The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-04
Two CONTRACT FORMS
FOR TEXTBOOKS USED
State superintendent Of Public Schools
Executing Contract Under Reso-
luton OF June 20.
MAY ELIMINATE SECTION IS
BY Elimination Of That Section Best
Wholesale Rate and Best Exchange
Price Is Secured For virginia school
Children.

Contracts for textbooks for use IN
Virginia public schools following the
adoptions of a few weeks ago after
lengthy consideration OF the PROPOSE
tions submitted are being executed by
superintendent of Public instruction
r. c. Stearnes. There are two forms
OF contract being used that the state
may make the most advantageous
terms with the publishers. II is ex-
pected all contracts will have been
closed by Monday night. There will
be no independence Day holiday at
the State superintendent ONCE.
The bids upon which the adoptions
were made were submitted in Decem-
Der, 1914. before the new law APP
proved March IL, 1915, went into eff
feet. It was brought out in the leg
islative investigation that Ohio ana
Michigan enjoyed the benefits of bet
ter wholesale prices on textbooks, but
did not enjoy the benefit of better
retail prices than those granted in
Virginia. Therefore The statute re-
quired:
As Low as Elsewhere.
1. That the wholesale prices named
In the contracts should be in all
cases as low as the wholesale prices
at which said books were sold any
where in the United States"
2. That the retail prices should be
as low as the retail prices at which
said books were sold anywhere In the
United States. taking Into considera-
ton the cost of distribution.
Q. That the terms of exchange on
said books as set out in the contract
should be in all respects as favorable
to the patrons of the schools or Viz
sinia as those granted by the pub
Usher anywhere In the United States
At meeting held on June % the
state Board of Education adopted a
resolution, stating that in the opin-
ion of the board Virginia Is entitled
to better exchange prices than those
States like Ohio and Michigan, where
i'm a system of local adoption pre-
walls.
Eliminating Section Is.
But IL appeared at that meeting OF
the board that some of the publishers
were not willing TO grant the most
favorable exchange rates in all cases.
and owing to the near approach or
the session ls1S-IS. the State Board
adopted q resolution which instructed
the superintendent of public instruc-
ton to accept the lowest wholesale
rate with the higher rate OF exchange
in those cases in which the publisher
refused to grant the Virginia rate OF
exchange. AS concession to those
who gave both the lowest wholesale
rate and the Virginia rate of ex-
change. the superintendent of public
instruction was permitted to elimi-
nate section is of the contract, which
declares that nothing In this contract
shall be construed to prevent the
board. IL II sees at, from granting per-
mission to local school boards TO pur-
chase and use In the public schools
unier their supervision other books
than those adopted by the State Board
OF Education
Superintendent Stearnes voted In
the negative on this resolution. the
other members present voting in the
Affirmative.
To sum the whole matter up In a
few words the State Board of Educa-
ton rs making TWO different contracts
with the publishers. In one 1t gets
the lowest wholesale rate Plus the
best exchange rate by eliminating sec
ton is, In the other il also gets the
lowest wholesale rate. but does not
secure the best exchange rate. and
therefore does not eliminate section
Is.