Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-18
BOOK ADOPTION TO Be
TAKEN UP ON THURSDAY
Unless Blocked by Legislative In
vestigation, Education Board Will
Award Contracts.
SOME PRICE DISCREPANCIES
Cost OF Handling by County Boards
and Exchange Arrangements May
Account for Apparent Discrimina-
tion Against Virginia.

Unless halted by the passage of reso-
lutions calling for an investigation
into the cost of schoolbooks. the State
Board OF Education Will open bids for
supplying the children of Virginia for
the next four years on Thursday. The
call for the meeting has been sent
out. and 1t will be held on that date.
notwithstanding Legislative interven-
ton, as several important matters.
among them the election of three
school superintendcnts, are to be taken
up.
There is considerable opposition to
the proposal of Delegate Julian Gum,
OF Henrico. to have committee of in
vestigation appointed with instructions
to report back TO the Legislature at the
next session. This, 1t is pointed out,
would delay the adoption of books for
another year at least. and school au-
thorities are anxious that the matter
be closed as quickly as possible. In
order that courses Of study may be
rearranGed. The matter has been hang
ing fire long enough. it is said.
NO DOUBT BUT THAT THERE
Is ACTUAL DISCRIMINATION
No doubt exists in the minds of the
State BOARD of Education that some
publishers have and are now discrimi-
mating against Virginia I'm the matter
of prices. The board was the first to
make such an assertion, and all of the
figures now quoted were furnished by
it, and are on file at the Office OF Su-
perintendent r. c. Stearncs. of the
State Department of Public Instruc-
tion. That an investigation could be
held and concluded within two weeks
is his opinion, as two committees have
been studying the matter for nearly n
year. and their reports. together with
replies of publishers to certain qucs-
tions asked by the board, will be filed
at the next meeting. Several minor
changes in the school laws, 1t is be-
iieved, would relieve the situation and
put the State In a position to dictate
better terms to the publishers.
Last April the board after n lengthy
session. adopted a list OF preferred
books. Since that time bids have been
asked for and received from between
seventy-flve and eighty publishing
houses Some of these bids have since
been amended. and when they are for
mally opened, the assertions concern
ing the alleged agreements between
publishers 20 boost the prices will
either be proved or dispellcd
FORM OF BID IS
MOST COMPREHENSIVE
The form OF hid sent out by Super
intendent Stcarnes Is most comprc-
henslve one. and Will give about all
information. it is believed. that could
be elected by an investigation The
publishers are required to give the
name of the textbook bid upon. the
name of the author, together with The
date Of the last copyright. to prevent
any old issues from being foisted off
on the State. He Is required to give
the retail price for n four-year adop-
Gether with the exchange price for
both periods.
The publisher is required to give his
best price f. o. b. factory to school
boards, Wholesale dealers, retail dealers
and central depository, and lowest
price {. o. b. Richmond to the school
boards. Wholesale dealers, retail deal
ers or central depository. For fur
ther Information, the price for the
rental Of plates Is asked.
Under the present system, the state
Board of Education awards contracts
for schoolbooks to many concerns, ac-
cording to the lowest bids submitted
for the type of hook selected The
lContlnued on Second PageJ