Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1851-02-28


wish TO be distinctly understood as taking u,
par, in the book controversy now going on it
this State We make it a rule to publish ar
ilclcs candidly written, and treating their sub
jet imparialIy, when coming from response
bic sources, even il not in accordance with
our yiews.-[Eo DrMocRhT.
tFor The oAf,rd DsmseratI
MR. EDIron--li may be presumption in me
to aItemP, a newspaper correspondence, inas-
much as my daily avocalion leads Inc into a
far different line OF business but unlotircd
as am, ] have taken my quill and addressed
you as above, hoping that what follow. may
call your attention tn the subject of nay cor
rospondcncc. and thus subject the " scli-sculp.
tnrcd" heroes anI thcir disgraccGl acts To the
risk Of mcritcd exposure hr exposure BY
the press Is sufficient, IN this enlightened Pc
riod uf The world, 10 check al such abuses
And should not have troubled YOU, were It
not that the acts TO which ] alludc have be-
come uoiuuously common, and lhc silence OF
the press IN this couuiv-which undoubtedly
arises from the fact tha, the gentlemen ol
the Press" arr unacquainicd with the hc's--
' construed into a sanction Of their conduct
You must have anticipated from the fore.
going observations, that | refer to the abom-
Unable humbugs that are being ,hoverrd upon
the people IN almost every school dIsiric, IN
this section uf the county, by the salIriod
agents uf Reading Books In our town schools
OF all the impo,ltions that have snlkcd
through the "hcnlrhlcd regions" Of our plo-
rols old Oxford" from palcn, churns to
Millcusm, nothing has come under my obsgr.
,a,lon 80 dis,urcful To the operators, 10 dl,-
respectful 90 the intelligence of Supcuuicnd-
Ing School Committees and 80 fatal to the
educational interests uf the people, as the
conduct of some OF these Book Agents Ia
nalclsm, whether political or religious, Gnds
some mitigation IN the o'g~ruurh, zeal aud
consequent sincerity oi %, dcotOcs hum.
bugs which take few dollars and cents from
now and then mans pocket, aTc mere ten.
pony gauges Of hi, crrdulny-an article
which Yankee, IN all period. of their cyis-
,cncc have agreed 60 consider taxable proper.
y--lnd lhc money one pays ,n consequences
ol an o,rriock IT lh1 commodity, b, q cheap
bIll Of tuition 10 the rrca, schouI ui .llc but
ths llhbiug with thc m1 .,ns ou tlc merits oi
school books. exciting ,ho,r lowest prejudice,
,cioing the recommendations and impuguur
the motives uf the proper town officer, and
lyOngly appealing to the people as the 80.
pTcmr Judges of the matter, and even dcsc.
cratns the political stump by cln'as,Ing
school districts, Offering to exchange new
bpoLs lur odd ones, .oi i.uI swindnnc the
whole community, o. Inaccessible and uumii.
gated mischief The very means aio,lolno,
only condemn ihc cause. bot show the con
temptuous opinions which these unfcdgc,l ne
ophyics entertain Of the moral, and iulcili.
gcncc of those Of whom they are striving to
make dupc..
Our Legislature, a, irs last session, %, the
suggestion OF those who art NJ the head Of
tic grca, educational mo,cmtuI ia ,his State,
passed such lavs,s IN, educational Nlgualcs
thought lhc mos, suitable lor successfully ear
yiug out their plans IA lhc premises. and
one section Of thc law wisely provide, Tor
ihc selection OF three men 30 tie town. who
are presumed TO be- bcsi acquainted with lhr
subsci. and upon Whom Jc,ul,c doe jul,, Of;
our School COMMITTEES. Ouc IT ih1 duties
prcscubeJ is lhc d,roi,gg Of iriai laols shall
3, uud aud It is th. most important duty
dc,olylng upon them Upon .i, discretion
depends the success ol schools generally, en-
brlciug MS Il docs the uniformity Of trNj book,
and the adaptation OF such books To- the wants
ul the scholars. To this Committee is thr
proper place iur agents or others to present
themselves. lhc merits Of whose boo,s they
believe are such Or shall recommend them.
selves ~ the wants of the scholars. Ii is
their legal righ, to do 50 and no ono eau
question the propriciy or such an act. It's
the ony proper channel through which the
merits Of book can reach the school and
no one can gainsly the wisdom Of this law.
What shall we say then of those who are
making every effort within their power To
thwart the combined wisdom of the Lsgisla.
,urc aud Board Of Education, and reproducing
the very evils which this particular regulation
in the law was so rapidly doing away. This
is done every day and that too, against the
express recommendations and directions Of
the agents of the town. Who hay" '"tan great
pains TO inform themselves Of the merits Of
the various systems now cxlaui.
III, as an agent, or otherwise, have books
Of sufficient rncri, lha, School Committee,
being unable to decide upon the merits, give
their consent lha, might submit the question
to the decision Of the people on the principle
Of economy, act honorably, even il see IT
10 give ms books to the various schools. but
II my books are decided by the Committee to
he inferior to Others already introduced and
the Committee direct the others to be used IN
stead of mine, Notwithstanding NV lbcrliiy
in nv price, play the part Of a consummaie
knayc, il | let myself as a hlrcling, aud, CON
,rary to the Instructions Of the Committee,
urge my books on the scholars by liberal eN-
changes or otherwise, aud take on, others
Such acts deserve prosecution aud II there
is no penalty agains, such outrageous conduct
the Statutes of the State need further amend
men,.