Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-09-24

to each great section Of the United States, ana
these cannot be dsregardcd by teacher. With
out delaying then to argue this point, which
might lead us too far astray from our present
subject, we venture the foregoing assertion, ana
appeal to observation to sustain us.
We believe, then, that the character OF the
common school books used in the southern lnstI-
tutions Of learning, has the ear'mark OF the Sec
ton and writers who compile and originate them,
and that the nduccment to these works Is not
love of learning, and anxiety to improve methods
Of teaching and developing the mind, but a mere
love of gain on the part Of tie publishers with
capital enough to invest in the business regar-
diny the Young intellect Of the country as Il pay
in" crop, worth so much, ard making their cal
7 culations on these principles.
We are conscious this is an ignoble and selfish
view of the matter, but we think that it would
be difficult for candid examiner to come to
any other conclusion. We admit that a desire
of suppanting a rival house will induce improve
mcnt in the mode Of getting up and preparing
| textbook, and that teachers, anxious for the
eclat and if successful, the gain of authorship,
are perpetually supplying the market with so
called lew works; but the principle remains un-
touched: the brains Of boys and girls are re
oardcl rs a California placer, to be dug, washed
out, siftcd, for the benefit Of lrrafc interest, and
no more labor is given to the book than will car
ry it out into common use, by means of the
usagcs Of trade
An instance will perhaps illustrate our view
4 teacher or "savant," has devoted much labor
to some peculiar branch Of education he has
laid out all his strength, experience, and knowl-
edge, in a scloolbook, which really developes
new views and suggests educational improve
ments. His manuscript S complete, and the au-
thor having submitted it to competent judges, is
chccrcd by their approval, and feels as if he had
rendered some benefit to lis profession, and
gained some honor for himself. But now comes
the pinch. The publication Of school-books is a
monopoly in the hands Of certain great publish
ing houses in the large cities Of the North.
They each have made large investments in stcrco-
type plates, copyrights, maps, printed "stock :"
nay more, on the very topic on which ourteacher
or "savant" has written, these publishers have a
book, or series Of books in use. If the teacher
publishes on his own score, or outside of these
houses, judicious friends tell him. or his own OBJ
scrvation teaches him, that he runs great risk
Of pecuniary loss, and he therefore proceeds to
the fright publisher" What does he do?
Why, as sclfintcrest usually induces any man to
act; he either dissuadcs Or refuses; or, if his
"readcr' advises him tha. ait will do the pub
lishcrsits down to calculation Of cypediency, prof
it and loss Can give this new new book such
a circulation us to kill of Harper, Appleton and
others, from the market, and save myself from
loss on my own copyrights that become compara-
lively worthless if this n"w work comes out
If can will take it. The chances are, how
ever, that the author is rebuftd; for prcscnta-
ton copies to editors, teachers and l!tcrati, from
whom are to flow the pn.fS that shall watt the
work on a prosperous voyage, will alone consume
a small edition, to say nothing of advertising,
and investment Of capital i'll stock If the
author does make contract, he probably sells
his copyright for a per cent, on sales OF his book
and from that time oft, the bantlng Of his brain
cocs on Tie trade-lists, and adds one more name
to the valuable school books published (by Gam
mon and Coz and for sale by booksellers general
w." This is not. we assure the reader, flncy's
sketch = We have the case, and Use 1t to show
that the character of schoohookS i'll this coun-
Try is rapidly becoming subsidiary to mere mo
tiycs of gain. Now, in all this, we sec no spc-
cial cause Of complaint for publishers alone the
laws Of trade, competition, and interest, produce
such state; anA booksellers, taking the country
as they find it, haze 4 clear right to occupy the
market. The author and publisher arc interes-
ted in prasing the book, and nobody has any
special interest in dccrying it ; but we do think
it is high time that southern reading men, cdu-
Gated men, and those concerned in and about
schools and colleges, should create apublic opn
ion that will cheek the evil, and compel more
regard to the wants of the rising generation,
and this, especially, when the influence Of such
school-books, So prepared, and cmanating whence
they do, is considered.
As far back as 1779 Mr.. jefferson, in Virginia,
proposed a systcmatical plan Of southern educa-
ton lst Elementary schools, comprising all
classes. rich and poor; I'd. a class of colleges,
calculated for all the wants Of American life
Sd, A finishing university Of Virginia, that he
hoped it would save them from becoming the
BarLary of the Union, and falling into the ranks
of their own negroes > and insisted that the cdu.
cation Of southern youth, in the southern states,
is necessary, if the states are to remain sovereign
and independent :" stating with alarm the fact,
that five hundred of their sons were cducatinGi in
northern scminaries, as canEnr eating on the
vitals Of their (Southcrn) existence" Of the
same spirit was General Washington, when in
his will he recommends Virginia university, as
a protection against passing so important period
of life in Europe. Both of these great men are
usually REGARDED MS rood TRiOuisfs and if they