Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-07
WHOLESALE BOOK PRICES
ARE HIGHER IN VIRGINIA
superintendent Stearnes So Reports
10 State Senator Mathews,
of Norfolk.
LOWER RATE OF DISCOUNTS
Suggests Modification OF Contracts
for Textbooks to Meet Cases Where
School Boards Wish To Buy Book 8
at Wholesale.

Eyidcutly state Superintendent, OF
Public instruction Stcarncs does not
consider the Virginia Book Company
the unmiXed blessing that ii would have
the people bc!icN" II to be. IL hi"
letter 10 Senator Mathews. Of Norfolk.
Mr.. St.arucs SAY that the average dis
count given to Virginia school boa rds
is u - per cent on the retail prices Of
S"hoolhookS. that lin many, ii rot all,
Of the southern States. the wholesale
pro" TO dealers IS the equivalent OF a,
discount OF 20 per cent from our re-
tail prices, and in many Instances even
a better discount than this was givc:.
/ In Virginia before III. organization OF
The Virginia Book Company"
the letter TO senator Mathews fol
lows:
Richmond. March
lion. r. & Mathews State Senate
Richmond. Va
My Dear Sir,-I beg to advise thai,
a special meeting OF the state BOARD
Of Education was called on February
IS 10 consider n reply that certain mem
bcrs OF III. Board OF Education wished
TO make to the staiea,cn; iilcd by the
Governor. AttOrn.y-G General .ni myself
in response to Senate resolution NO
| 10. The filing uf this statement ueces-
STATED a second statement from the
Governor, NttOrncN-C;cnoral and SUI
pcrintcndent OF Public Instructions
This second statement could no; lie
prepared until about Il. ". on March
!. and t~o or three hours were con-
sumcd in considering the two papers
After that business had been disposed
, OF called The attention of tho board
TO your communication. but found that
one of the members was obliged to
teaV" 10 catch a train. and tho Others
who mad gone without supper. were 50
much fatigUcd that il seemed impos-
siblc to prolong tho meeting
,a.N.,
. giving YOU Information orally in re-
gard IL the foregoing facts. and asked
II YOU desired that the board be called
together a=ain before the adjournment
Of the Legislature. AZ that time you
suggested that tho Superintendent OF
Public instruction write YOU letter
giving such facts as were in his pos
session In regard 10 the wholesale rates
secured under the Virginia contracts
with the publishers of textbooks
1 beg to advise that under our con-
tracts the discounts allowed school
boards desiring TO purchase textbooks
{. o. h. publisher vary from & TO 20 per
cent Of the retail price. and these dis.
counts, of course, determine the whole
sale prices
Using the list of elemcntarv book s
by way Of illustration 7 find that II is
easy TO offer an exhibit which will
make this point clear TO every one.
Exhibit OF Elementary List of Books.
Rate of discount allowed school
boards. {. o. h. publisher:
American Book Company. 16 %; Mac
milan Co. 10; CHM II Co, Is; World
Book Company u: b. T. johnson Pub
fishing Company. 20: Charles Scribncrs
Sons. 6, and II: Scott, Foresn,an &.
Co. 10; Newsomc & Co. -; Richmond
Press, 10: Howard Lee McBa;u. =.
This list embraces about three
fnurths lin valued Of the books sold
each year. and shows how much tho
rRtcs Of discount vary. Af,cr consider
ing the matter very carefully, ! have
reached the conclusion that the average