The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1911-07-12
SCHOOL BOOK SCANDAL
Superintendent Swearingen Scores
State Board of Education.

protested against the recent TEXTBOOK
adoptions made by the state board OF
education.''
This statement is by J. E. Swearin-
gen, the state superintendent --of edu-
cation, in protesting against the sweep
ing change of textbooks, which will
cost the people of South Carolina
about S5O0,0O The recommendations
of Mr.. Swearingen were ignored by a
majority of the members of the board.
Without making any charge against
the members of the state board of edu-
cation, the statement can be made
that corruption is suspected. 1t is
known that some sort of influence was
brought to bear upon the board. This
incident can be referred to only as "the
textbook scandal" AS is woll known
the larger per cent. of the paying bus
mess went to the American Book Co..
New York, which is known as the
shook trust.''
The statement of MIR. Swearingen,
which ID explanatory, follows:
''To protect the interests of the peo-
pie and to keep the record straight, l
protested against the recent textbook
adoptions made by the state board OF
education. Though my protests were
ignored and my wishes disregarded, L
desire to make brief statement of my
position.
Eighty per cent of the books now IN
use have been thrown out of the
schools. Not one word of explanation
reason or excuse for this revolutionary
action has Leen offered to the public.
Such sweeping changes are without
precedence in the history Of this or any
other state.
The books sold in the last five years
cost more than $500, 900. These books
have been in the main displaced, and
now have an exchange value of 80 per
cent Of their original cost. The new
books adopted are higher priced, and
every time a patron or pupil is requir-
cd to exchange an old book there must
be cash payment in addition.
This cash payment will be a tax on
every citizen of the state. 1t may be
small in the case of any one book, but
will amount to thousands in the aggre-
gate.
If Winthrop college should be burned
to the ground there would be univer-
sal lament from the mountains to the
sea. The state board Of education
with an absolute disregard of the prop
erty rights of the people has destroyed
values and imposed taxes representing
an investment equal in value to the
magnificent college at Rock Hill. Ev-
cry exchange of bUoSs also imposes Ia
Dor and Inconvenience in addition to
the expense. A numoer of the depos
itories are conducted by county super
intendents of education, and these Of
ficers will feel the strain before the ex-
change period has passed.
do not believe that changes should
be made unless the books III use have
proven inferior or unsatisfactory. The
state board of education declined to
present in writing the unsatisfactory
books on the present list. The adop-
tion of 1906 was little short Of crime
if interior books were imposed upon
the children of the state. Three men,
bers OF the present board took part in
that adoption and must have voted for
the books then selected. The change
of heart that has taken place IN these
gentlemen is not questioned by me but
it would be better understood if it
were fully explained. Ii any city su-
perintendent in special district exer-
cising the right of independent text
book adoption should enter upon his
work by changing 80 per cent Of the
books in the hands of The pupils, l do
not believe his action would 60 un-
challenged. How much more, then,
should explanation be offered when
the change effects the whole state
farther than a small municipality!
had prepared for the use of the
board ballot showing the name of
each member voting and the title of
each book voted for. This ballot the
board declined to use, because the
members did not wish to offend the
,ensibilities of the various book agents
With whom they had established and
Wished 20 maintain pleasant relations.
L his is laudable sentiment, but it
is.