The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1872-12-06
the EGIS And INTELLIGENCER
BEL AIR. Nd. DECEMBER 6, 1872.
CORRESPONDENCE.

Mr.. EDITOR: In last weeks issue of the Demo
cTut there appears quite lengthy. editorial in
regard to the change of some Of the text books
of the public schools of this county. Now, what
The design of this article may have been will not
say but the result oft could only be to make
the people of Hartford believe that the School
Commissioners had been making arrangements
to squander their money in the most unwarrant-
able manner.
1t appears, however that the Editor, In mercy
to the Commissioners, attributes this error more
to their ignorance than 10 any evil design.
Now will state few facts, which can be pro-
ven at any time, and let the people Judge wheth-
er the School Commissioners have acted foolish
ly or wisely, and whether or no they should be
justified in what they have done. The last book
contract expired in November, and according to
custom, before the time for its expiration the
Board of School Commissioners sent to several
of the different publishing houses ofthe country,
requesting them TO send in proposals for supply
ing the county with book for the next year, or
two years, as it may seem best. This was done
in good faith, aud Of course the house furnishing
q suitable books at the lowest bid was expected
to be the contractor When the bids were open
ed it appeared that different house from the
one the Board had been dealing with had bid
from ten to fifteen per ct. lower than the firm
who had heretofore furnished the books, and as
the books upon examination proving in the esti-
nation of the book committee equally good the
Board can scarcely refrain from writing it
Bored) consistent with honor and with the vel
fare of the public schools could do nothing else
than award the contract to the lowest bidder.
Now every new book introduced is to be obtain
ed at lower figure than the corresponding one
rejected and as the new books are to be taught
only as they are needed l really cannot see the
extra expense. But if experience should prove
that an article at lower price costs more than
higher one, and shall ever hereafter have any.
thing to do with awarding contract, l will
vote for the highest bidder. In justice to the
Editor of the Democrat must say that l have
heard the same story or similar one so often,
for the last six weeks, that am almost ready to
doubt the arithmetic of my school days The
Editor says he believes that it is admitted by the
Board (not Bored) that to replace the arithmetic
now in use by the new one adopted will cost the
county from eight hundred TO thousand dollars,
and that outsiders estimate several thousand to
be expended in changing the books. Now the
Board, or majority of them admit ofno such
thing, as they will buy the new arithmetic as they
will all the other new books cheaper than the
old ones.
What "outsiders' may estimate | will not
pretend to say, but if by Considers" he means
book agents, have no doubt about their ability
to make estimates Again in regard to the mer-
its of the arithmetic adopted, the Editor goes on
to say that according to the judgment of the in
telligent body of gentlemen composing the Pub
lie School Board of Baltimore City that the new
book is inferior to the one rejected Now | do
not know how intelligent the Board of Bati-
more may be, nor what induced them to throw
out Brooks Arithmetic, but do know the only
authority which this Board can acknowledge is
the State Board Of Education, and at their last
meeting they recommended Brooks Arithmetic
and that it is recommended and used by many
of the finest scholars and best teachers in the
country, rs one of the very best works on the
subject ever published. 1t is also stated that
in addition to the pecuniary embarrassment that
the change will bring upon the Board it will en-
tail heavy loss upon that portion of the patrons
of the school that are least able to bear it, name
ly, those who have already purchased books
In answer to this will say that the poorest
patrons are furnished books fill of charge. accor.
ding to the school law, and that those persons
who have purchased hooks can use them in the
schools while ever three leaves will hang togeth-
er. know nothing about the wisdom of the
Frederick Commissioners, but the simple argu-
ment of no change is unanswerabe. Our coun-
trymen, however, are very much given to chang
ing things but if they had resolved hundred
years ago to make no change, things would have
been different from what they are.
Excuse me, Mr.. Editor, for trespassing on
your patience, and as 1 have had no opportuni-
ty of comforting with the other members of the
Board, alone am responsible for the above
article.
SILAs SCARBoRO, School Com'r