The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-03-03

at the commencement OF the five year exper
iment, have been exchanged. On the con
trary, in most of the towns and cities in tht
STATE the books then in use were re-adopteC
to be used during the required term.
The result of the "five year law" therefore
has demonstrated the fuct, that no law, leay
| ing the selection Of textbooks TO the seyera
towns and cites OF our State, will answer the
purpose OF these disinterested trainers ot
school laws; and so a new plan must be form.
ed. which, while calculated to serve the end
IN view, must embrace enough that is good
10 make 1t apparently plausible and honest
NOW, no publisher of really mertorious
ooohs asks or cares for legislative protection
ne Is willing to trust the people. This whole
movement, then, evidently comes from the
outs" having inferior books, whose ex-
perleEce under the five year law" has taught
them that their books can never successfully
compete with those of the Sins" when the
people are allowed to choose for themselves
through the constituted authorities in their
several towns and cities.
Our town and city school committees, we
believe, are capable OF judging OF their own
wants, and can decide the question as TO what
books are best adapted to the schools under
their immediate control, better than any State
Beard, however large or however wise. The
cry OF too many books" "too high prices
now, and "gleat savings tl prices" under a
new law, is nonsense in the extreme, and only
for effect. No person who knows what hui
man nature Is, will accuse a publisher oi
abusing privilege that can at any moment
be taken from him by a displacement of the
books he may publish. High price, are only
possible under monopoly established and
protected by law. .- .fs. ei.a. .a
by referring to the State SupeIintendents
reports for the last three or four years. it win
be seen that under no ne,o law can we hope
20 secure greater uniformity in the use OF
aIithmetics, Biographies, spoilers, reading
books, and grammars, throughout the State,
than now exists; and these books we learn in
some instances are furnished to the trade at
fre aud ten per cent. less than the usual dis
count from the wholesale prices. IL is there
lore evident that un .formity and lo,o prices
are not the ends sought by the trainers of the
proposed law, whatever their pretences may
he. Neither can it be books OF superior n.er-
it; for the recently revised and enlarged edi-
tions OF many Of those in use are believed to
be the latest and the best in the market. In
proportion to the amount Of money expended.
our State, to-day, has more practical and APP
propriate matter in her list OF school books,
Is supplied at a cheaper rate, and has a grest-
er uniformity, than any other State in the
Union, except Vermont; and, in all these re-
spects, she is believed to be fully equal to her,
for her list OF books is very nearly the same.
Vermont, eight Or ten years since, by leg
islative act, adopted uniform list OF text
books for all her schools for the term of five
years, which list was continued in use through
a second term OF five years; and then, by
vote OF the legislature, the Board was enlarg
ed and instructed to select list for the third
term of five years, commencing Nov. /, 1858.
From the Secretary's last Report, it appears
that nearly all the books at FIRST adopted, or
their revised editions, were re-adopted by the
new Board, and this, too, after several months
careful and critical examination OF all books
brought to their notice. What attempts were
made, and what offers proposed to some
members Of this Board to bias their action,
we shall not definitely state. Suffice it to
say that several OF the leading publishing
houses in this country could not eifer suffi-
eient Inducements TO dissrade them from
faithful and honest discharge of their duties.
A smaller Board, composed OF men OF less in
tegritS and frmness, might have yielded, and
probably would.
California once adopted a certain list of
text books for the use of the schools of that
State. Time cannot obliterate the ~eighty
arguments employ ed to influence the minds of
certain school officials, even ifit has led the
the State partially to repair the wrong done
to her schools, and to intrust tho interests OF
her children to the hands Of osher officers.
Massachusetts,, Connecticut, New Hamp-
shire, and several of the Western States, have
at different times attempted this kind OF leg
isiation, but have as often rejected it, thereby
saving to the pupil what might Lave been
expended to purchase favors OF the Board. q
After looking at this question 10 all it,
bearings, and noting the animus of some OF
its friends. we are inclined to think IL at
something like the following is the programme
marked out: Father Greenleaf, whose mem
ory should be reversed as long as the subject
OF mathematics is taught in our schools, as
personated in his books, Is to be annihilated !,
and other books, published in the city of Bos-
ton, adopted to take their place. For terms,
inquire OF California, or of the Vermont
Board OF Education. The Progressive Read
er and Speller are doubtless to feei a similar
pressure OF aceighty considerations: when
the Biographies, histories and grammers, will
be heard to reiterate with ieeb stammering
tongue in their last expiring breath, the say
ing, Republics are ungratetul"
Should such an inju1icious step be taken
by the contemplated Board Of ofCommissioners,
touching these interests, II would involve the
publishers OF these books, whose every busi-
ness transaction with us has been most hon.
sorable, liberal, and iair, in the most serious
embarrassments, Ii not in ruin; while it
might bring equally disastrous results to
our schools. The loss OF sales, or the return
of small profits, would be but comparat.ve-
ly small loss to the injury of the reputation
OF these publications, now ha,i g an exten. I've
sale not only IN New England, but throus b.
out the entire country.
We therefore believe in free competition.
1t keeps down high prices. 1t not only en-
courages but obliges authors to keep up with
the improvements OF the times, and give us
the best possible books. 1t prevents or great
ly lessons fraud, one of the greatest objec
tons To any attempt to legislGte ior uni.
form list of school books in an entire State
1t leaves towns free to act as any peculiar
circumsl ances may requiie, which Liberty i:
demanded BY the best interests OF our schools
and is fully in accordance with the nature
and spirit OF our democratic institutions.
Ii we mast have State Beard ior the Sc
lection OF textbooks. allow MS to suggest tha
the entire Senate Should constitute sait
Board; tor we can assure the friends of oul
public schools, that this number win lie none tc
large to insure strict justice and impal tial.
ity.
But as friends of our public schools, and
having no other interest TO promote, we
would say, let well enough alone; hold to
the live year law" ii desirable; Lut If The
best interest of our children is a considera-
tion, and the interests Of publishers OF in
terror books may be disregarded, then give us
no law compe ling State uniformity during any