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

drive out better ones whose authors proprietors
have relaxed their efforts. 1t would seem desirs-
BILE to have some judicous board or commission,
wholly independent Of authors and publishers,
who should carefully examine and compare all the
textbooks in vogue, and publish list Of the
best, describing them and pointing out their yar-
Gus characteristics 81
This would not oblige any to accept their recon-
mendations, but many puzzled teacher or anxious
school committee would be thankful for such a
guide through the intricate wilderness Of school
books they now oblige to traverse. 1t may be
thought that this board might itself furnish such
catalogue ra,sonee Of school books. Perhaps it
might. Yet it could be done still more thoroughly
by special commission, appointed for that pur-
poso and consisting in part Of the ablest practical
teachers, male and female, and 10 part Of distn-
guished literary men, who most familiar with
these studies. catalogue of school books care
fully prepared by such commission, might indeed
excite the ilwill Of publishers whose books should
not receive a favorable notice therein, but would
not fail Of being very acceptable to the great null
| titude of teachers and parents.
Alex II. Bullock, William Ciafin, james Free
man Clarke, John P. Marshall, George D. wildes,
William Rice. Emory Washburne, Samuel T.
Seelye, john b. Philbrick, and David II. Mason"
| This certainly acknowledges the evil existing
and groeang The suggestions of the "judcious
board of commissioner would avail but little
HSuust tue publishers dbluueu TO-
The recommendation fails to grapplc with the
difficulty, it does not "seize the bull by the horns"
recent order introduced into the General As
sembly Of Massachusetts, and adopted with regard
to State uniformity and securing books at cost,
would seem to Indicate that town uniformity was
found to be all that the interests of the schools
required"
Superintendent Northrop Of Conn, reports as
| follows:
''The variety of textbooks on the same subject,
which l find in very many schools, is great
hindrancc to classification and progress. Each
new teacher is allowed to introduce his ~favorite
authors. New scholars from other districts,
towns, or States, retain their old books. In one
school found seven classes in geography, where,
with uniformity of books, they would be reduced
to three, to the great Improvement Of the school,
| In another school, with nineteen scholars, there
were six classes in spelling, seven in reading, five
| in arithmetic, and seven in geography. The re-
suit is Confusion confounded," the embarrassment
of the teacher, and discouragement of the pupil.
Instead of system classification, and thoroughness,
tho teachers time is wasted a medley of text
books. When no two have the same book, the
recititions of each individual by himself must be
hurried and superficial"
From New York we CLEAN the following.
can evil, not the least among others which
ought to be corrected is the variety Of textbooks
in in the schools" The diversity of textbooks
is of the greatest difficulties teachers have to
| contend with, Can not our legislature be induced
to pass an act directing that uniformity series Of
textbooks be used throughout the common schools
of the State? ''There is an evil, gigantic one,
which calls loudly for speedy remedy. 1t seems
to me that effectual remedy for this may be
found by having the State prescribe the use Of
textbooks which shall be uniform either through.
out its entire jurisdiction or in each county. Any
one familiar with the workings of our common
schools cannot fail to coincide with the opinion that
a want of uniformity of textbooks is serious
impediment | suggest the following feasible plan
The department of public instruction, or other
State authority to appoint committee, composed
of some of the most competent educators to pre-
pare series of textbooks all the subjects re-
garded as common school studies, the copyright
being in the name of the State and all persons
within the State, who might choose, having the
right to publish the same" This is essentially
the plan adopted for several years in Canada West.
now Ontario. l might instance other States, but
sufficient evidence has been adduced to show that
town uniformity is by no means satisfactory so.
luton Of the textbook difficulties. Hon. P Nc
Vicar, Superintendent of Kansas, to whom our
opponents refer, says: "Let State uniformity take
care Of itself provided district uniformity be Sc
cured" Ay, there's the rub. The Superintendent
of Michigan remarks, sour schools are also labor
ing under great disadvantage from a ,eant Of
torn,ity Of tert-books" The italics are his Suff-
cient this point in evidence against town or
district uniformity as rreans in itself to remedy
the textbook evils.
Sd. Some Of the best, think a majority Of the best,
public school educators endorse fully the plan of State
! Uniformity 1 have already adduced the test-
mony of Supt. f. P Weston. Hon. J. P. Craig
| Supt for 1856, in his general remarks, suggests
"tbat the Supt be required to recommend in his
Annual Report such changes in the use Of text
books as will perfect uniformity in the
| towns throughout the State" His successor, Hon.
Mark ii Dunnel, now Superintendent of Miuneso-
| Ia. in which State uniformity was established by
law, remarks in his report for 1878: II am happy
TO be able to report that the teachers in public
schools and county and other school officials, have
with great unaumity approved Of the selections
made, and have cheerfuily assisted In the work Of
introduction This work has been If far
greater magnitude than was anticipated When it
shall be accomplished schools waH srbit the 6sne-
fciai results Of uniformity nrt-books used, and
parents uH freely admit hat uniformity is economy
| Dr Edward Ryerson, who has for years stood at
the head If the schools in Canada, cknowledged as
one Of the foremost educators in America thorough
| ly versed in the school systems of Europe. both
from extensive Investigations and general expert
ence and Inspection in his report Of the Common
Schools Of Upper Canada, 1866 expresses the fol-
lowing:
| There is perfect unanimity among educationists
in both Europe and America to the Importance OF q
uniform series of textbooks for the public Schools
and as to the evils Of q variety of textbooks
rendering classification Of pupils and omparisons
Of schools, and judgment of their progress mpossi-
ble-reducng the value Of the teachers labor,
impeding the progress Of the pupils, and causing
much additional expense to parents. In former
reports have spoken Of the steps and means taken
to remove the great evil Of various and foreign
textbooks from our Canadian schools, and to intro
duce uniform and superior series of textbooks
into the schools.
The object of the Legislature in providing for the
establishment and support of public Schools
providing for militia aud soldiery-is the safety
and welfare Of the country and all the requisites
for the efficiency Of the one we'll as the other
are but means to that end and it is not left to
any and every individual gunsmith or tailor to get
up and sell he the tools and clothing for the
regular or militia soldiery, but the government
must use the right and every possible care and
deliberation to select and provide arms and cloth
ing for the defenders of the country, so must the
same authority and equal care be employed to pro-
vide for the public sehoolsthe best police for the
country--the textbooks or tools that are required
for the highest efficiency Of the schools 1t Is not
for an individual author publisher to say that
his productions are best, and therefore must be
received into the schools as fancy may dictate, and
the importantly Of individual speculation may per-
suade any more than for the gunsnith or the tailor
to say that his productions best, and therefore
must be admitted into the army, the fancy of