Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-11-06
Did the Board Recommend GuyOt-
Common school Geography

Perhaps this question should be male into
two: Did they recommend, and Do they recon-
menl? The first We had ali along supposed Wa.
to be answered Yes; but since receiving tn,
somewhat remarkable circular Of the Board up
On the subject, we have thought No to be ia,
filter answer to the second.
We printed SO much Of the circular as seemed
to Us to he Of importance, at the time it reached
US bat in order to make ourselves understood,
viii quote again the sentence which contain,
the yis, Of the matter. The Board say ''thatt Wa.
their intention to recommend the use Of Mitch
ellis Biographies by all classes which have hith-
erto used, or which would otherwise use Cor
nells, and that they did not design that Guyot's
Biographies should be used, except by pupils
who. having passed through Mitchells' desire to
advance to the study Of physical geography by
Guyo;'s method"
Now the Biographies at present recommend
ei, are five in number, and belong to three diff
ferent series. The three first are by Mitchell,
the fourth goes under the name Of McNally or
Monteih. and the fifth is Guyo;. Which OF
the two last was designed to preceie the other,
We cannot say. And we cannot construct, nor
have we yet seen any one who prJfessed TO be
able to construct, the course Of geographical
study contemplated by the Board when they
made their selection. It is clear, however, that
all who have hitherto used Cornell's books are
hereafter to use Mi;chell's.
To understand this explanation Of the Board.
We must 90 back to the old list, or rather to the
one in force to-day. What are its recommenda-
tiou-, For District Schools, Cornell's First
Steps, Primary and Grammar School Gcogra-
pines for Graded and Union Schools, Cornell's
High School Geography and Companion Atlas. ''
Anything else in the way Of Geography? Moth
ing 1t Is Cornell from top to bottom, from
the child's FIRST Step in the study to the
completion Of the High School textbook
But Mtchells books are to be used by 'all
who have used or would otherwise use [whatso-
ever that may signifyl Cornen's.'' That seems
to mean that the whole ground previously occu-
pied by Cornell is now given up to Mitchell 4;
that is, the entire course Of geographical study
Mitchell's intermediate is to cover all the terri
tory previously occupied by Grammar School
and High School textbooks. This may be all
right 1t is beside our present purpose to ques-
ton the wisdom Of this Recommendation.
But where are Monieith and Guyot to come
in The only place let for them is plainly he
last year or two Of the High School Course
Bu, Gonteith's book containsan ''Intermediate"
Geography, and Guyot's Is Common School
textbook Guyot intends before long to con-
ple,e his books by adding one or more Of hichgr
grade Indeed he announced his purpose Of pre-
par NJ High School " Physical Geography,
some dozen years ago Blu, the Board, correct
ing Prof Guyot's error, find place for his Com
mon School textbook only at the end of a High
School course. As for Mouteith's book, we
shogll really like to be told why it was adopted,
and what it was expected anybody would do
with it, 1t seems to serve but one useful pur-
pose, to furnish n foil and contrast to Mitchell,
book. on the ono side and Guyot's on the other
As to the astronomical portion, it consists u
tp5 pages, added at The erPresI request Of Hc |
Boar Of Education. 1t seems that in one |
csse they ad pied book not then printed. and /
so far as we know, not then written.
One thing more in this circular is worth men,
toning the fact that the intention Of tie
Board in advising the use of certain books, i.
certified by gentlemen who were not in any way
with the Board at the time the selec-
tons were made, and so may elsonab,e By pre-
.umsd not to have ''in;endel" anything in the
premises.