ART. 77] TEXT-BOOKS. 1729

text-books shall be furnished free of cost for use in the public
schools of the State, subject to the order of said boards; but
said boards shall have the right at any time to change any
series of text-books already in use or hereafter adopted; pro-
vided, that text-books shall be furnished under the provisions
of this article to the several grades in the public schools succes-
sively, beginning with the first grade; and provided, that the
said board shall not be required to expend during any school
year for said text-books more than the several amounts of
money received by said boards respectively, under the pro-
visions of this article; and provided, that indigent pupils of all
grades shall receive text-books free of cost, as provided under
provisions of existing laws; and provided, the said respective
boards shall adopt means for the purchase of text-books by
competitive bidding, and at the lowest possible price; and pro-
vided, that parents or pupils may purchase their own text-
books when they may think proper; and provided, further,
that the several Boards of County School Commissioners
shall furnish annually to the State Board of Education the
title, the name of the publisher and the net price paid for each
text-book so purchased, which information shall be set forth in
full in the annual report made to the State Board of Education.
School Commrs, v. State Board of Education, 26 Md. 513.

1888, art. 77, sec. 60. 1872, ch. 377. 1896, ch. 135.

65. The said several boards shall authorize the delivery of
text-books to the various public schools under their super-
vision, respectively; and shall provide for the issuing, safe
keeping, care and return of the same, under such rules and
regulations as they may severally adopt.

Ibid. sec. 61. 1872, ch. 377. 1896, ch. 135. 1904. ch. 584

66. The said sevaral boards shall keep an account of all
moneys expended under the provisions of this article, and report
the same in the annual financial account, as required by law ;
and no money so received by them shall ever be used for any
other purpose than for the purchase of school books, as pro-
vided by the two preceding sections; except in such counties
where there may remain a- surplus after the purchase of neces-
sary text-books, the boards may expend such surplus amounts
in the purchase of maps of the State of Maryland and supple-
mentary reading books for pupils.