The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-11-28
R4port BY Geo. Siigqtoos, Co. Supt., on
The Necessity of Uniformity Of Textbooks

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Read 6etore tie Teacaers' association, June 27.
Uniformity is one of the laws enstamped up
on nature at the beginning of time The mo-
tions Of the planets are aform. The times in
which they complete their revolutions, are uni
form. The return of the seasons, caused by
these motions, is uniform Where there is aai-
fo11nty there will be order-where uniformity Is
wanting there will be diSco,W, jaryoa and contn-
SION. Order is natures first M,c, and by it "stars
their courses move" HeageR is said TO be a
place of orCler ahd so should be tile sc]io0t room.
/ That there isa great want of conformity in
the school room to these great fundamental laws
of nature, none will doubt, who is in any de-
gree familiar with the daily scenes and transac-
tions in our schools. As every effect must have
a cause, and conversely, every cause must have
| its legitimate effect, we may justly inquire,
whence cometh this want of order industry and
application so manifest in many of our public
schools2 In attempting to answer this let US in
qure: u
3 First, Have we uniformity Of text books
in the several districts of the county, as srequir-
cd by the school law!
Secondly, What are some of the evils attend
ant on this want of uniformity?
Thirdly, What can be done to remedy these
evils and to bring about that uniformity Of text
books SO much needed in our schools?
2 Lastly, Show some of the GOOD resulting TO
the schools by such uniformity of books
First then: Have we uniformity of text books
in the several districts of tile county as required
by the school law?
This question we are compelled to answer in
the negative. The borough of Bedford being
perhaps the only district in the county where
entire uniformity has been attained in all the
schools. Several other districts have adopted u
uniform series of text books, but have failed to
enforce that provision of the law which makes
it obligatory upon parents furnish their eliii-
dren with the ''qdopted series Of books" be de-
prived Of the privileges of the school, the adi-
geat poor crceptea, who sheuid be provided with
the necessary books at the expense Of the entire
district Other districts have never taken any
action on the subject, permitting each teacher
who may have charge Of Il school, to require Of
the pupils to procure such books as he or she
may please to dictate. Thus leaving the selec-
tion OF text books for each school i'll the district
to the whms of each teacher who may chance
to be employed in the district for the school term
OF four months, to be succeeded the next term
by another, who, also, will have lis prelerth-
ces always of. course, recommending those
books with which he himself is most familiar,
and from wbich he has gained what he may
chance to know on the subject.
In this WI, we have had introduced into our
schools such q contrariety of books, that it is
almost impossible, in some schools, to find books
enough Of the same series, to form one respect
able class in any branch taught in the school!
We will not enter into detail in relation to all
the deficiencies which might be given, and which
existed in many districts in the county, during
the last winter school term. We may REMARK
that the want of uniformity of books was not
confined to one or two districts only, but it eX-
listed to an injurious extent in all tile districts
in the county, with very few exceptions. Also,
that the deficiencies in some districts were con-
fined chiefly to the text books on EagtiSh Gram
mar and Written AiFtlimetic In other districts
there was Il want Of uniformityin most all the
books used in the schools; and in some schools
children were sent to school with books, (per-
haps those used by their grand-parents) printed
forty or fifty years ago. And if teachers object
10 these antiquatcd books being used in school,
they will at once, from the parents of the chill
dren, 4eceive the stereotHped reply: "These books
were good enough for US when we went to school,
and they are good enough for our ciatfrpa; they
are no better than aOe were. If they are not
better, it is greatly to be hoped that when they
become men and women they will be wiser at
least. In proof of the foregoing facts, we will
give a few OF the leading text books used in the
schools of this county on the important branch
es of English Grammar and Written Arithme-
tic, namely: of English grammars, we have
Browns, Pineos, GREEN'S, Clark's, Billions,
Smiths and INrkham's. OF written arithmetic,
we have Rays, Greenleaf's, Davies, Parkes,
Clark's, Pixies, Roses, Brooks, Stoddards 5, Ira
cy's and Smiths! ....,,,,,,.
TO show the manner in Which these books
are distributed in the schools OF different dis
trcts of the county, we will make few quo
tations from our visitation book In Cumber-
land Valley, on written arithmetic, were used
in the same school, Stoddard's and Greeneaf's.
Tn another, Smiths, Rays and Davies In an
other, Roses, Greenleaf's, Smiths and Davies;
and again, Rays, Greenleafs 5, Smiths & Parke's.
In C6lerain, were used in the same school, Da-
rie's and Greenleaf's; Davies and Rays, Da- |
vie's, Tracy's and Greenleafs. In Middle Wood
berry, were used in the Potter school, PaFEes,
Rays, Davies and Greenleaes in another,
Rays, Greenleaf's and Brooks; and in four
Others, Rays, Davies and Greepleaf,s. In South |
Rays, Davies and Greenleaf's. In |
Rays, Davies, Grecnleaf s & Smiths,J
In Broad Top, Rays, Davies, Roses, smiths
and Parke's !, In Napier, Rays, Parkes Roses
and Pixies. In these inxances 1 have mention
ea tlfe csas nj whielf the greatest Want Of uni
farul " e7;steJ in these ,a rticpIar hranchas in