Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-02-17
STATE UNIFORMITY OF TEXT
ROCKS

i Mc E0HoT " Mc AeHHeoeC JOufHut'
The following is respectfully submitted in
reply to communication signed "X, which
appeared in the columns of the Portland
Press, issued Feb. 1lth.
In entering upon my duties as State Super
intendent of Common Schools, l determined
upon the following plan Of tcork:
LIST. To render the agencies IN hand as
Efficient as possible. To accomplish this,
earnest and urgent appeals were issued to
teachers and school officials, entreating their
hearty cooperation and best effort in their
several spheres of labor. My personal en-
deavors were SO directed as to unite in solid
column the seven thousand teachers and the
thousand other educatoM in the State.
I'd. To add to the agencies in hand such
other legitimate means as the educational
campaign seemed to demand, in accordance
with the judgment of the educators thus unit
ed. Hence originated the legislation of 1869,
establishing Teachers Institutes and County
Supervision, to secure better methods of in
struction and superior inspection, the two ac-
knowledged elements of a vigorous school
growth.
Sd, To stop the leaks and waste in the
school machinery and educational operations
of the State. Under this head came poor
school houses, the district system and its
abolition, distric: agency and the employment
Of teachers by the S. S. Committee, natural
and proper course of study, and the tert books.
Such was the plan of work, and have indi-
Gated it here simply to show that Uniformity
of Text Books is neither a 'scheme" nor
''hobby' on my part, but legitimate item in
my honest endeavors to render our education
al work complete and to realize the highest
possible results. While, therefore, general
agreement exists on all the preceding points
but one, there is an honest difference of opin-
ion in respect to Text Books. Both sides
agree that Uniformity of Text Books is
necessary in the same school, in the same
district and in the same town. To accom-
plish this, State legislation is necessary. Both
sides agree on this point. Here we leave
each other. l simply keep on and contend
that State uniformity is desirable, and neces-
sary to secure the uniformity required in sim
gle schools, districts and towns, for the follow
ing reasons
lst. Town uniformity can never meet the
wants of the migratory classes. Into our
plantations, newly-settled towns, larger and
growing villages and cities, and.manufactur-
ing towns, up and down the principal river
courses and along the principal railways,
there is a constant fiux and ref1uX of the
laboring classes. Their limited means forbid
the expenditure necessary to the purchase of
new books. There is also the change of resi-
dence required by regular pursuits, as of busi-
ness meE. itinerating clergymen and others.
The expenditures incurred by the foregoing
do not constitute a small item. Besides We
must consider how many youth do not find
their way into the school room, because parents
are not able to furnish the necessary books.
1t is not sufficient to inquire how many have
been obliged to buy new books. recall in
stances where parents were unable to make
the necessary purchases, and have put the
boy into the saw mill and the girl into the
cotton mill. OF course they will grow up in
ignorance, and ignorance begets vice and
swells the criminal list. This needs no dis
cussion. Our opponents allow this point, and
simply assert that We ''exaggerate" the evil,
and that ''it is not well to legislate for the
few as against the many" The evil is there
fore granted, while it can be conclusivcly
shown that it is ''the many" who demand uni
formity and ''the few" who are opposed to it.
I'd. Torn uniformity as a State MEASURE
has nerer been success. The interchange of
population naturally brings in books different
from those selected. Teachers from adj0in-
ing towns prefer to use their own tools, and
therefore encourage exchanges. Active book
agents stand ready to press their claims and
to urge upon committees the adoption of new
books. Sometimes the committees are not
careful in their first selection. Sometimes
they are not fully competent to select. Some
times they are book agents themselves, and
therefore partial in their decisions. Some
times they are influenced by improper mo-
tives, sometimes with gifts of books, per
centage of sales, or directly by money paid
for services. Out of this have grown the
multiplicity of text books, the frequent
changes, the high prices and the general com
plant of the people, apparent in every school
report for the past ten years. In 1861 the
legislature passed the following resolves
"Whsreas, The inhabitants of this State
are subjected to heavy expense and to vari-
Gus other inconvenience by the frequent
changes made in the text books used in our
public schools; and whereas this want of
uniformity and permanency interferes with
the best progress of public education, therefore
ReSolred, That the Superintendent of Com
mon Schools be instructed to make special
examination of this whole subject, and pre-
sent the result of his inquiries in his next an
nual report, with view to such future legis-
lation as may be deemed eXpedient."
In accordance with the resolve, Superinten-
dent Weston reports the following result of
his investigations
''The number of authors reported as used to
greater or less extent, may be summed up
as follows: In Arithmetic, nine; in Gram
mar, ten; in Geography, thirteen; in Read
ing nine, and in History, six. Most of these
authors have series of books in their several
departments, making the number of indi-
vidual kinds very much larger. l have made
no list of books used in the study of the high
er branches. They are quite ''too numerous
to mention," and it is of less importance to
name them, since the difficulty SO much com
planned of, and which we are anxious to re-
lieve, is found mainly among the lower
schools.
Superintendent Weston, in answer to the
question SIS legislation heeded?" answers as
follows:
The resolve requires this examination
and report, with an avowed reference to
such future legislation as may be deemed
expedient.' l have presented sufficient evil
dence of the various Inconvenience de-
clared in the preamble. Is there any power
in the system as it now exists, to work itself
clear of the evils experienced? l see none.
On the other hand, as text books multiply and
competing publishers issue new editions of
'enterprising agents, AS long as supervisors
are fond of novelties, and love to do some-
thing noticeable to mark their accession to
office, these changes will continue to be made,
not only for good reasons, but without reason
and contrary to reason. l am convinced then,