The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-11-29
SAYS CURE LIES
WITH TEACHERS
Logan Refers School Book
Contractors To
Them.
Book

Frankfort, Ky. Nov. 23.-The
State adoption of textbooks includes
not only the subject matter Of the
books, but the books themselves,
and school trustees and teachers
who permit books to be procured in
an improper way or through an i'm
proper channel are subject to pen
atty, Attorney General Logan said in
an opinion given State Superintend-
ent V. o. Gilbert.
The contracts call for the sale of
textbooks at a stipulated price and
through accredited dealers. In some
places concerns which purchased old
books, cleaned and rebound them,
have opened stores in OPPOSITION to
accredited dealers. The contractors
have demanded that the State in
stitute proceedings to protect them;
but Attorney General Logan said
the way to do that is to hold the To-
cal school authorities responsible
and require them to prohibit the
use of the unauthorized books.
Contractors stated that their prof
its are reduced on account of the
increased cost of material and they
cannot stand this competition. OF
course. book that has been bought
through the regular channel can
pass through as many hands as may
be and not lose its identity as an
adopted textbook, but the ruling is
aimed at concerns which offer for
sale rebound books in active COM
petition with State contractors.
Gen. Logan's Opinion.
The opinion of Attorney General
Logan follows:
1T appears that secondhand
books, in some instances of the same
character as those contracted for
with the companies. are being sold
in the State and used in the schools. |
You desire to know whether these
secondhand books may be legally
sold and used as textbooks in the
schools.
"As understand the textbook !
law, it provides that the Textbook |
Commission shall enter into a con-
tract with book companies to fur
nish textbooks to the pupils in the
State. A secondhand dealer would |
not have the right under the law to
interfere with the rights of the con-
tractors. The books which the |
schools must use are those called for
in the contract and furnished by the
contracting companies, and books
cannot be procured legally in any
other way.
There seems to be no provision
in (he law which would prohibit.
any dealer from purchasing second
hand books and selling them to the
patrons. The secondhand books
may not be up to the requirements.
They may be of old editions and
when sold in a community the book
copany must suffer the blame which
attaches to the furnishing of infe-
rior books. In addition to this it in
terferes with the contractual rights
Of the contracting parties that have
agreed to furnish the textbooks to
the State Of Kentucky.
while there may not be any pen
atty against a dealer selling these
books, there is penalty against
books. there is a penalty against
teachers and school boards using
books other than those regularly
adopted. The law provides that GER
tain dealers shall be designated in
each county and that the books shall
he sold at not exceeding a certain
price. If the teacher or the school
board permits the use of books pro-
cured in an improper way or
through an improper channel they
are subject to a penalty. The only
remedy that know would be prose-
cution against the teachers and the
school boards who permit this prac-
tioe."