Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-08-14
FIGHT BEGUN IN
STATE ON TEXT
BOOK ADOPTION
Las Cruces Chamber of
Commerce and bona Ana
Citizens Get Into Fight
Against New Books.

| of the state board of education IN
making six-year contract for a
new set of text books for the
schools of the state, which con-
tract is said to be extravagant and
irregularly made, has been begun
by the chamber of commerce OF
Las Cruces.
The Rio Grande Republic (Las
Cruces) in it's issue of August IL
gave the following account of a
meeting called for the purpose of
protesting against the action of
the state board:
Governor Mechem, the state
press, and the chambers of COM
merce and other organizations
Throughout New Mexico will be APP
pealed to in concerted and deter
mined effort to set aside the con-
tract entered into by the state
board of education with school
text book publishers.
"This was decided by unanimous
rising vote at largely attended
meeting Of taxpayers and school
patrons of Dona Ana county in the
armory here Tuesday evening.
M. B. Stevens, chairman of the
educational committee of the Las
Cruces Chamber of Commerce,
which called the meeting, presid-
ed and outlined the new contract
which the state board of education
Of New Mexico now has with pub
fishers of school text books.
Mr.. Stevens said that the edu
cational committee of the Las
Cruces Chamber of Commerce had
invited John V. Conway, state SUI
perintendent of schools to be pres
emit at the mass meeting or to sub
NIT figures which in his mind JUS
titled the contract, but" he adj
ded, 1--WE received no response
from Mr.. Conway"
In letter from Alvan N White
of Silver City, former state SUI
perintendent of schools in New
Mexico, Mr.. White said: "In my
opinion the adoption is Illegal"
in the first place, this adoption
was made last December, when it
should have been passed down to
the present state board of educa-
ton. Contracts made when / was
state superintendent did not expire
until June Is, 1921, and there was
abundant time to make the adop-
ton and get the books if changes
were made, If the adoption had
been made in April of the present
year.
For some unknown reason the
adoption was attempted last De-
cember. Then the new board re-
scinded said adoption, in March of
this year, in part, if not in whole;
then again in April the board re-
scinded its March action. and vot-
ed that the December adoption
stand. June ~, the board rescind-
ed everything back of that date
as least as to readers-and at
tempted to make a new adoption
of readers, and this without the
legal call for bids.
Resolutions adopted by the
chamber of commerce of Las Cru
ces follow:
whereas, 1t appears that the
state board of education has re-
Gently adopted a system of school
books for use in the public schools
of New Mexico, different from the
books heretofore in use, and has
entered into contracts covering a
period of six years for said new
books; and
Whereas, the said actions on
the part of the state board of edu
cation entail new, original, i'm
mediate and enormous expense on
the part of the patrons of the pub
lie schools of Dona Ana county, as
we'll as of the state at large, and |
at the same time render valueless
the books heretofore in use, caus-
ing in addition an immediate loss |
to said patrons; and,
whereas, 1t would seem from
current market prices of the books
used, that they could .
have been readopted at vast saw
Ing over the new books adopted;
and,
Whereas, 1t Is not proved that
The new books adopted are so SUI
perior in merit over the old ones
IS to warrant the changes; and,
whereas, the tremendous new
expenses entailed are indefensible
1t this time of high taxation and
he high cost Of living, such that
man, will be caused to hesitate to
snter their children In schools vol
and,
Whereas. the said charges will
,ause a great and unnecessary an
litional public expense in supply
ng such new books to INDECENT pu-
)ils: and.
"Whereas, It appears probable
hat said acts of the state board
# education were irregularly
aiken, now, II
Therefore, at public meeting,
,alled by the Las Cruces Chamber
II Commerce, held in Las Cruces,
)ona Ana county, N. M, on this
'th day of August, A. D. 1921, be
nd 1t is hereby, 1
Resolved, that protest be and
s hereby made against the said
cts of the state board of educa- ,
ion; I
"That It is the sense of this
Meeting that the said chamber of
commerce take up this matter inn ,
nediately with the press and I
hambers of commerce and other {
,ublic organizations in the state of 5
yew Mexico looking to immediate |
nd concerted effort to set aside
cts Of the state board of educa- {
ion through legal proceedings, If
necessary"