The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-11-17
TENT BOOK CASE.
Arguments Heard by Supreme Court
on State Book ADOPTION.

Columbia. Nov. 13.-The case Of
James b. Addy against the State
board of education was argued before
the Supreme Court yesterday. In this
case it is alleged that the board yio-
lated the State book adoption laws
by changing more than so per cent
OF the exchangeable books at ono
adoption. The petitioner was repre
scented by L. d. Melton and Cole l.
Blease and the respondents by Geo
Il. Cromer and John j. McSwain Tn
his argument for the board DR.. Gro
mer said:
"In authorizing readoption of text
books at intervals of five years. the
legislature wisely foresaw that there
would be improvements in school
books as well as in other Instruments
Oh progress and it was intend
ed that the State board of education
should have wide discretion i'm pre-
scrbing courses OF study, in adopt
ing textbooks and generally in pro-
noting the interests of the public
schools. But even if we assume that
the inhibition of the amendment OF
1914 forbidding a change of more
than 90 per cent. of the exchangeablc
books, is mandatory, still it is clear
that the respondents acted well with
In its requirements.
I'm the eighth paragraph of the
petition it is alleged broadly and
without specification, that the State
board of education changed more
than 30 per cent. Of the exchangeable
books The titles Of the books are
correctly set forth in the third para
graph of the petition, and they are
quoted from the published statement
issued by the board Of education and
hled with the return as exhibit B. The
percentages Of changes is set forth in
detail in the seventh paragraph of the
return, and in exhibit G of the re-
books OF 1911 is given, with an ac-
curate analysis showing the percen-
tage of changes. From this state
ment it appears that the board
changed Al 3-17 per cent. of the to-
tai eXchangeable books; "A 40 per
cent. Of the exchangeable books in
the first, second and third grades; 80
per cent. of the eXchangeable books
In the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh
grades. and AZ LII per cent Of tho
exchangeable books in high school
grades
1T is not suggested that there was
caprice or fraud or incompetency on
the part Of the board. The very per-
sonnel of the board would refute any
such suggestion or inference. The
presumption is that the members
were selected with reference to char
arcter, efficiency and special fitness
and training for that important work.
II Is also safe to assume. and saw
~ Will TIC utIlOSl ueIeTcnCo ana re-
spect, that these respondents are as
capable of deciding the percentage of
changes made as the members of this
court could possibly be-"
Cole l.. Blease, in summing up his
argument for the respondent, said:
THE total cost Of the 6S books
adopted for use in all the grades in
1911 amounts. to $3S.52 The total cos
Of the 115 books required under the
1917 adoption is $7O34, an increase of
80 per cent.
This gives an increase Of over 2Oa
per cent. in the cost Of books of the
first group; over 80 per cent increase
in the cost Of books in the second
group, and over CT per cent. in the
cost Of books in the third group, and
an average increase Of SO per cent. in
the cost Of all books used in all the
grades caused by the changes made
in the list of books required in the
1911 adoption and the list required in
the 1917 adoption"
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