The Portland daily press., 1873-01-29
Uniformity Again.

FOr nVe years, eacn succeeding Legislature
Of Maine has been annoyed by the apparition,
under auspices more or less respectable from
time to time, of bill to establish a board of
commissioners to select series of text books
for use in our public schools and to see that
the laws providing for such use be enforced in
city, town and plantation Unfortunately,
and in all schools, irrespective of character,
situation or grade, and regardless of the views
of the several municipalities which form the
school unit.
The objections to this scheme in any form
are SO glaringly apparent that it has been re-
jected by decisive majorities as often as it has
been brought up. Yet for some occult reason,
about which rather unchartable surmises are
sometimes made, the same old project reap
pears, claims attention from the Legislature
and educational men and requires new rebuke.
The evident tendency towards vast and
lucrative monopoly, and the opportunity for
Sob so temptingly presented, are enough in
the first instance to cast stigma upon the
whole affair. Preceding bills have been bad
enough in this respect, but the proposition for
this winter goes step beyond any of former
years. 1t provides for five commissioners
ifthe State were notenough ridden with com
missions already-who shall be appointed by
the Governor and Council, and whose duty it
shall be to select text books in the several
branches, for use in all the schools in the
State, and, in addition, to purchase the COPY
right Of such books as they shall select and
contract for their publication. A very pref
ty plan to lead the State into large book and
publishing business, which would involve the
expenditure of hundreds of thousands of dol
lars by men entirely unfamiliar with the bus
mess, since the bill also provides, properly
enough iii were to pass at all, that ''no man
interested in the publication or sale of any
school books shall be upon the commission.
We cannot go into a general discussion at
this time of the objections to the principle
and practical workings of this or any similar
proposition. The whole matter was thor.
oughly and exhaustivey canvassed, and all
the points on both sides brought out in the
strongest possible light before the Comrittee
on Education and before the Legislature of
1870, when the measure was mere ardentlv
pressed than it has ever been before or since.
The teachers, school committees and other
friends of educe,, ion whose circumstances and
po'es'S were presented in overwhelming
'o'' 81, supposed that the decisive result then
reached would be conclusive. Their surprise
and indignation at the repeated galvanic agi-
tation of the deceased bugaboo are great, espec-
tally as its constant rehabilitation stands in
the way of every real effort for educational
ref rm or advancement, by giving an air OF
quackery to every proposition looking to i'm
proved methods of school organization or
supervision. ~
We are glad to know that the State Super
intendent and the real and practical friends
of education in the Legislature, such as Mr..
Dingley, Mr.. Clifford, Mr.. Knowlton and
many others, viii give no countenance to this
spasmodic effort to renew an old and embit-
tel ing contest, which has SO often rendered
hostile, men who ought always to work in
harmony. Even if some of them might be
disposed to favor, in theory, such system
under exceptionally favorable circumstances
and with the general acquiescence of all par
ties in interest, yet they recognize the fact
that such circu instances do not now exist and
that the educational men of Maine are largely
opposed, with most positive convictions, to
any such measure. .
We hope that those gentlemen who seem dis
posed to favor this bill will seriously consider
the possible effect of such contest as is sure to
come, upon the other measures for education
al advancement whose merits are conceded
by everybody. All men who have the cause
at heart should be willing to waive special
theories in subservience to the general good,
and not imperil eve. ything by a mad pursuit of
a chime a. When such important measures
as District Supervision, Compulsory Atten-
,nce and Free High Schools are under con-
5 deration with somewhat dubious chances of
lccess, it seems gross waste of energy to
renew the old Uniformity fight"
There will be hearing on this question
before the Committee on Education, at Au-
lsta, tonight, and it is mnch to be desired |
LAT the committee may devise means:to sup
press 'nis dangerous movement before it has
uohe SERIOUS harm. The experience ofyears
h a.. SHOWN mat the bill cannot by any posi-
Diii'y OBTAIN passage in the Legislature. but
the bare attempt will excite all The o1a ,,,.oc
onisms and arouse all the rreiud;ce. 80.
cumbrous school machinery. of 1rh;o.s s'' Us,
measure will furnish an apt Illustrates. Vic
|
The extreme temperance men in +bor
islature say that majority of both houses
4