the textbook adopted by the col Book Commission apply to the col leges. they are not affected. It is only the common schools of the-State that are bound to use the new books.