Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1850-05-03


equally divided among the sixty pupils
would give to each one. Sir minutes =
How much instruction could be communi
Gated or treasured up in this brief period
OF time imagination may, or may not tell
Suppose, on the other hand, these sixty
scholars were classified into twelve class
es in the various branches. with uniform
books Each class. and of course each
scholar in the class would receive instruc
ton in each branch he might pursue for
period Of thirty minutes during the day.
Vow this classification is impossible unless
accompanied with uniform series Of text
books. Without it it is easy 10 perceive
the consequent waste of time.
Again, this want of uniformity is very
burdensome to parents; who, upon the
installation of new teacher. are frequent
ly asked to puschase a complete set of Uery
stlDel10T books as they are assured by the
confident preeeptor who has himself. per-
haps, been made the dupe of some timer
ating book agent. After three months
term another person assumes the govern
ment Of the sch0ol-much lCiSer than his
predecessor; and recommends for adop-
ton a different series that some publish
ing house has been so kind as to present
to his notice Thus, with a change of res
idence.Or change of teacher. comes a total
or what is more deplorable, partial
change in some series of books. There
are numerous other evils resulting from
this cause, which space forbids to mention
The question now arises as to the means
by which this evil is to be remeded In
order to obyiate this difficulty, the State
superintendent was instructed to recon-
mend such works as he might deem best
adapted for instruction in our common
schools. Accordingly, in an edition of
the school laws. issued under his supervi-
sion, 4 list Cf books was recommended;
but not such list as will accomplish the
very desirable object-unyornnyofb books,
No one part cular series being recommend
ed the matter is left as before-to each
district board to choose for itself No re
Election upon the action of the Superin-
tendent is here intended; it being gener-
ally believed that the introduction Of
uniform series tirou2 h0ut the State would
hardly be pract cable, even ii desirable
But the mining district may be consider
cd as a single community having common
feelings, common interests. and a common
system Of conducting business. and a sys-
TEN may be advantageously adopted here
which would perhaps, be only appropri
ate for a single town or county in other
parts Of the State.
This subject is one that has occupied
the attention not only of teachers, but al
so of many active friends of education in
this section for some months In order
to secure efficient and harmonious action.
and the adoption OF the most suitable
books for instruction committee consist
iug of DIR. A p Ladd OF Shullsburg. J
l.. PIckard of Platteville James Jones
OF Hazel Green, j. w. Seaton. of Potosi
and T. S. Allen, Of Mineral Point. was
appointed at a meeting of the Teachers
iusJ,tute and the friends of education. of
the counties of Iowa, Lafayette & Grant,
held al Z .atteville in the month of Sep
tember last to make the necessary exam
nations and report at the next meeting
a uniform series for the schools of the
mining region.
THIS committee having received from
publishers and agents copies of their va
rIoas publications, after six months dill
gent examination, and careful and in-
partial comparison Of all the works to
which they Lad access made the report
found below This report was almost
unanimously adopted b.. the Institute
which has just adjourned. composed of
teachers ard others from all parts of the
mining country
Tie committee we're governed in their
selections. BY tie following Considerations
viz;
/ They have been careful to recon-
mend no book in which the matter itself
is except onabe
: They have studied to recommend
those " orks, whose arrangement is best
adapted to the pur; ose Of instruction.
3. They have aimed to exclude those
in which the print IS small or indistinct,
the binding defective or the price exor-
bitsut
4 They have not thought it desirable
to recommend an entirely new series; but
as far as they could consistently, have re-
tanned those already extensively in use;
none in their opinion, possessing such SUI
periOr merits as to justify a sudden and
total revolution in school books.
Guided by these general principles, the
committee submitted the following:
Report on Text Books.