Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-09

people whose children will take edit
cation and use 1t to make themselves
Intelligent fathers and mothers for the
next generation, and who will move
steadily upward. Also we should keep
In mind tho large families which II is
tho policy OF every wisely governed
community to encourage by every pos
sible. means. When there Is a large
family II IL o great help and relief to
have school books which can b. passed
down through successive ages of boys
and girls Is, az ,S they 60 rem one srsdo
there fs tendency among profes-
sional school men to be too technical.
TOO professional, and In dehitAs with a
fnatter like this Of school books to de-
and the development Of their own
ideas Of education, and TO have too
little eynipathy with and regard for
the actual needs and conditions of the
people for whom they arc chosen to
net.
Every few yearn ,we have great COM
books. and. perhaps Far too Often 1"v we
have complete changes. involving un-
necessary burdens on the hard-work-
Ing and olose-living providers OF fam
tlies. The interests and needs OF these
people should be studied very care
fully and first OF all.
Hero In Virginia we have an inter-
est In the matter which In rather ex-
ceptional because the State Is the homo
OF groat publishing house which sup
plies books not only TO virginia, but
That fact certainly Ia to DO considered.
This house has been supplying our
Hchools with many OF their books.
These books are In thousands of fam
lilies. carefully kept to be handed down
and representing an Investment fire.
quentiy OF considerable percentage
OK the family income. When II is pos
able to avoid change. with due rom
sideration to the welfare and progress
Of the pupils. change should be avoided.
Especially should we consider our own
homo enterprise. after 1t has been
proven that outside competitors have
discriihinatcd against our State. or in
favor OF other States. We should havo
as few changes ms possible. not only
In the interest OF tho parents Of chill
dren. but for tho welfare OF the chill
'dren themselves and tho efficiency OF
teachers. who probably haVe become
familiar with certain books and arc
put at n disadvantage by being COM
PEELED to use new ones.
Our understanding ID that the books
now In use have the approval OF tho
great majority OF practical. working
school men and women of our State
people whose knowledge Of Virginia
schools and their needs Is gained from
actual and practical experience and
test, and not from any general theo-
retical or foreign born dlctums or
maxims. Sound policy demands that
Sy o peo sshed the sGcsS sn psS
be kept here at home. Our Virginia
publishing house has It's headquarters
In Richmond. but 1t provides work for
n large number OF Intelligent and
sexes drawn from every part OF tho
State; and all Of us know that money
carried to Richmond and wealth and
plants accumulated there ID OF actual
advantage TO the entire State. whereas.
money sent to other States Is lost to us
and represents q steady drain on our
resources. 1t looks as II we would
havo tho right to discriminate IN favor
Of our own institutions, TO make them
tho means OF drawing to US here mil
lions OF dollars from outside, especially
when outside bidders have discrimi-
mated against us.
1t might DO welt, by this way. for
the approa ching Legislature TO look
into this matter Of discrimination. 1t
Is Quite possIble that the law as IT
stands Is not strong enough to protect
our people from this wrong. II IL is
not. 1t should be made strong enough.
II tho fear Of losing a contract is
not sufficient to keep the publishers In
the straight and narrow path tho law
might go further and d asel tho q.
any rate. somethinE should DO done.
either by the Legislature or the board.
that will make things exceedingly un-
comfortable for the publisher. who
dares to charge the children OF vir-
glnia more for their books than he
charges the children OF other States
where similar conditions prevail. The
fact that the board has decided to con-
slider the Odds In January need not
deter the Legislature from looking into
the matter, IN the board has shown "a
commendable determination to make n
satisfactory adoption regardless OF the
time II may require. And as the next
September 1. there Is plenty OF time.