The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-11-01

Every friend of education must regret
that Tert Book making has become trade,
Ia mechanical operation merely. "a
books book, if there be money in it, is an
aphorism keenly appreciated BY those eager
to foist their crude productions upon the
verdant parents and gullible school boards
Formerly, when q text book appeared, people
would ask is the author eminent In his
,rofession. is the work well adapted to
nurooses intended? But times are changed,
and the following are the queries made to
day lis the author sin the ring can he
see the right committee. can the book DC
introduced, viii it pay ? The certainty
of introduction cost OF publication, number
of pupils, and retail price being gwen, the
aggregate royalty, and which not only slim
mates but relieves the authors cacoethes
scribendi, is but a question of figures. This
accounts for the large number of trashy text
books found in our schools.
| The work before US is the crudest, sill
est, trashyist specimen of this class OF
literature we have yet seen. Our grand
mothers were accustomed to rsnsack hooks
and crsnnies for old pieces out Of which to
make neU quilts. The authors of this work
have followed q similar plan. A number of
fourth rate works have been scissored and
the scraps clumsily dove tailed, in the hope
to ''turn an honest penny"
Lest our readers may think US needlessly
IL g. chou
the very original character of the authors
style:
First Lessons in Language and Composition,
Designed to Cuitirate The Art Of Expression
Here are thirteen words of which the
seven we have italicised are ridicuously
pleonsste. VIII the superintendent of the
Davenport schools please inform US ii
blossoms in language and composition we're,
or are. ever designed to- teach children to
fly? If Mr.. Crosby's style obtains among
our Iowa neighbors, we may soon see the
following Expressions Sewing needles
for sewtng," writing pens for priting,''
&C., &c.
lift be true, as the authors tell us in the
preface that the "book will meet an urgent
and long felt want" then, most sincerely do
we deplore the benighted condition Of pav
exports youngsters. The authors further
inform US that,
in the execution of their plan they gathered
hints from every quarter, but have used the
materials in q way not usual, and have pursued
plan tgholly their o'cn."
Orso,na ng +,a.a to,,apts he NO
doubt The plan and its execution are as
original as Sin itself. The thing st which
we wonder most Is, that Mr.. Crosby took
the trouble'of having his work copy rghsed.
There is not the most remote possibility of
has style, plan or execution being initiated.
Who would ever use language like the fol
| lowing -
"Retieetng back" <'ssnse perception" '.pre-
paration beforehand"
Lord have mercy upon Us! After this
things will reflect forward, and people will
make preparations" 6ehtndhand.
i On page 5, we have the following pro-
found observations
at is not desirable that children should be able
to give reason for the corrections they make. ,
If this be true, children must hereafter,
make unreasonable corrections.
Page gives the following classic SEN
tence:
THE correcting and rewriting of exercises,
when given as tcritten exercises, must not be
/ lost sight Of
As the authors wade into their work they
grow deeper, aud on page S,give us most
profound observation
Hitherto the mind of the child has been direct
ed oHtSard, through the senses, upon external
! objects. It seems not less important, even at
this early stage of life, TO turn the attention o.
the mind inward upon its own simple phenor
ena."
There! That is Crosbyistie sublimi,y
with a vengeance. Through what, except
= the Senses" can the mind be - directed
outward?n Does MIR. Crosby imagine the
mind of child could be " directed onward"
through a hole in its heel? And. then,
directed outUard upon erteTnai objects !!
Again, jus. think of telling child Ito
turn the attention of its mind inward upon
its own simple phenomena"
We are at loss to determine the exact
meaning of" simple phenomeDa" but we
have an impression that the authors of this
very queer work are q most remarkable eX
empli6cat of a cOmpoHnd' phenomena.
They are wonderful wonders
On page So, the children are "to discrm
mate between the 0tjectire and the subject
ire" else they cannot fathom Mr. Crosby q
wisd ON. AS an evidence of the authors
ability as practical teachers we ask our
readers to scan the following, which We find
on page s.
/" Teacher, Spell the word fox so that it will
mean more than
Children. Fox, fox, e-s, es, foxes.
| T. Correct. Some spell lady for me.
, Mary. La, Is, d-y, dy, lady.
T. Right. John may spell this word so as to
make it mean more than one
As none Of the children can spell the
/ word Gladly" 80 as to make it mean more
thaa one lady, the teacher ! writes the word
ladies upon the blackboard, and declares to
: the astonished children that the impossible
ity has heen done.
The authors are silly enough to contend
that fox" and foxes are the same word also
} " lady and " ladies'" In other words, that
) a noun in the singular number is identical
with the plural form. All of which is " fat
nonsense" On reading it we come to the
painful conclusion that the authors of
this book should be at, instead of orer
schools, and that they are no better
qualified to teach children than are q gan
der and a goose to superintend the erection
of the Government Bridge. We close our
attracts with the following regular "stun.
ner"