Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-02-10
billiards. Readers.

Messrs Town & IIolblook
Thereupon certain newspapers in the State,
condemned the action of the Board IN that par
ticular, and severely censured the Board because
Hillard's Readers were not recommended
On account of these comments Of the Press
no one ought to complain, as that Estate, in
republic, should b. allowed freedom of criticism
But when newspapers go farther, as in this in
stance, and without any adequate reason, ad-
wise teachers and parents to set at naught the
action of the Board, to fly in the face of the
law, and to use Hillard series, in spite of the
official action of Gov. Hall, President Pease,
and their associates, such newspapers are setting
an evil and pernicious example of disobedence
to wise law, an example that cannot be too
reprobated.
The reason given by these rebellious law
breakers for the course they have pursued, is
that Hillard' series is better than the Progress
sjve, and that no doubt, is the only reason that
would at all justify the course thay have pur-
sued.
We confess that in our Judgment perfect text
books are desirable, if not ABSOLUTELY indispensi-
BILE, in educating the student. Nothing con-
tributes more to form perfect taste, than u
perfect model; and nothing more vitiates and
depraves the taste, than an apparently good,
though really imperfect, model This is GER
tainly true in art, and is equally true, we be-
love, in literature and science. The man who
writes and speaks language, nethersEnglish,
nor any other, but "a tolerably good imitation
of our mother-tongue,-an approximation, SO
to speak, to perfect English is very danger
GUS example for young scholars A glaring de-
parture, either from good taste or grammar,
may be its own corrective, and never mislead a
teacher or scholar, but many solecisms and in
elegant expressions, that careless writers and
speakers constantly use, can be detected only by
the practiced eyes and judgment of the careful
and learned critic, and must be pernicous in
their influence in forming the sly of the young
reader or hearer.
And we think bad text book is such a Sc
rious and constant evil, that an apology might
he found for unhesitatingly multiplying the &C.
ton of the Board, and dsregardng entirely its
recommendations, if 1t could be shoton that the
Progressive Readers were not the bcsL series of
Readers for our schools. We have no hesita-
ton, however, in saying that it is impossible to
make that showing. We shall enter into no
proof of the excellence Of the Progressive series,
until some substantial defects are shown to exist
in those Readers; for the present, at least,
resting the qla'ity Of that series upon the rec
concentration of our careful, accurate, critical
and learned Board of Education We think
their approval, after ii careful examination, a
sufficiently convincing answer to all the clamor
and general denunciaton which form the staple
Of the merccnary puhs Of Hillard's books.
But to illustrate the adage about people liv-
Ing in glass houses, &C., we propose to call the
attention of our readers to a few Of the many
mperfections of every description, to be found
in Hillard's series. We quote from pamphlet
recently published.
The critic is reviewing Hilard's First Glass
Reader
One of the most noticeable and most objection
able features of the book is the frequent and
reckless introduction Of cursing and execraton.
In the fifth lesson, u bird. catcher bewains
the death of u canary, indulges in the following
maledictions - AccurSed be the hour entered
this house and more accursed the dctestabe
monster that killed thee AccurSed be myself!'
and " would We're dead ~ How would the
." Christian parent" like to hear his son using
similar expressions while regretting some trihing
loss
The following line on the forty first page is
probably retained with exclusive reference to the
moral training of the young;
90 Then pledged the wine-cup and fondly swore,"
As punctuatcd by the compiler, the follow
ing line on the two hundred and twentieth page
is an oath
ST. Mary mend my fiery mood .
The following moral examples are in the nine
tecnth lesson " While the mlds uttered curses
loud and Deep &C many were the excavations
hurled upwatds; -" one youth swore deeply ~
g as he had been known to swear the same thing
hdD dozen times erery day since he joined the
ship" &c.
This piece, entitled " Midshipmen's Franks
is in direct antagonism to every one of the prin-
ciples by which the compiler processes to have
been governed in making his selections. 1t
should be entitled, g Nine Pages of Profanity,
Drinking, Cruelty and Sacrilege." The mid
shipmen procure strange looking BEAST -
(the dog Shakings,) " but good enough to fur
nish the mids with plenty of fun when they
went on shore--in chasing pigs. and barking at
old authenticated negrcsses, and other amuse-
ments, &c What refined and enlightened
amusements for the young cruelty to animals
and tormenting aged persons whose gray hairs
by the common sentiment of humanity, should
protect them from insult
correct literary taste ~ is cultivated BY
such expressions as these: A dap of PITCH
abominabe cur, F." occasional kick or knock
on the nose with the butt-eud of fowline
piece" " sound cut with hunting whip u
dirty, ugly beast of dog" pitch him out
he'll shift for himself" +" toeing the line
in ''orthodox fashion," &c.
Next comes /" a grand jollifcation," and thu
wy HOuiph Nuo ii bhO FOlJ ucO VI DclHE
drunk" &c. Where is the " Christian parent
that trembled lest his boy should read thu
" Seminole's Revenge ?" He is swearing, ours
ing, and carousing, worrying pigs, and insult
ing old, gray haired negroes What feelings o
gratitude parents and children must cherish TO
wards the compiler, for such " moral and in
tellcctual training for the young"
In his remarks at the head of the first lesson
the compiler notices a singular circumstance
After stating that the bird was found in {
nest in the grass, by some mowers, ,ohsn full,
jaedged, and presented to the young ladies of thu
family the narrative proceeds. The young ladiel
must have been delighted on being presented
with these fully .tedged mooers.
In the same lesson we are told, When thu
dinner things were removed and the dessert WERE
set on the table, in the long days of summer, i
was his practice to come upon the table, and 60
ing round it aoould do something amusing tt
each person." Dessert Dere set The gram
NAUTICAL subject Of ,oould do is missing.