Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-02-17

a change to be made at the end of that timN
in a part or whole Of them-or none-as may
seem desirable"
From the suggestions thus made came in
1862 the five-year law requiring town uni
formity, which, however, did not fully meet
the views or demands of Superintendent
Weston. In his report of 1862, page 95, we
find the following remarks
''The Superintendent regrets that the plan
recommended in his last report, by which a
uniformity in school books would have been
secured throughout the whole State, was not
adopted by the last legislature. The expert
ment had been successfully tried elsewhere,
and a similar law was loudly called for in all
parts of the State. The demand is scarcely
lessened by the amendment of last winter.
That amendment was introduced while the
act was on its passage, by gentleman who
earnestly favored the adoption of the more
comprehensive plan, and was regarded by
him only aimed in the right direction; and
the best which could be secured in the cir
cumstances. 1t seems to me, on careful OBJ
servation and reflection, to be adapted to pro-
duce more confusion than it saves by the
clamor and contest among publishers operat-
ing by agents on all the school officers in the
State, and introducing larger variety of
books into our domain than ever before. 1
earnestly recommend, therefore, that law
requiring uniformity in the phote State
with all its provisions carefully and wisely
made, be enacted at the ensuing session of the
Legislature"
Experience has shown that the fve-year
law of 1862 has not accomplished the desired
result. Therefore we find that in 1868 the
legislature passed the following resolve:
"Resolred, That the State Superintendent of
schools ha and herphV iS directed n
collect statistics showing the various kinds of
text books used in the public schools in this
State, the number of schools using each
series of such books, and the number, size
and cost of the same, together with such other
information as he may be able to obtain with
reference to the subject, and the desrabilty
and possibility of securing uniformity of
text books in the schools of the State at re-
duced prices; and that the Superintendent
incorporate the result of his Investigations in
his next annual report
The foregoing resolve was enacted previous
to my entering upon the duties of State Super
ntendent and without my knowledge, In
conformity with the resolve, blanks were is
sued and returns received from nearly 225
towns. My comments then on the results in
dicated were as follows:
Sufficient replies have been received to ex-
hibit both the variety and uniformity of text
books, the frequent changes, cost of books
and the general expression for or against
town and State uniformity. The answers
have been appended to the several interroga-
tories as succinctly as possible, so that brief
perusal will suffice for pages of analysis and
explanation. The great variety of text books
is evident, and although few seem to out
strip the rest in the race, as for instance,
readers, arithmetics, spelling books and geog
raphies, yet the fact that publishing houses
are running race, is sufficient to indicate that
the present ratio of text book series is not
constant quantity, but subject to variations
dependent on the energy, skill and pertnacity
of book publishers, book dealers and book
agents"
In view of the fact, therefore, that the plan
for torn Uniformity had failed, that there ex-
listed an immense waste in teaching force, loss
of time to the child and needless expense to
the parent in consequence of this failure of
the town plan, l advocated State legislation
to SECURE State uniformity. See pages l04,
ia, report 1868 To make the town law
more effective penalty of $500 was attached
last winter. Yet in the very face and eyes of
this law A. S. Barnes & Co, am informed.
have effected changes of readers in more
than two hundred towns of this State the past
year, and, indeed, have never known a year
when so many changes in books have been
made as in the past year. The town plan,
even with penalty attached, fails to secure
the desired results. Our opponents, however,
explain the failure in the following expression
''W think it clear that if Mr.. johnson and
has County Supervisors had devoted one-half
as much time and labor to the discharge of
their duty in the enforcement of our present
laws as they have to talking up and engineer
ing their scheme for State uniformity. the
evils they now so much deplore would not
exist, and town uniformity would be an ac-
complished fact" (See Daily Press, Feb.
llth. The italics are ours) The want of
common courtesy in this expression cheer
fully pass over, but am astonished at the ig-
norance displayed in regard to the duties of
the County Supervisors and of the Superin-
tendent, and the announced falsehood of ''en-
gineering their scheme for State uniformity"
The duties of the County Supervisors and
State Superintendent are simply adrisory and
suggestive, not eIecutire. The supervisors
are forbidden by law to use their influence in
recommending or procuring the use OF any
book. The State Superintendent shall ''pre-
scribe the course of studies" taught in the
common schools, reserving to town commit
tees the right to prescribe additional studies.
He has no authority over the text books
nothing beyond his personal influence. 1t
will be said that as a 'school official he may
but successful litigation in such instances with
S. S. Committees, would not compensate for
the loss of influence in educational efforts.
The town of Pownal referred to secured uni
formity through its own spontaneous efforts,
and not through the direct personal labors of
Mr. Webb. This town also is one of the most
earnest in favor of State uniformity. Let
me inquire whether the adrocdtes of town
uniformity have discharged their duties in
this direction. Town uniformity has failed
in other States also. There is hardly North
ern State which has not at some time within
the past ten or fifteen years agitated the ques-
tion of State uniformity publicly and in the
legislative halls, indicating a dissatisfaction
with the town plan. TX" states in his COM
munication that sin Massachusetts,, years
ago, Horace Mann recommended that the S.
S. Committees conform to the law (for town
uniformity, and that the teachers be obliged
to comply with the directions of the commit
tees. This course was adopted, town uni
formity was enforced and was found to be all
that the Interests Of the schools required p
Let us see what the testimony of Massachu-
setts is in the year 1868. Iquote the follow
ing from the report of the Board Of Education