Colonial Book Co. v. Amsco School Publications, Inc.

41 F. Supp. 156, 51 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 33, 1941 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2631
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedSeptember 9, 1941
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 41 F. Supp. 156 (Colonial Book Co. v. Amsco School Publications, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Colonial Book Co. v. Amsco School Publications, Inc., 41 F. Supp. 156, 51 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 33, 1941 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2631 (S.D.N.Y. 1941).

Opinion

NEVIN, District Judge

(sitting by designation).

This is an action under the copyright laws of the United States. U.S.C.A., Title 17, § 1 et seq. Plaintiff is the owner of the copyright to a book entitled “Mastery Units In Chemistry”. In addition to the text, the book contains numerous illustrations or diagrams.

Defendant publishes a book entitled “Chemistry”. It also contains illustrations or diagrams. Originally (in its complaint filed December 2, 1939) plaintiff charged that the book of defendant infringed its copyright but later, by stipulation (filed February 5, 1940), it stated that it would rely only on certain pages (set forth in the stipulation) “as being infringements,” and still later (in open court at the trial) certain of these pages were withdrawn from consideration. There are left, therefore, eleven pages in defendant’s book (on all of which there are drawings or diagrams) as to which plaintiff now claims infringement. These pages are specifically set forth in the findings of fact herein.

Originally, too, in its complaint (Par. 16) plaintiff charged unfair competition on the part of defendant. This claim was not pressed, however, either upon the trial or in the briefs and is no longer considered as in the case.

*157 Residence of the parties, jurisdiction of the court, ownership of the copyright by plaintiff, and publication and sale by defendant of its book, including the alleged infringing pages, are all admitted. The only issue, therefore, before the court is that of infringement.

As to the illustrations or diagrams contained in its own book (Ex. 2) plaintiff submits that “in chemistry, one of the branches of the subject specially stressed and required by the Board of Regents is the laboratory preparation of certain chemical elements and compounds. The pupil is required to know the apparatus employed, the chemicals used (both by name and chemical formula), and the so-called ‘equations of reaction’ which govern the chemical actions that take place which result in the production of the particular element or compound. It is only the portion of plaintiff’s book relating to this phase of the subject which is relied on, namely the diagrams on the pages of plaintiff’s book hereinafter more specifically enumerated. With this phase of the subject, text books and review books on chemistry had treated in more or less stereotyped fashion. * * * The authors of plaintiff’s book sought to present this particular phase of the subject of chemistry in a novel and pedagogically effective manner. The diagram of the apparatus and the substances employed are all associated together in a striking, integrated unit, which catches the eye and holds the pupil’s attention and impresses itself upon his mind. The diagram tells the whole story — everything that the teacher needs to teach the pupil — in a vivid, composite unit which picturizes the whole procedure and becomes fixed in the pupil’s mind. * * * The editors of plaintiff’s book have themselves best described these diagrams and their effectiveness in the Preface (vi), in the following language: ‘Abundant, Clear Diagrams. Diagrams are an attempt to put action into forms and shapes — to enable students to see that something is actually taking place in chemical processes. The diagrams used in this book are not only clearly labeled but are dramatic as well. In this way, there is an appeal to the imagination that more firmly fixes a method of preparation or process in the mind of the pupil. In line with the functional treatment characterizing this study-text, the equations for each process are definitely tied in with the diagram — -thus enhancing the teaching value of the drawings.

Every fundamental laboratory procedure or industrial preparation is illustrated. Functional Ideographs. Selected and included on the basis of teaching utility only, these new-type idea-illustrations have four main purposes: (1) to attract attention and thus encourage an abiding interest, (2) to explain by visual portrayal, (3) to act as focal points around which the student can rally associated facts and ideas, and (4) to correlate important concepts.’ The value of plaintiff’s diagrams is fully attested to by- the record.”

Plaintiff urges that there was direct copying of its diagrams by defendant and that this is positively evidenced by the fact that certain errors that appear in certain of its diagrams likewise appear in the corresponding diagram of defendant, as for example the diagram on page 110 of plaintiff’s book (Ex. 2), in which plaintiff asserts there are certain errors, and on page 56 of defendant’s book (Ex. 3), in which (as plaintiff states) the identical errors appear.

In addition and in this connection, plaintiff points out, too (and the proof supports its assertion) that its diagram (Ex. 2, P. 110) is incorrectly labeled, that it (plaintiff) has labeled it “Laboratory Preparation of Sulphuric Acid by Contact Process” and that defendant has labeled its (defendant’s) diagram (Ex. 3, P. 56) “Laboratory Preparation of Sulfuric Acid” whereas in truth and in fact the diagram (neither one) does not represent a laboratory preparation at all, it is not an experiment performed by the student in the laboratory, it is a demonstration performed only by teachers. As to this, the record (S.M. pp. 130, 131) shows:

“Q. (Mr. Kirschstein, counsel for plaintiff) In the defendant’s book on page 56, where this diagram for the contact process for sulfuric acid appears, there appears underneath the diagram the statement, ‘Laboratory preparation of sulfuric acid.’ Is that a correct statement? A. (Witness Mr. Cohen) Laboratory preparation of sulfuric acid?

“Q. Yes. A. It is absolutely incorrect.

“Q. And on page 110 of the plaintiff’s book, underneath that diagram, what legend appears? A. Laboratory preparation of sulfuric acid by contact process. . Labora* tory preparation of sulfuric acid is absolutely incorrect.

“Q. They are both incorrect? A. Absolutely. *■ * * But as a laboratory ex *158 periment, no student has that apparatus in the laboratory and works it. At best it is only a demonstration.”

The record (S.M. pp. 87, 88, 126, 129) further shows that the apparatus as shown on both diagrams (of plaintiff and defendant, respectively) “won’t work” as an “operative apparatus.” No testimony to the contrary as to any of these matters was offered on behalf of defendant. The testimony of plaintiffs’ witnesses stands uncontradicted and unimpeached. One of the most significant evidences of infringement is the identity of errors. Callaghan v. Myers, 128 U.S. 617, 662, 9 S.Ct. 177, 32 L. Ed. 547.

That defendant had access to plaintiff’s book shortly after it was published in the Fall of 1936 is not denied (S.M. pp. 102, 103). Defendant, however, does deny infringement. It claims it made its own drawings; that the drawings used by both plaintiff and defendant are substantially the same as those that had theretofore appeared in standard works used in New York City, and that prior .drawings anticipated those of both of the parties hereto.

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41 F. Supp. 156, 51 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 33, 1941 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2631, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/colonial-book-co-v-amsco-school-publications-inc-nysd-1941.