The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-12
RUSH Act ON
school. BOOK
Buying SIT TED
Wisehart Takes Unusual
Action to Speed Choice
of State Texts.
JAN. 5 SELECTION DATE
Education Chief Declares
He Wants Decision Be-
fore Retiring.

Action of Roy P. Wfsehart, In
diana superintendent of public in
struction, in advancing the date for
state adoption of school books to
Jan. 5, two to three months earlier
than customary, is without prece-
dent, review of previous adoptions
disclosed today.
School book adoptions, always
the signal for a scramble of book
publishers upon the state superin-
tendent of public instruction, and
the school book commission,
threaten to engulf these officials in
new worries this time because of
Wisehart's unprecedented action.
Admitting today that he has heard
criticism of the change, Wisehart
explained:
"T want the adoptions out of the
way before the legislature meets
and before I retire from office"
Beaten in Election
Defeated in the recent election,
Wisellart will retire from Office
March Is, to be succeeded by George
G. Cole, Democrat.
Book concerns have been asked
to submit textbooks and bids for
adoption in geography. English
grammar, spelling, physiology, United
States history and domestic science
before 10 a. m. Dec. 81.
Adoption by the state board of
education, sitting as a schoolbook
commission, is to be decided Jan. 5.
Never before in the history of the
department of public instruction
have textbook adoptions been made
at such an early date. This letting
will stand for f1ve-year period
and the books will not he used in
school before next fall.
1t means between 100000 and
100000 books a year, amounting to
hundreds Of thousands of dollars to
favored publishers.
Wisehart has become the targetof
criticism in the matter. It has
been pointed out that his. admin
istration was repudiated by the
citizenry at the polls Nov. 4.
Against Textbook Change
Township trustees have gone on
record against an textbook changes.
Parents are pointing out that great
saving can be made for everyone but
the book concerns by keeping the
present texts and letting Willie
use his older brothers book.
But Wisehart is headed for ad-
option and defends the early adj
vertisement Oh the record of the
year 1921.
This was one year when advertise
mentS were posted Nov. %, but
adoption was not made before Feb.
l, and the contracts not executed
before March 10.
why all the haste about this
textb1 TX matter Wisehart was
asked, and he offered the four fol-
lowing reasons:
Gives Four Reasons
81. We want to take advantage of
our committee work on textbooks.
"2. We want them approved be-
fore I retire.
"3. We want adoptions before the
legislature meets.
a. 1t has been customary in the
past for the outgoing superintendent
to handle this matter, I am told"
Asked to explain his objection to
making adoptions while the legis-
lature was in session, Wisehart
pointed out that in 1919 this was
done and resulted in a legislative
investigation.
1--WE do not want any such diff
Guilty on our hands" he asserted.
AS to the custom of the outgoing
superintendent handling this bust
ness, the record for the last five ad-
ministrations failed to disclose that
such was the case.
Beginning in 1918 text book adop-
tons were on May %, 1913; April
II, 1919; Feb. /, 1921; May 90, 1923;
May 26, 1924; Feb. Is, 1926; April 6,
1928, and April 5, 1929.
Should adoptions this year be
postponed until the usual time, or
until Cole takes office, personnel
of the state board would remain