The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-16
STATE MAY PRINT
SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS
Astonishing Showing of Price
Discrimination Made by Board
of Education.
COST ONE-THIRO MORE HERE
Reader Sold in California at Is
Cents Quoted to Virginia
at 81 Cents.
COST ONE-THIRO MORE HERE

which has been negotiating with the
publishers, the state Bonrd OF Edu-
cation decided yesterday 20 Inquire
into tho cost OF renting book plates
from the publishers md itself print
ing all bool;s destined for use In tho
public schools OF Virginia. The com
mittce. since the April meeting Of
thc board. when It was decided not 10
ador, II lis, pending an Investigation
OF prices. mas secured proof Of
tonishing discrimination in prices by
publishers against virginia school chill
drcn.
Reports or schoolbooks prices In Cal
!forn!a. furnished the committee by
state School Superintendent Edward
HYATT. show that books offered TO tho
Virginia Board OF Education for aGop-
tion ar" on sale In California at
price averaging one-th,rd less. For
instance. tho Progressive First Reader
quoted TO the Virginia Board OF Edu-
cation q. 81 cents is sold TO retail
dealers in California at Is cents; a
NTH reader quoted In Virginia a. 40
ccr'c Is sold Ia California at "a cents:
an advanced geography quoted hero at
SS cents brings only 81 cents on tho
Pacific Coast.
AGENTS Of several publishing. houses
last night, while not questioning the
accuracy Of the figures given out by
superintendent Stearnea. claimed that
IL Was not altogether fair 10 compare
tho Wholesale prices at which books
arc soid iu quantity in one State with
the dealers shall sell them TO ind!vid-
gal school patrons IN another.
BOARD UNANIMOUS
FOR FULL INVESTIGATION
II view o' tho proof Of price dis
elimination submitted by tho commit
tee. tho board voted unanimously 10
postpone an adoption Of textbooks un-
Ill a fun Investigation has been made
OF the situation In order 10 obtain the
books for Virginia school children AZ
the lowest possible prices. The board
commissioned the same special com
Tittoc. consisting CT Superintendent
Stcarnes, Governor stuart and Attor-
uey-General Pollard. 10 negotiate with
the publishers co- the rental OF book
plates and 10 report the result OF
their eudcavors 10 a meeting OF the
board 10 be held on Thursday. May
@s.
In the meanwhile. no member OF the
board except superintendent Stearnes
VIII receive or confer with any repre-
sentative OF any publishing house
neither wili the adoption OF textbooks
be discussed.
rhe decision reached by the board
yesterday IS taken 10 mean that V!r-
giuia wil! duplicate, az nearly as cir
cuinstanccs permits. the California
system. In California tho textbooks
are furnished 20 the school children
FREE OF. cost by the state The books
which are standard textbooks, used all
over the country. are printed by tn,
state printer from bookplates rented
from the publishers.
The Virginia state Board OF Educa-
ucn cannot furnish free textbooks. OF
course. neither has the State public
printing plant, but the special commit
tee reported that 10 had received bids
a 81 .,fp i,lf Iu
agrees to print tho books at approx
!m1tc!y ;hc cost Of printing In the Calf
!orn!a state plant
II tho publishers rent plates on the
royalty basis 10 California there Is no
reason why they should not be will
ing 10 dc the same for Virginia. says
the board. and the special COMMITTEES
end
BOARD ISSUES OFFICIAL
STATEMENT OF ITS ACTION
Tho following official statement was
issued by tho hoard Last night:
The special committee. consisting Of
Superintendent Stcarnes. Governor Stu
art and Attorney General Pollard. ap-
pointed AZ a recent meeting OF the
state Board of Education to investi-
gate the prices OF textbooks. reported
that they had communicated with the
superintendent of Public instruction
Of the state OF California. with tho
result that they obtained information
that the same publishers who are now
Offering books for adoption in Vir-
rinia had rented to the State of Cali
iornta the plates from which such
hooks were made. ut very nominal
figure.
The committee also ascertained and
reported that Virginia manufacturers
OF books were willing TO print and
bind the books ln numbers sufficient
Tor use in Virginia :t IL price which
would enable patrons OF the public
schools to obtain the books mt an aver
age price OF approximately 33 Ia per
cent less than the price at which the
books are now offered. California owns
her own printing plant. but II rcspon-
*lblc book manufacturer addressed
communication 10 the board. agreeing
10 manufacture the necessary books at
prices approximately the same as the
cost of production ut the state print
ing plant of California. The Supcrin-
dent of Public Instruction OF Cali
formia states that all the leading pub-
fishers compete kecnly in the renting
OF the plates for ali Of tho first class
popular tcNthooks'
IF the publishers arc willing 10 rcnt
their plates TO the state of Californi,
there seems no good reason why they
Shouii nor nc Wiling TO rent plates
10 'ir%inil manufacturer and pub
iiSher, who In turn, may furnish the
books to the children of Virginia nj
greatly reduced prices. The board
was unanimously "f the opinion that
the facts obtained from CaIifornin
JUSTIFIED the most careful invcstiga-
tioh IN order that every effort might
he made to obtain books for the chill
drcn OF Virginia nt the lowest pos
sibic prices. The same special com
mittec was therefore appointed TO ask
FOR bids on the use of plates, ,ud IN
submit the same TO an adjourned meet
ing oil Inc board, to he held on Thurs
day night, May 2S.
The board unanimously adopted n
resolution mat between now and the
next meeting. no member Of the board.
except the Superintendent of Public
Instruction. Will receive or confer with
any representative of any publishing