Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1864-1865, 1865-07-20
For the Journal.
EDUCATIONAL.

is, THAT Wilson's series OF Reader
are far superior 70 McGuifey's, in
sufficient number Of particulars {
render them worthy to supplar
McGufFey's > in all the schools Of th
county - The particulars. thus fa
mentioned by Mr. Cropper, are
style, subject matter, adaptation Q
reading to engravings. infection an,
emphasis. Ia these he claims tia
Wilson's books are far superior T.
| McGuiiey's. But how has lie sue
ceeded in showing their superiorit,
in these point Has he shown
them superior in any point?
think not lie has failed TO shoy
them equal. He has failed to SHOW
Wilson method of teaching spell
ing, equal to McGuGcy's. He has
not shown that Wilson has any
method TO teach this importan
branch. The fact is, Wilson.
books are sadly deficient in this par
ticuIar. He has failed to show The
advantage gained by Wilson meth
od of injecting. Can he show the
necessity Of it in any case, especially
his favOrite conversational STYLE:
Does such reading require injecting;
| think not. Mr.. Cropper has thus
concluded, and abandoned it for the
present. He still insists the reading
lessons IN McGuifey's are all toe
long. He says "eXperiencc in hear
inc the recitations will establish thc
proof" Experience of whom? Can
he place on the stand any veteran
teacher Of Randolph county or else
where, that will be lis witness in
this particular? If he can l desire
him to DO so. ! admitted in few in
stances the reading rather long for
one recitation, but what can not be
recited ut one time can be at another,
hence this, if On objection at all, is
very frivolous one. Suppose it is
an objection Of q grave character,
what then? Are Wilson's books
free from the same objection? By
no means. Some of the lessons =.
Wilson's Second Reader contain
more reading matter, than any to be
found in McGuacy's Third Reader.
Some selections have one hundred
and eleven lines, and by far more
difficult t. read, than any found in
McGuTey' Third Reader. The les
son on lines, angles, and plane fig
urcs in Wilson's Second Reader, for
difficult reading. Is hardly surpassed
in any Of McGuGey's series. The
lesson belongs to Geometry, and yet
Wilson introduces il in his Second
Reader, Cam my friend show the
propricty Of such step? | think
he will fail in the attempt. Again:
| can not see why Mr.. Croppcr
should hold tic objection, that the
lessons are too long in McGuTcy's
Readers, since some Of the most
choice selections found in Wilson's
Readers, are taken from McGulley's.
Mr.. Cropper attaches undue import
ance to the engrayings Much OF
his last, is an effort to show the in.
consistency of McGulfey in this par.
ticular McGuiley docs not say he
will exhibit picture for every thing
named in his books. His engray.
ings are only designed to aid the
young learner to understand the
lesson. Wilson designs the reading
lesson to aid the pupil TO understand
the picture This is apparent on
almost every page Throughout his
entire series. In many instances he
has exhibited bis skill, in this par
ticular, in an eminent degree, as
will show in another part OF this ar
ticle in other instances he seems
to have found the picture, and was
very much at Il loss what 10 say 10 it
Suppose McGutIey does not exhibit
a dun OK" 20 the pupil. What
then? Does the superiority of VIII
son, in this respect, appear? Could
Harper Brothers show. in an en-
craving, the shades of difference be
tween IAN old LOG hut and "new
one?" Does Wilson exhibit, in his
engraving, the color Of every lizard,
toad, snipe, mouse, bat, screech owl,
dog, wolf, walrus, lion, leopard,
kangaroo. baboon, monkey, opoSsum,
rooster. fish and biue-bird, found in
his Readers: Does he show them
fat or lean? Mr. Cropper asks
"where is the rat?' The lesson SAYS
"it ran away" Can Wilson tell Us,
by an engraving. where the rat is:
Lesson l4th, part 2d, Wilson's First
Reader, is group of dogs, from
Wilson camera-dOCs of all sizes
and in al postures. lie introduces
the young pupil to the canine group
in this manner: "See the big DOC
with a ring on his neck. What a
good face he has. He is not bad
dog. He is kind aud good. DO
YOU see him lock at the pup? See
the pup try TO play with the big dog.
The big dog will not hurt him. Are
all dogs good? No. some dogs are
bad. Some boys are bad, too"
But as the boy : not in the group.
nv friend infers there can be no boy.
The street which my friend fails to
see IN McGuHey's Second Reader, is
as visible as the "goose TRACK"
which Wilson labors TO have the
student see. in his famous descrip-
ton of a 'goose march," Sart 2d,
lesson 9th. Second Reader. Zone,