The Detroit times., 1911-03-10


I 1T Is true that the Detroit board OF
education is paying higher prices for
text books than does the Cleveland
oboard. The prices are from per
! cent to 10 per cent on the average
above the prices paid by the Cleve-
J land board. These are the prices on
elementary books, II Is also true that
/, the Cleveland board saves Its high
school pupils 20 per cent as compared
! with the cost TO the Detroit high
| school pupils.
1 "As TO why this is SO. our textbook
committee unanimously says that IL
does not know; but one OF them does
venture to say that he thinks IL Is due
to a school book law passed In, Ohio
il3 years ago. Cleveland has been
having these low prices all these
years. The present Detroit school
| board ring has been In existence
7 about IL years. These two facts.
taken together, are probably the best
explanation that can be given as the
reason why Cleveland has low prices
and Detroit has high prices on school
| books.
Our present textbook committee,
/
! hardly be held altogether responsible
! for the fact that we are continuing
/ to pay high prices for school books.
THE city OF Detroit has been en-
ploying a high salaried expert In
! school matters. presumably to keep
II informed as to what Is going on In
J school affairs In other cities and
states. The present superintendent.
! Wales c. Martindale. has held this
position OF school expert for the city
for r2 years. we believe. He Is now
drawing a salary of $1,000 year, and
puts In bill for travelling expenses
/ I'm addition when he visits educational
meetings outside OF Detroit. The idea
being that In these visits TO other
parts of the country, he will become
posted ON all school matters. and will
be able to report to the board OF edu-
cation and the city on matters OF
interest to our schools here.
I'VE have no doubt that he has
been In Cleveland many times during
| these IL years. He was there last
summer at the National Educational
association. He has just recently
returned from Chicago where he
attended a national superintendents
association. But we go on paying
| higher prices for school books than
they pay in Cleveland and In many
other cities of the size OF Detroit
! throughout the United States. II
| would naturally seem as though Mr..
Martindale. as an expert In school
matters, should have become In
| formed long ago as to the low price
in other cities. We have no doubt that
| he has been cognizant OF the facts.
but he has not posted the Board on
| this point, evidently. Why has he
not done SO? Mr.. MARTINDAL.E Is
THE RESPONSIBLE PERSON IN
THIS MATTER, AND THE PEOPLE
SHOULD HOLD HIM RESPON
SIBLE. II 1t requires a state law tc
get these low prices. what has Mr.
Martindale been doing In the last II
years that he has not made move
In this direction?
He evidently has much influences
In Lansing. He was able to gel
through the legislature o bill by which
his salary was raised from $4,000 tc
$1,000. and In other matters he seems
to have influence pretty well In hand
at Lansing. He has been able to gel
things from the people, why should he
not get something for the people?
What can Mr.. Martindale say for
himself? Is he. or Is he not, an
expert In school matters? Has he, OF
has he not, known I'm these IL years
that In Ohio, school books we're being
bought at a much lower price than
In Detroit? Is 1t, or is 1t not, up to
him to keep the Detroit public posted
on school matters? Has he ever made
a move to secure low prices for school
books In Detroit?
why should we continue TO pay
$4,000 TO a man who Is either not an
expert school man. or is not working
| In the interest of the Detroit people
rs II not high time that we elect
a board of education that will hire
a school expert who will work for the
interests OF the people Of Detroit
instead OF his own personal interests
your opportunity comes Monday
next"