Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-08-23
AS THE PEOPLE VIEW 1T

from the east and distributed over
New Mexico for the opening of
schools, the first of September.
Much has been said concerning
the price. Calls for bids were sent
out to all the leading publishing
concerns in the country and no.
tice was given by way Of publica-
ton in leading newspapers with
the result that practically every
publishing concern in the country
was represented In Santa Fe at the
time of the adoption with the low
est and best bidders. The state
board of education offered to re-
tain any of the books if the COM
panies would agree to furnish
them at the contract price which
they had made in 1915; this in
every instance was refused on the
part of the publishers and when
the bids were opened it was found
that the prices on a number of the
textbooks which had been in use
the past six years were higher
than on other books offered for
adoption by new companies. The
state board Of education therefor
proceeded to pick for the schools
of New Mexico for the period of
six years beginning June Is. 1921.
the very best set of text books
and considered along with the
quality of the book, the subject
matter and the price as well. 1t
readopted all of the old books that
We're entirely satisfactory in every
case where the price was as low as
others offered. 1t very much de-
sired to have retained certain 9TH
er text books that had been in
use the past six years and were
satisfactory, but the price bid on
some OF these books was such an
increase over the price of similar
books equally as good that the
board made a change in one or
two cases where it would not have
done so had the price been as low.
In every contract there is a provi-
sion, which says in subtance this,
that whenever, il ever, in the life
of this contract these books are Of
fered in any district, county or
state in the union at lower price
than is quoted in the New Mex
leo contract then that price shall
obtain for these text books in New
and the companies have
given bond for the faithful per-
Torrance Of this part of the con-
tract. The price made to New
Mexico for the text books adopted
in December f. o. b. Chicago are
as low as the price quoted to Tex
as in the adoption made a week
or two prior to our adoption and
as low as in Indiana and Arizona.
Some question has been raised
about wisdom of offering four
readers as basal set Of books in
stead of one basal set. There is
unusual about such an
adoption. 1t gives boards of edu-
cation some room for choice and
yet protects uniformity. You do
not want too much STANDARDIZED
ton in school administration.
County school superintendent and
city school superintendent had
complained to the state board of
education in the past that the
readers adopted for rural schools
were not the ones best suited for
city schools and vice versa. There
fore at the recommendation of a
number of the city and county
school superintendent the four
sets of readers were placed on the
basal list with this recommended
ton, that any one of the four sets
Of readers could be used as basal |
after which others In the basal list |
or in the supplementary list might |
be used. Here was an earnest eff
fort on the part Of the state board |
Of education to save money in that |
two sets of the readers placed on |
the basal list out of the four sets of |
books were very generally distrib-
lted over the state of New Mex
co and satisfactory, having been |
IN use the past six years. The
board of education felt that unless
here was a very good reason on |
he part of municipal and county
boards of education making a
change, 1t would be the part of |
economy for them to designate as
basal one set of the books already |
n use.
1t appears that one party at
east has offered the criticism that
he books adopted by the state
JOdIu VI SuuSdtlOu III OtttIllDcIS
1920, were not the best. This is a
natter of individual Judgment.
rhe state board of education, when
hey made the adoption were sat-
SIZED that they were offering to
he the school children of the
tate only the very best books and
believe that they made no mis-
AXE in the adoption. They are the
books used in most Of the stand
lrd SCHOOLS Of the country and no
lpology needs to be offered to the
the manner, the time and
he price.
shall not say anything at this
ime concerning the motives Of
certain discredited educators and
,ook representatives, who have
been making paths across New