The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-08-22
IN SCHOOL BOOKS.

ISObD6hA AN 1CAOOA bOOho
An Immense SWlndle That Has Crep
Into the Common School System.
From tho N. 2. Tribune.)
Several Of the Western States are Civ.
ing US the advantage Of important anC
valuable experiments In legislation. ThI
experience Of Illinois In dealing with the
questions Of minority representation and
the railroad tariffs cannot fail TO be o.
benefit to other States, however It may
result at home. The equally importani
question Of the common schools Is Just
now receiving great attention In Indiana,
Among other provisions OF the law pro-
vlding for complete reorganization ol
the educational system Of the State, it IS
ordered that no text book adopted by q
county board shall be changed within
three years from the date Of such adop.
ton, except by unanimous consent Of the
members oi such board. The fact that
such provision seems necessary indi-
Gates clearly enough the extent to which
the county boards have already been
made the instruments of unscrupulous
jobbery in the matter oil school books.
Throughout the country the complaint Of
parents and Taxpayers is universal, The
school boards form almost everywhere
petty rings Of corruphonists who set them.
selves up for sale to the highest
bidder among the agents Of pub
fishing houses. A gentleman Of ed
ucation and integrity recently elect.
ed mayor OF a prominent city, says that
he was astonished on taking possession Of
his office to find that positions on the
school board were more eagerly sought
Tor among the small political strikers
than any others. Men who could scarce
II read, and who had no incomes, hustled
for the privilege Of serving their country
without salaries in these places. The
mayor delayed a little while In making
his nominations, and was waited on by
the agents Oi several publishing houses
10 learn what his Intentions were. 1--WE
have no one 10 recommend" they said
frankly, "but would like to make the
parties our friends" The object Oi The
candidates was to sell their influence TO
the publishers, and the object OF the pub.
fishers was To have the schools conducted
solely with reference TO the number of
their books which tue children could be
made to buy.
This sort Of swindling has attained pro.
portions which are scarcely credible. In
many Dlaces the grading eHd s~GdIVl1lUn
Il tIo COURSES OF Instruction have been
carried so far that q child must have q
new book for every few months progress
in any particular study. The common
rules Of arithmetic are scattered through
half q dozen volumes. A few years ago
four common school readers were consid.
cred sufficient. Now, under the pretext
that the scholar should not be allowed 10
become familiar with the text he Is read
ing, the series is stretching out indefinite
ly. New studies are continually being
added TO the course. Branches only fitted
for advanced classes are made ridicuously
elementary for the youngest children,
merely TO increase the demand for school
books. The smallest urchins are sent
staggering of 10 their schools with more
books than they can well carry, each con.
tanning a homeopathic dllution Of a sin
gle idea. 1t would not be so bad II there
were any permanence in the text books
adopted. There isafter all very little dll.
ference between the different grammats,
Biographies, and arithmetics. But often
before the dogs ears have proceeded
halfway through the leaves OF book,
the teachers, the committeeman and the
publishers come to an understanding and
an entirely new series Is forced upon the
school. Sometimes the same publisher
launches new batch from his shop. by
means OF bis relations with the local au-
thorities. Sometimes q new publisher
supplants him with the board and clears
the desks and satchels for his own wares.
The trade has thus become enormously
profitable and the corruption OF course In.
creases correspondiugly. The Sentindl
Of indianapolis says that agents from III
teen houses are now trading" the country
boards oil Indiana; and member Of q
board never goes to the post.ofilce without
q cart to bring back his correspondence
with publishers. When we regard the
erudition and the judgment Of the average
county politician who fills these offices,
we can have but little difficulty In imag-
ming what class Of considerations would
most strongly appeal to him in his vote on
q question Of adopting or retaining any
particular line Of text books.
The provision we have quoted from the
Indiana law Is merely q tentative step to
see II some barrier cannot be exposed to
this flood Of petty and vexatioIs corrup.
tion. REINFORCEMENT Is very little
one, but It Is in the right direction. II
schools are compelled to use the same
books for years 1t will diminish during
that time the opportunities for stealing,
and at least give many Of the books q
chance TO get worn out Everything
which Is done to lessen the profits and
perquisites oil the boards will Of course
relieve the pressure Of the loaferlsh can
didateg, and help TO that degree the char.
acter Of the whole system. II is 90 bad
at present in many regions that any
change can hardly be for the worse, and
we hope that the Indiana experiment may
be % successful as TO encourage some sim.
liar action In other States.
Augustus and Martes.A Watering