The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-09-22
Our Schools.

I,o, ,ne Dr. >mise, Mr.. Editor. / am q +" com
man school ,oo, inherit that from my Van
koa ori,ir Idonot believe that Common Schools
can be too good; put are al. ouF changes, F"t-
groyements HeretcU it may be 70 yfaissoTt n'
point but l candidy confess that | thlnK We
hgve more changes than improvements IN our
Schools S'o '214l
With every change in the administration,
comes demand for new book = ana i hapPend
that new demand come just waSlde6aqng
what should be done with the vast Pheiof Old
school books that fill up our shelves aid book
easses-are they of any conceivable use : shall
they be sent pell nell to the paper makers tnd
be ground out into new school books, or kept a 8
witnesses of the intelligence of this generation
Of the facilities with which it is humbugged.
Why Sir, ifmy children only half knew the
contents of the different books they have been
ordered to obtain, they would be better entitled
to L. L. D., or some other high sounding title,
'dan half the recipients of those degrees just
,ook 1t the list Of spelling books, ~ have San>
ders. N, NrEh American, Swans, Res selIs, McGuf-
Jews and sundry others whose dog ears and bro
ken lids give 10 imprint. Then we have Sanders
rich,s ID Reader. McGuffey's LIST, I'd, Sd, 4th
and 5th, I" the CHI sapest and best > reading, McN
Guffsy New Elec tic Reaaer from No. to Of
course, and now we Ia We Parker aud Watson's
series, probably to be stenng out to No or 10.
All good enough probably, but is one any better
than the rest or ali Pat togetEe any better than
the old English Readers III which the Fathers
and Mothers of this rising generation were taught
to read and to read better too, than their infant
prodigies ..
OfAlithmetics, there is Thumson's Arithmetical
Analysis, Thomson $ Practical Arithmetic, Col
mans Intellectual, Stoddavd Intellectual, Stod-
dsrds Practical, CurtLenden Arithmetic, Da'
vies Arithmetic only edition, but if my
memory serves me right, there were sundry 9TH
ers. Then Rays ist, ID and Sd parts Rays
Higher Arithmetic and key, Rays Algebra
Ist and Cd books ana a key Ia that. rara
OF Geosraphys there Is Councils Primary
Mitchells Primary MitchelIs revised and i'm
proved Mrchells Modern Geography Mitchell.
Primary LIST. I'd and Sd parts. word pictures and
McNally's that has really lived for a year or
two.
TIE list makes me dizzy, Mr.. Editor and
will not worry you with Grammars introduced
and discarded, Histories introduced, neglected
and discarded new ones introduced, neglected
and discarded, Batanies, Anatomies, Analyses,
Moral Science Political Manuals, &c, &.
do not wish to be understood to be opposed
tc variety of books a high standard, but
when once Introduce L claim they should be
retained a reasonable period.
The manufacture of ErhooI bO1ks ia and has
long been all unmItig sted nu sauce and hum-
Dug. School boards and committees have been
bored. Oambsozled aud bribed into making
changes tHat are not only useless, but positively
Injurious. For l claim that every change, I'm.
lees i, Ii great and positive lmpro cement, is
an absolute injury.
Pasents should keep track of the progress of
their chill dren. To do this, they must be passa>
bly, familiar with the books studied, and that
cannot be expected If changes are made every
year every term.
Geograp pines OF course need to be changed
wiz The times, but Spelling Books Readers,
GTdmmars and Arlthmetlcs are not whit bets
Ter than they were thirty years ago.
1 would like TO express my sentiments on the
twaddle in the shape OF Primary Books, but
have not the time nor you the space. Let me
ease my mind on School Principals. Our school
has been in wretched condition for the last six
mouths ewing to the change vi Principals
1hey seem to have had 10 idea of the obhga-
ton of contracts or of their duty to the youth
placed under their charge. Our present Prin-
cipal seems to be liked and trust be will abide
by his csntract but a celebrated Prof. Mark
ham, who was heralded with great flourish, as
engaged for The present year. repudlated ms
contract ast as the term was TO Commence, Tor
no other reason that l understand, except
that he could get more, somewhere else. Ii this
is the regard Tor obligations that the teachers Of
our children possess, then l think we should do
better to try our hand on changing their guam
cations end let the old books for the time being
remain unchanged. COMMON SCHOOL.