The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-27
PRESENT TEXTBOOKS WILL BE READOpTED |ON OLD CONTRACTS
Governor and Board Decide That This Is No Time to Make Costly
 Changes

Montgomery January 26.-(Special)- Every textbook now in use in the pub- lie schools of Alabama will be re- ahopted for a period of two years by the new state textbook commission named by Governor Henderson Thurs 6ay provided the publishers of the books will agree to renew the con tracts. This announcement was made by the commission Friday afternoon following a meeting at the call of the governor.
 The fact that conditions are un- settled by the war and that no one ed before the expiration of the old adoption period Of five years caused the board to decide to renew the con tracts. Governor Henderson in organ izing the commission requested that the old books be readopted and his suggestion was concurred in by unani- nous vote.
 Tt has been estimated that the change in books following this peril odfcal adoption of the textbook, if the usual course is adopted. will likely entail upon the patrons of the schools tax ranging from s300,000 to s500.- 000," said Governor Henderson. While an exchange price is usually fixed in the contract between books of the new and the old adoptions, this will although small to the individual. when applied to the great number of chill dren attending school, in the aggre- lat.
 There is another condition that we should not fail to take into consid eration. The cataclysm in which the world is now struggling is not only making history but is changing the geography of the world. The changes in industrial conditions and the new ideas and influences brought about will also reform and change the con tents of other subjects. Soon as pos sible after peace has been restored we will want to adopt new textbooks at least embracing these subjects. This may be several years but surely nat less than two. However quickly peace may be restored, 1t will not enable this commission to consider textbooks re- vised and published after the results of the war are known and adopt them for use in less than two years from the expiration of the present contract. It is likely that if new adoption were had this year, You would in two years feel called upon to drop num- Der of these books for the purpose of adopting others, entailing thereby all additional expense on school pat Ions"
 Governor Henderson also called at tention to the fact that because of peculiar conditions it probably would be impossible to supply any new books which might be adopted in time for the school terms next winter and stated that the school book deposi- tories now have on hand great sup plies of the old books.
 He suggested that the commission reserve the right to cancel all con tracts at the end of two years, or at the end of any one-year period aft CT the expiration of two years.
 The commission agreed to the sug- gection in toto and called a meeting for March :, when the books will De readopted provided the publishers are willing.
 One of the first acts of the commits sion was to make it's members persona non grata to representatives of pub fishing houses. Each member agreed not to permit any book man tQ discuss any book with him or her except when the commission is in session in it's official capacity.
 Each publishing house will be re- ouired to file with the secretary of the ommission-Spright Dowell-the the names of all representatives at torneys and agents who will be in terested in the presentation of the m erits of it's hooks