The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-03-05
School Book Upifermify.
ArrpTrRy March 3, 1868.

In the issue of the Press for to-day L observe
a communication, upon school book unlforml-
ty signed by Vox Populi. MI V. r, 1or
take it that he represents but one notwith-
standing his signature, objects to any State Leg
islation whatever looking to uniformity of
text-hooks in the common schools of Maine.
He sees scat in the meal" and he is very
sure the cat is not his own. But 1 find
that other publishers are just as sure that it is
the Greenleaf cat; and yet others are sure it is
the Walton cat, or the Guyot cat, or the Will
son cat, and SO on through the whole cat
alogue of cats Thus jealous are school book
publishers of one another.
Now, am, by chance, in position to say
that nobodys cat is under the meal; nothing
is there but the good OF the public schools of
Maine. No publisher suggested the proposed
legislation; no publisher was consulted by
those who first moved in the matter; nor was
the interest of any publisher, directly or indi-
rectly, had in view, even in the slightest de-
gree. Nothing except the good of the public
schools of Maine was taken into consideration.
This much assert from positive knowledge.
1t was expected, of course, that different
publishers, seeing probability that their prof
its might be cut down, and jealous of each
others cats, would assail the proposed legisla-
ton by charging that it was attempted in the
interest of some particular party. So far it
was expected they would have hand in the
legislation, and so far the friends of the pro-
posed legislation are not disappointed
Every one, upon the most superficial exam
ination, sees that, SO far as size and number of
textbooks are concerned, the interest of the
publisher and that of the common schools are
antagonistic. And l am fully prepared to say,
and to defend the assertion, that the interest
of the publisher has, thus far, prevailed over
the interest of the common schools. To-day
the people of Maine are paying certainly $50,
| 600 a year more than they should pay for text
books, simply because they are too numerous
| and too large. Then we must consider that
three or four years of the life Of each child
| which should be priceless, are wasted upon
| these multiplied and swollen textbooks.
Maine should have far better textbooks
better for being smaller and less numerous, il
for nothing else-than she now has, and they
| should cost her, annually, from $4,000 to $75,
| 600 less. With the exception of readers, there
| is no series of textbooks used in the country
which is not much too large. There is little
| to choose between them each has its good
| points, each its defects. All, however, have
the great defect which arises from number
and magnitude, for each has been made as
| though il alone was to be used in the schools
| There has been no thought of adapting eacl
4 textbook to all the others, aud all to the one
common purpose to be achieved-the best pub
lie education The author and publisher o
each series of textbooks have striven for the
lions share of the public patronage, regardless
of the public welfare; aud among them all
authors and publishers-the people have suf
fered sadly. Now the State can never obtain
the cheaper and better textbooks with the
| present unregulated system of supply, but on
| ly by itself giving some attention to the mat
| ter. 81 @ @
| If the proposed textbook commission should
be established, and if it should only, during the
| first year of its existence, make thorough
survey of the ground, putting not a single
| book out of the schools and not one in, and
then report the result of the survey, it would
render the State great service; for then, we
should know, in the judgment of the commits.
sion, what we ought reasonably to attempt to
| teach in the common schools and what should
be the scope of the different textbooks, when
each Is made with reference to all the others
Now, everything is left to chance. For one, ]
most sincerely hope that the State will un-
dertake to exercise henceforth an intelligent
control over the textbooks used in the com.
mon schools. Ifthe present books, upon full
and careful survey, are not found adapted tc
their purpose, then have others made to order
and n OF depend, as now, entirely upon slop-
work" Try this for ten or fifteen years, and
venture the prediction that no one will wish
to return to the present system.
G. B. STETsoN.