Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-08-05


ruined We have known this to be the case in
many instances. This accounts for the length
Of time which some spend in studying Gram.
mar or Arithmetic, without any adequate
knowledge Of it, The little boy could not spell
well because ''hc could not get the hang Of the
new schOOl-hOuse." Apply this to school books
and It's literally true. Many have ruined their
spelling in changing from Webster to Walker,
or Walker to Webster, and their scholarship on
other matters, in changing from one to another.
Most school books, too, are Textbooks, i. e.,
books of constant reference. When pupil has
become acquainted with one Grammar or
Dictionary, for example, he turns to ii and
finds what he wants readily, perhaps remem-
bering chapter and verse" or page and place
on the page. Change his book, and he refers
to it, at great loss Of time and unsatisfactory.
We once gave our old and familiar Latin Lcxi-
con to a friend, and bought new one. 1t cost
us months of vcxation and labor and made us
regret that we had not given away the new,
and kept the old one.
A third evil is that publishers and their agents
consider schools lawful prizes, provided they
can capture them to their interests. Teachers
are visited end worried, and their time, and Of
ten the time of the school is taken up. Most
liberal offers are made. New books are Of
fered in exchange for old ones, or new are sold
to teachers at first cost" Anything to get
their books introduced, known or unknown, to
directors and parents. And the change is oft
en- effected to the dctriment of the school.
A still further evil is, that a change of teach
ers is often, (alas! too oftcn!) followed by a
change of books. Perhaps because of some
pecuniary interest, perhaps because they stud
Jed and prepared in one set of books, or they
have long taught in one set, Or by change they
wish to make an impression, or they wish to
avoid the labor of reviewing, or for some other
good reason, they require Il sudden change of
books. For the third, fourth, or fifth time,
parents must provide new books OH the same
subject, and of the same design or grade.
We have seen pupils enter the school-room
with three or four Arithmetics, and as many
Grammars, Readers and Spelling books, and ask,
| ''Shall We use enc of these or get new one.'
Having conducted some half dozen different
Schools and taught as many years, We never yet
CHANGED books. We always deprecated sudden
changes. We have sometimes introduced new
books, and have allowed old ones to fall into
diSuSc and forgetfulness. We have invariably
| began school with such books as the pupils had.
Nclass already formed were allowed to continue
and complete the subject in their books, wheth-
cr Grammar, Geography or other subject. II
We wished another book, We watched the oppor-
tunity and introduced in the formation of Il new
class, and doing no injury to pupils and Great
ing no needless expense. 1t is supposed that
the teachers are familiar with their subjects,
and that it makes little difference comparative
y, what textbook their pupils use They can
supply deficiencies and leave out the redundant
parts. One "apt to teach will interest and
carry on his scholars successfully with any
text book now in use, although some are better
than others. The teacher, rather than the book
makes the scholar.
F. We would never make sudden change Of
books in schools, whether it be to please au
thors, publishers agents, or even teachers We
would not change, but introduce. and this tt
please no man. but to benefit the school by Civ.
ing better book. We would introduce at the
following times: 1st When it is desired tC
: bring in new subject ID. When new classe:
are formed. Sd. When an advanced class de
sires to review Il former subject in a later Of
different author 4th. To throw out very
poor and erroneous book, for many such ar'
publishcd) Which had been unwillingly intro
duced Publishers and agents should b.
allowed no undue access to schools. Fer
haps they should be allowed only to leave co
pies with the directors trustees, president 0
principal of schools and then 60 on their way.
We are favored with quite variety of goo
text books on every subject. 1t will be diff
cult thing to improve OIL many of them, an
many schools might safely decree no change i
their books for the next ten years, or till tn
present generation of pupils have all left ou
schools. Ii. n. $.