The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-31
LESLIE FIRM
IN CHALLENGE
TO PUBLISHERS
Reiterates His Stand for
NO Textbook Change
in Schools.
BOARD STUDIES BIDS
Governor May Be Invited to
Appear Before State
Commission.
With textbook statesmen swarming

With textbook statesmen swarming
statehouse corridors today, Cover
nor Harry G. Leslie again reiterat-
ed his stand for mo textbook
change" and modified it only on
the point that parents might take
advantage of any possible price
drop during the next five years.
Bids On the five-year basis were
opened in the house of representa-
tives by the state board of educa-
ton sitting as the state schoolbook
commission.
Before the bids were read, the
commissioners had listened to Rep
resentative Fred Galloway Dem.
Indianapolis) plead for postponement
of the adoption, which is set for Jan.
5, on the grounds that the coming
legislators will pass a free textbook
bill. He threatened the board with
reduction of state school appropria-
tons.
Challenge Is Accepted
This challenge was accepted i'm
mediately by President Edward
c. Elliott of Purdue university
and with bit of adroit question
ing he wrung from the Indianapolis
representative the admission that he
knew but little about the textbook
adoption plan.
Both Elliott and L. N. Hines,
president of the Indiana State Nor
NAL, Terre Haute, asserted that they
always have favored free texts for
the schools.
Presidents of Purdue, Indiana
university and the two state normal
schools are ex-officio members of
the state board of education. So is
Governor Leslie and Roy P. Wise
hart, superintendent of public in
SIruction.
Leslie, who did not attend the
meeting, said he would be glad to
appear and explain his stand to the
commission and Elliott, who is
board chaNman, indicated he would
invite the Governor.
Protests for Farmers
A representative of the Prairie
Farmer appeared to protest on be-
half of the farmers any text
changes.
Leslie asserted that it is the job
Of the commission to save the par
ents from being fleeced by text book
publishers and his program of re-
adoption will be carried through
with this in mind.
Hines moved to postpone the
whole matter until May and to in
sist that the printing be done in
Indiana. This motion was set for a
vote when the commission reas-
semhles Jan. S, date set for adop-
ton
Wisehart will have retired March
Is, to be succeeded by George c..
Cole, a Democrat.
BEAT Buzgards," Says Leslie
Present companies and retail
prices of texts under consideration
include the biographies of the
American Book Company at $1.26
and $176: Health and Hygiene
series By Bobbs-Merrill, SIS and 81
cents; Mccall Speller Gaidlaw) AZ
and 48 centss. Home Economics
Oittle- Brown $126; American His
tory (Longmans- Green SLAB; En-
glish (Scribner's) So, u and IS cents.
New bids tabulated by noon showed
no reduction from the old texts.
Books purchased at present prices
would cost parents about $543, 900,
Wisehart contends. But Leslie would
take advantage of lower prices and
still retain the old texts if possible.
In case of drastic price reductions
in other texts, change should be
made, the Governor declared.
Its our job to beat those buzz
yards" Governor Leslie asserted.