The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-07-06
TEXTBOOK SQUABBLES."

The Charlotte Observer, in an ed
itorial under the above heading, says
The adoption Of a new list
of public school books in South
Carolina has been followed-as
was anticipated-by a loud vol
ume OF protest over the addi-
tional cost to the parents of the
State which the changes will
make necessary. Rather unex-
pectedly, State Superintendent OF
Education ]. E. SWearingen has
put himself at the head Of the
protestaRts and is perfectly
frank in voicing his total disap-
proval of the lists as adopted.
This fact lends much greater
weight to the protest than it
would otherwise have. Under
these circumstances it is inter-
est1ng to note that the State of
Ohio is having trouble with a
similar although not identical
problem. 1t has been discovered
that certain firms in the book
publishing business in Ohio are
selling their product at a smaller
figure in other States than is be-
ing paid in their own. AS there
is no high tariff to explain the
discrepancy, the Ohio school
book commission promptly set
about bringing the publishers to
a different frame of mind. The
commission even declares that,
>. in case the publishers are OBJ
durate, they will see whether or
not Ohio cannot go into the bus
mess itself of publishing all the
. textbooks used in it's public
schools"
North Carolina is just now facins
a similar situation where contracts
for textbooks for the public schools
for the next five years are soon to be
selected. Five years ago, when the
present textbooks were being select
ed, it will be remembered that &
number of prominent educators, al
the request of the State Superinten.
dent, examined all of the textbook:
proposed and recommended a certain
list for adoption. 1t will also be re.
membered that when the Democratic
politicians, upon whom the law
placed the duty of finally selecting
all textbooks, came to pass on the
list already selected or recommended
by the prominent educators, that they
turned down a large number of these
books and selected other books not
and recommended by the
aforesaid practical and experienced
educators. It will also be remember
ed that the books that were selected
were published by the book trust OF
certain book houses who had employ
ed certain prominent Democratic law
yers and paid them large fees to get
their books adopted.
Pray, what use has the publisher
of textbooks for public schools for a
lawyer to present the claims and
merits of those books? Is there anv
legal duty for lawyer to perform -?
Is 1t not clear that these prominent
Democratic lawyers were employed
and paid big fees not for legal SER
vices but for their political influence
with the politicians who had the
power to select the books?
For the last five years the people
Of North Carolina have suffered from
such political jugglery as have the
people of South Carolina, not only
with great expense forced upon the
parents to buy new and different text
books but seemingly books less des;r-
able than those that had been select
Cd by the disinterested educators.
The suggestion made above that If
might be necessary for the State of
south Carolina. and the State of Ohio
.aclng similar troubles, to go into the
business OF publishing textbooks in
'roer to relieve themselves from the
llgn prices forced upon the parents
through these politicians and the b;eb
paid lawyers, is one that will bring
tseif home to the people of North
carolina. But what would be better