The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-09-26

The fact that the two drug stores
handling the new text books required
for use in the public schools this year
have only a very limited number OF
these books on hand, developed yes
terday and Will result I'm great incou-
venience preventing many pupils from
attending the schools of the city when
they open Monday morning.
For weeks the school book matter
has been before the county school au-
thorlties and the latter have Kept the
mails and wires hot in an effort TO
have the publishing houses. who are
under contract TO the state. make
proper arrangements for placing the
books in Pensacola About two weeks
ago these publishing houses announced
they had appointed agents and that
sufficient books would be shipped 10
supply all pupils, but It developed yes
terday that the supply IS not near
sufficient, especially as 10 certain
books of which not 10 per cent Of the
quantity required, had been shipped
here for sale.
Each OF the drug stores have n
small supply of books on hand. but
it is expected that before 10 o'clock
this morning these viii be exhausted
as there will be a rush on the part
quently when the schools open Mon
day there will be many pupils who
will be unable to attend school.
NEGLECT OF PUBLISHERS.
Supt. A =. Edwards was asked yes
terday afternoon for an explanation
Of the existing conditions and made
the following statement:
"The publishers OF the books 20 be
used in Escambia county under rhs
state Uniform Textbook Law have
it appears, neglected to furnish suf-
ficient books for the schools Of the
county. Their contracts and the state
law put upon them the burden Of
supplying the books. and they nave
each given bond to supply books need
ed in the state. Knowing this they
requested q book dealer as their rep
resentative, to obtain from me an es-
timate Of the number of books Of
each kind required aor Use In this
county, and figures were furnished
them weeks ago showing the number
Of pupils in each grade in the county.
for the last school year. More defnita
information could not be given for the
particular grade in which some OF the
books were to be placed, fifth grade or
sixth grade, for example, was not
known until provision could be made
for this in the course of study not
at that time complete. And this in
formation must have been satisfactory
for they have never requested from
the county any additional estimate as
to number Of books required, and,
with the exception Of one letter ask
ing about a book dealer outside the
city, no further request or cOmmuni-
cation has come to the school officials
Of the county. Through the state sup
erIntendent I requested two agencies
for the city and four agencies In out
Of the city school districts.
The publishers knew the require
ments of their contracts and they are
breaking them when they fail TO have
here in time for the opening Of schools
a sufficient supply Of books. The sup
ply in Pensacola Is not sufficient for
the city, let alone the county as n
whole, and as the supply here is al
most exhausted, II Is quite likely that
only those who call at the stores to-
morrow morning will be served"
LANE MAKES STATEMENT.
That the publishers Of the school
books were advised early Of the guam
tity Of books that would be required,
is the statement of Prof 3. 3. Lane,
who has conducted much Of the cor
respondence in an effort 10 have the
publishers supply the books. He said
In July when the committee at
work on the revision OF the course Of
study for the schools Of the city and
county had not completed the work,