New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-08-26

September.
Much has been said concerning the
price. Calls for bids were sent out
to all the leading publishing con-
Germs in the country and notice was
given by way OF publication i'll lead
ing newspapers with the result that
practically every publishing concern in
this country was represented in Santa
Fe at the time of the adoption with
the loves and best bidders. The
State Board offered to retain any
OF the books if the companies would
agree to furnish them at the con-
tract price which they had made in
1915; this in every instance was re-
fused on the part OF the publishers
and when the bids were opened it was
found that the prices on a number
of the text books which had been
in use the past six years were high
er than on other books offered for
adoption by new companies. The State
Board OF Education therefor proceed
ed to pick for the schools OF New
Mexico for the period of six years,
beginning June 10, 1921, the very best
set of text books and considered along
with the quality of the book, the sub
ject matter and the price as well. l
readopted all OF the old books that
were entirely satisfactory in every
case where the price was as low as
others offered. 1t very much desir-
ed to have retained other 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 provision, which
says in substance this, that whenever,
il ever, in the life OF this contract
these books are offered in any dis
trict county or state in the Union
at a lower price than is quoted in
the New Mexico contract then that
price shall obtain for this text book
in New Mexico and the companies
have given bond for the faithful per-
formance Of this part OF the contract
The price made to New Mexico for
the text books adopted in December
I. o. b. Chicago are as low as the
price quoted 10 Texas in the adoption
made a week or two prior to our
adoption and as low as in Indiana and
Arizona
some quotation has been raised
about the wisdom OF offering four
readers as a basal act OF books M
stead of one basal set, There is no.
thing unusual about such an adop-
ton. 1t gives Boards Of Education
some room for choice and yet pro-
tests uniformly. You do not want
too much Standardization in school
administrator. County School Superin-
tendents and City School Superintend-
ents had complained to the State Board
OF Education in the past that the
readers adoped for rural schools were
not the ones best suited for city
schools and vice versa. Therefore at
the recommendation OF a number OF
the City and County Superintendent
of schools the four acts of readers
were placed on the basal list with
this recommendation, 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 earn
est effcrt on the part of the State
Beard OF Education to save money IN
that two sets of the readers placed
on the basal list out OF the four were
sets of books very generally distribut-
ed over the State of New Mexico and
satisfactory, having been in use the
Ipast six years. The Board OF Educa-
ton felt that unless there was a very
good reason on the par. y! Municipal
and County Boards OF Education max
ing a change it would be the part OF
economy for them to designate as bas-
al one set of the books already in
use.
1t appears that one party at least
has offered the criticism that the books
adopted by the State Board OF Educa-
> tion in December 1920 were not the
, best. This a matter of individual
Judgment. The State Board of Educa-
ton. when they made the adoption
were satisfied that they were offer
ing to the school children OF the state
only the very best books and | be-
lievc that they made no mistake in
the adoption. They are the books
used in most OF the standard schools
,, OF the country and no apology needs
|. to be offered for the adoption, the
manner, the time and the price.
| shall not say anything at this
time concerning the motives OF a GER
tain discreiited educator and book
representative who has been making
, paths across New Mexico since the
adoption last December, a representa-
tive Of a publisher, who received no
contracts when the award was made
in December 1920 Neither shall say
anything concerning certain allegations
that the records were modified and
originals were mutiliated and Destroy
I'd. The list published and sent out
from the office OF the Secretary Of
the State Board OF Education the last
OF December 1920. is a faithful report
OF the action OF the State Board when
il adopted text books
J. II. WAGNEP.
Exist >upt Pub. Inst.