The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-09-21
Superintendent Edwards Tells
of Correspondence With State
Board and With Text Book
Publishers.
STATE OFFICIALS
DELAYED ACTION
Governors ub-Committee Did
Not Let Contracts Until Late
in August for Entirely New
Books.

That the board of education of Es-
Gambia county is in no way to blame
for the shortage of school books. which
will retard the work of the schools of
the county, is the statement of A. S
Edwards. superintendent of public in
struction. DIR. Edwards declares that
he has been in correspondence with
the secretary of the state board of
education, w. n. Sheats, for several
weeks, and will later publish corre-
spondence in The Journal, generating
the Escambia county school authori-
ties from all blame in the matter
In view of the trouble experienced
last year." said Mr. Edwards, Il also
wrote direct to the company publish
ing the books. ordering that they be
sent direct to the county board here.
and that we would be willing to as
sumo all risks in the matter in order
to facilitate the distribution. Mr.
Sheats wrote me some weeks ago that
they We're late in signing the contract
Tor the books, and that he thought
the distribution would be delayed. for
that reason"
Men interested in educational mat
ters and in touch with the presen.
situation, call attention to the fact
tha1 IL has been customary for a
number of years for Florida, legisla-
lures to direct the state board of
education to continue the contract
with the publishers who have CON
stituted the bureau from which the
book have been distributed. At the
last meeting the Legislature failed to
take such action, and it therefore de-
voived upon the state board, of which
Governor Sidney ]. Cats is the head
TO call meeting of the subcommittee
OF education, to take such action as
was deemed necessary.
The meeting was held in Tallahassee
convening for weeks. and finally MAX |
ing their recommendations to the
state board
IL is within the province of the
school text commission, of which the
governor is the head, to reject any |
recommendations which may be sub
mitted to them. While the recon- |
II
their entirety, contracts were awarded |
which made it necessary to publish
new books
The meeting of the subcommittee
was held late in the season. the con- |
tracts We're given out only a short
time ago, and it is said that the |
publishers claim that they have nor /
been able to fill the orders, as the /
hooks are always published after the
contracts are signed.
In circular letter under date OF
August 26th, 1919, w. N Sheats noti- |
fles the county superintendents of the !
state that his notice sent to them on
August 9Th, relating to the use of text /
books was not authoritative, and says.
This will be conveyed through the
governors proclamation. This proc
lamation will contain and official an
of the books adopted and
the prices agreed upon"
superintendent Sheats further says:
Fail not to call your teachers at /
-ention to the following Iarv: That
any teacher who shall wilfuIly use or
permit TO be used in his or her school
any textbook upon the branches en-
braced in this act, where the commits
sion has adopted. the county board of
public instruction shall discharge and
SdACSA THO OL Sd1Q IedGner-
Further instructions are sent to the
county superintendent and more law
s quoted. Says Mr.. Sheats, See that
rour teachers are also informed OF
The following: 1t shall not be lawful
for any school officer. director or
eacher to use any other books (th--
IS basal book1 upon the same branches
'ther than those adopted by the state
ext book commission and that the
books adopted as a uniform system
IF textbooks shall be introduced and
Ised to the exclusion Of all others in
he public free schools in the state"
AT the meeting which viii be held on
Monday evening. il is believed that :
he people OF Escambia county viii ]
axe some action, which may possibly :
lear up the middle in which the ;
county and st1te is involved Ii