Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-05-23

FRIDAY, MAY II, 1879.
The Selection os School Books.


The five years for which the authoriz-
ed list of textbooks for use in the com
mon schools were selected, terminates
the present year, and the law makes it
the duty of the Board Of Education to
examine the several series and authorize
list for use in the Schools Of the State
tor the coming five years. We suppose
the Board have given attention to the
matter, and before the first Of the year
will publish a list that shall be binding
upon teachers to use in their schools,
making a uniformity throughout the
State. The enactment of this statute
was among the first as well as the best
methods Of placing oar schools on a
frmer basis. 1t was legislation in the
interests Of the people as well as the pu-
pills Of the public schools, saving them
from the constant importantly of book
agents, as well as the expense Of an al
most yearly change Of textbooks.
Every teacher must have a new book Of
some kind, and the annual expense to
tle people Of the State did not vary
much from a half million of dollars.
The stability which has been secured by
uniformity has relieved the people from
the pecunia~y burden consequent upon
the frequent changes of former period.
We trust, therefore, unless absolutely
demanded, that at this time but few
changes will h. made
The responsibility Of a selection Of
textbooks for all the schoolsof the COM
monwealth, is n grave one, in view o1
the work and its pecuniary relation I"
the people hence it bchooyca the Bo&sd
of Education to consider the suhjpct
carefully iii all It's bearings, both in its
influence upon the schools and upon tha
public, for its burdens fall not upon th-
rich but upon those of moderate means,
and largely upon the poorer classes.
Hence a hastY change would be of great
detriment, and demands that these con
siderations should be fully weighed in
canvassing this subject.
While it is not for the press to dictate,
it is eminentIy proper that both the at
tention of the people and the Board
should be called to some of the fra-
lures involved in the quadrenuial
selection Of textbooks A sweeping
change of all the textbooks authorized
in the common schools of Vermont at
this time would involve an expenditure
Of over two million of dollars by the
Daople whose children are in attendance
upon the schools. The expense is one
of the first subjects that should arrest
the attention Of the Board in proceeding
to the work assigned them, and it is 20
be hoped that it will receive that consi0-
Grafton which it deserves, as it is one of
serious moment.
1t is questionable whether but few
changes are necessary in the list of text
books as they now stand, bat rather
whether some should not be left off al
together, leaving but one textbook in
some Of the branches instead of two, as
Is now tho case, designed to teach the
sane thing. The modern b0olmakcr
keeps abreast Of the times, and each edi-
tioa is made 20 comport with the period
in which it is published. There is cyi-
IDENTIFY demand or necessity fora change
In the series of reading books now in
use. In the change not only the adapt
alton and character Of thematter but the
price of the series, should be taken into
consideration. The prices Of many series
are far too high and burdensome The
cheapest books, other things con-
sidered, should be received with favor
and a strong contract should be made
with honorable publishers for the fur
nishing for the five years, that no i'm
position be practiced upon the buyer as
has often been the case. The opportu-
nifty to insist upon higher prices is the
only valid objection that can be urged
against uniformity of textbooks; but
this can be obviated by the Board in
making the contract with the publishers
While we are for the largest liberty, and
would not stint money for the education
Of the children Of our public schools, yet
we feel that the people have a right to be
considered in view of the pecuniary bur
dens involved.
Another series of text books that 1
should be taken into careful cOnsidera-
tion, are those on Geography. The poo-
pie have been burdened with two series.
There has been much misunderstanding
about these two SERIES We believe
that there should be but one, and that
practical and adapted to the comprehen-
sion Of every child of the State, and
which can easily he taught by every
teacher in every school. While another
may be adapted to the higher schools,
yet it is not sufficiently practical to be
introduced into every school, because all
teachers cannot teach it without first be-
ing instructed therein themselves. Hence
1t is only feasible to have a text book
that can be used in the lower as well as
the higher schools, or assign one to the
higher or graded schools, and the other
to really common schools, so that the
people may know what to depend upon
These collisions should be avoided, but
let US have the text book best adapted,
not to the highest, but to all the schools.
1t is to be hoped too, that the mathe-
matical series as it now stands will be
adopted. A change would involve an
expense that would not be warranted by