The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-02
Stuart, Pollard and Stearnes
Tells Committee Where Dis
elimination Exists
Distribution Is
Seat of Trouble
Board Refused to Adopt Books
Last Spring Owing to FIX.
cessive Prices at That | ime,
More Power Needed

According IN the testimony Of Gov
ernor H. &. stuart Attorney-General
John Garland Pollard and Superin-
tetudent OF Public Instruction X. {.
Stearnes. the State Of Virginia has
been Disseminated in The price of
textbooks in the past, a large part OF
the additional charges in most IN
stances being due TO the cost of the
method OF distribution through the
Virginia Book Company. Also in the
ma tier Of prices quoted in the instance
Of a large number Of textbooks, VIZ
ginia is paving higher rate than
other states. Inadequate legislation
was given as the reason the Board OF
Educa ton has not been able TO take
up tle question Of distribution costs.
1t vas also brought out that the
Board Of Education has conducted
exhaustive inquiries into the alleged
high prices Ct textbooks. and that the
reason whole list OF quotations was
recently rejected by the board was
that ali the prices were considered
TOO high TIE committee Will con-
TIM it's investigation this morning.
with superintendent Stesrnes still on
the stand and several representatives
still 20 appear.
Many Attend Meeting.
A number of officials and specta'
tors gathered at the hearing in the
Corporation Court room to witness
the proceedings. Members OF ths
Legislature and a large number o.
school officials as well. as MANY
representatives of book firms were III
The audience.
In opening the session CHAIRMAN
Gum stated that the purpose or the
inouiring was not to investigate the
of
tons that the State of Virginia has
been charged higher prices for text
books than other States. He called
as the first witness Superintendent
Stearnes who read on behalf of the
Board of Education A lengthy pre-
pared statement Of the boards find
inSs 10 date. The board divided its
paper into presentation and compari'
son of four types OF States where
textbook adoptions had been invest
gated in most of which cheaper rates
prevail them in Virginia. The IRIS
vas the Ohio type, where some books
wre found 20 be sold at higher rates
than in Virginia because of cheaper
method of distribution.
In comparison with the Ohio type
Of awards, Virginia Is Disseminated
against in regard high school books
but the rate is in her favor in regard
10 elementary SCutpi tptohS, SHII|
are more numerous than the htgf
school works.
The Kentucky type differed from
the Ohio type in that single list awards
are made there, and different system
Of distribution enables the State u
distribute its books for fifteen per cent
OF the wholesale price, while in Vir-
ginia the cost Is twenty per cent
For tbs difference the board is no,
responsible said the witness as it does
not consider ii has power over the
question of distribution under the
present laws.
Other Types OF Awards.
Other types of States and awards
are the North Carolina and California
types. the former of which is most
nearly like the Virginia system. and
the latter Of which differs greatly in
that the State uses the plates of the
books rented from the publishers, and
so gets a much lower price by printing
the books herself In most States the
publishers profit is from thirty to
forty per cent. but h, California. by
the system OF renting plates. the profit
to the publishers Is only about fifteen
fr1nt;r,,na m Cacrra povai