The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-04-27
rExr nouxs-..col. HIrHEns.

The following communication reached this
Office in time for publication in our last issue,
but the editor being absent, in an adjacent
county, at the time, and not returning until
the paper had been issued, it did not appear
We regret this, inasmuch as the decision of
the Board Of School Trustees for Augusta
county, was not then known, end probably
had not been made. We learned on Monday
last, however, that a majority Of the Town
ships had determined in favor of the Nc
Gufey series, which carries the question Of
their adoption.
1t is not our purpose to consume any more
space in the discussion of the comparative
merits of the McGuAey and University se-
ries. We favored the Gufey series They
have been adopted by this county. We have
no interest in the matter, except that which
every father feels in the merits of the books
his children are to study. AS We stated in
former issue, we should regard it az a Ca
lamity to our school literature, if the MoGuf
fey series we're supplied by any other ever
published.
Col. Withers avails himself of the occa-
sion, to quote from the "oration' of Mr.
Grimke, and thus to thrust before the pub
lie part Of the extract inserted in MEG uf-
fey's 9Th Reader, separated from the general
collection. It must be a very superficial
mind not to discern the object intended, and
we therefore leave proper estimate of its
fairness to the determination of the intelli-
gence Of our readers.
We charged in our article that both pub
fishing houses were Of Northern origin, and
that it was a struggle for the money Virginia
would nave to spend for Books for her Public
Schools. Col. Withers disputes this, how
justly, tho public can adjudge when they
are Informed that the one is in New York,
and the other in Cincinnati. We know of
very little profit to be drawn to any one, ex-
cept the publishing houses, and their paid
ttiheTaHC agents.
But as it is not our intention, even had
we the space this week, to reply fully to the
communication of Col. Withers. we pass by
many Objectionable expressions, with the
simple remark, that they are in accord with
the temper and tone of his speech in this
place, which failed to have the effect Of con
trolling the solid, discriminating Judgment Of
the School Trustees for this county. The
object we had in view has been accomplished
the adoption Of the McGutfey series. We
were interested in this, for the reason that
we have children to educate. No farther
1t may not be amiss to state, as a philo-
sophical truth, that reaction always follows
an excess. The iufammatory appeals Of Col.
Withers to sectional feelings vnd passions,
may, for while, control the decision of some
school Trustees, who are more ardent than
wise; but the seeming triumph will be of
short duration. When the unimpassioned
mind begins to act, and excited feelings sub
side-when the intrinsic merits Of the two
series have been dispassionately tested by the
stern ordeal of experience, it will be found,
we predict, that the McGuffey series will
stand where they have ever stood since their
publication, in the front rank Of standard
school literature.