The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1914-06-04
PAGE TWO THE. eJE IF
Hon. C. r. McCrory Writes Forcibly
On the School-Book Question

OCulcy Was QUO per year. QuOI0
from the testimony of Hon. E. L.
Bridges before the investigating
committee.
Personally appeared before the
undersigned officer, E. L. Bridges
who on oath says he is resident of
Schley County, and has been all his
life. That deponent sold school
books in said county about fifteen
years. Deponent has been a mem
Der of the Board of Education for
fifteen years. Deponent is now and
has been County School Superintend-
ent for six years. Deponent is per-
fectly familiar with the school work
in Schley County. That he has been
a patron of the schools Of the county
for seven years. That he has been a
patron Of the schools of the county
for seven years. That he was SELL
ing school books in 1903 when State
wide adoption was made and that
Swinton's Word Book was reduced
in price by virtue thereof from csc
to 12c, and the readers were cut in
prices about one-half, and a large
reduction was made on all books by
State wide adoption and the texts
are as good as formerly
Deponent further sWears that the
average price per pupil at the G. F.
Crisp Institute in said county is
about $425 per annum from the
first to the tenth grade, and the aver
age price per pupil in the country
schools will average $3.50 per pupil.
This includes basal and supplement-
ais.
Deponent further swears that the
several schools in said county are
teaching High School books
Deponent further sWears that in
company with State Supervisor F. E.
Land, they visited during the week
of April 18th to II the schools in
said county, and that they found a
number of white children of good
families but who were poor and de-
pendant upon their daily toll for a
living, several being tenants on
farms and number of these child
rem were without the necessary
school books and when asked why
they did not have them, they would
reply that their parents had failed
to get them.
Deponent personally knows some
OF the parents and knows that they
have the proper pride in their child
rem, and deDOnent is confident had
these parents been able to purchase
the books, they would have gladly
furnished them to their children.
This is not an unusual occurrence,
nor is it an unusual experience that
dep0nent has had since he has been
County superintendent, but num-
bers can be found in like condition.
There you are Mr. Moon, about
Schley County, and how is t. at for
soc each as you and the book crowd
allege? | am satisfied they told as
big one about the other counties.
Only two witnesses were sworn be-
fore the Investigation committee,
and one sWOre that the average price
in Georgia for school books was at
least two dollars per pupil. This will
make the sales of school books in
Georgia at least one million two
hundred thousand dollars per annum.
These men have no incentive to
swear falsely and both are familiar
with school work. We can save at
least one half Of this sum by the
C>tario plan of supplying school
books
But you say the Ontario books are
worthless. Admit this is true
(Which it is not) is that any reason
why we should select worthless
texts?
roorgia today is not getting as