The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-18
To EFFECT SAVING
IN PRICE OF BOOKS
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO
MAKE ADOPTIONS THIS
| WEEK.


ings the state Board of Education will
meet today as "a body to begin the
work of selecting the textbooks to be
FUSED in the public schools OF Virginia
for the next four years. at least. The
work is not expected TO be completed
before Saturday, although Friday
night may see the adoptions complet-
led
The preliminary work OF the board
is done by committees, to which are
assigned certain subjects. For in
stance. textbooks on arithemetic are
examined and discussed by one COM
mittee, while those of grammar. his
tory. geography. and SO forth, are
given to othst committees. Each menu
Der of the board, OF course, is on more
than one committee.
Ready for Final Work.
This work has now been completed,
and today all the members viii meet
together to examine and revise the
work of the committees and make the
final selections,
The adoption OF books this year has
been attended by more than the usual
interesting features. and delay of
several months has been occasioned
thereby. The tentative selections were
made last April. several months be-
fore the expiration of existing con-
tracts. according to custom How
ever. Superintendent Stearnes being of
the decided opinion that better prices
could be secured than those represent
ed by bids IN the hands OF the board.
final action was delayed. pending an
investigation. Committees. accord
ingiy, were named and the matter
thoroughly studied. with the result
that Il was found that some prices
were higher than some of the mem
bers Of the board regarded as reason
able.
New Bids Asked
Accordingly. new bids were asked
and received and II is these that have
been considered by the committee and
that will he considered for the nex-
few days by the full board. Some re-
auctions have been made by the pub
fishers as the result of the investiga-
tion bv the board and the call for the
rev bids.
This work OF the board was COM
pleted last fall, and final adoption
would have taken place more than a
meath ago. but for the injection of
Joint resolution of inquiry BY the GEN
eral Assembly into the situation
Under the terms OF this resolution,
the board was requested to delay
adoption until the inquiry could be
completed and report made. This
inquiry was not requested By the
Board OF Education or bv Superin-
tendent Stearnes. but. Of course was
accepted by them. They did not con-
slider 1t wise to oppose .he inyestiga-
ton strenuoDslv. though most of them
could see no benefit To be derived
tehrefrom.
This investigation disclosed the fact
that Determinations against Virginia
are comparatively few and urtmport-
ant, Superintendent St-ar-es. how.
ever. IS convinced that better prices
can be obtained in some instaces by
renting plates from the publishers OF
this he has never lost sight and now
that the Ros I'd OF Education has been
empowered by law TO rent plates. hc
hopes Ia secure better prices on some
books. or, failing. to rent plates and
have the books manufactured by the
State.
Expect Lower Prices.
With him II is not so much a mat
.er of observation-disclosures In the case
OF Ohio and one or two others harped
rpon during the Legislative investiga-
ton. he has never claimed discrsmina-
lions of practical irnpo -tance hut OF
lower prices wherever possible.
His own position, Mr. Stearnes
rem results OF the legislative inyestiga-
ton never sought nv him.
The board. IN making adoptions this
week .expects to effect some savings.
Others will come later when the mat
ter OF pIate renting is thoroughly
threshed out.