The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-24
FRENCH's ARITHMETIC.

lie prejudice against the action OF the
Board because they adopted the arith-
metics of their own secretary. They did
so for two reasons first because every
member of the Board considered them on
the whole the best arthmetics for Vermont,
and secondly because five out of the six
teachers consulted, advised their adoption.
1t seems hardly respectful to the good
sense of our people to be obliged to say,
that, in our judgment, 1t was no insuper-
able objection to good book that its
author was a resident of the state, and
Secretary of its Board of Education.
PROFITS on SCHOOL BOOKS.
Statements have been made which are
entirely unwarranted, and ludicrously ex-
travagant, respecting the profits made on
school books. The publishers of text
books extensively used no doubt make a
good profit out of their business, but it is
the extensive sale and not the wide margin
of profits, which makes the business a
good one. But be that as IL may, the Board
has secured from all the publishers of the
books on the new list, excepting Robert s.
Davis & Co., the publishers of Greenleafs
Algebra, written contracts to furnish the
prescribed textbooks, for five years to
come, at rates far more favorable to dealers
and purchasers than those which have been
paid in years past. The new list under
this management will save the state thous-
ands of dollars per annum over the old one.
AS to the per cent said to be paid by pub
| fishers to authOrs-another invdious charge
against the secretary-it is ascertained that
| from two to ten per cent on sales is the
rate allowed for copyright. What is the
amount of copyright paid by the publish
ers to the author of French's Arithmetics
or of other books on the list, we are not in
| formed. Every textbook upon our table
was paying copyright to somebody. Why
it should be an objection to book that it
paid copyright to citizen Of this state, in
stead of to some one out of the state, is not
clear in our minds.
THE PETITION OF TOWN OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
There was laid upon our table Il docu-
ment purpOrting to be a petition signed by
a large number of town superintendent
against change of Arithmetics. That
document received a respectful attention.
But when the matter was examined into a
little more closely, it was found that some
of the signers were not superintendent,
that several he'd in other communications
to the Board advised a change, and that
the petition, so called was not a spontane-
GUS expression of opinion, but job that
had been worked up by the agent and in
| llt llitItSb VI plNtIltdl > hllAlhhNtiNo.
We therefore thought il not entitled to
very much consideration.
THE TEACHERS OPINION OF GREENLEAF.
1t has been said that Grecnleafs were eX
cluded from the Arithmetics on which, the
! teachers consulted, were asked to give theii
| opinion. On that point the following ties
2 timony is submitted
''The undersigned, IN giving to the Boart
- al, ~
: Arithmetcs, intended to express thei
l preference for Frenchs over all those TN
derstood to be competitors, including
G Greenleafs, now in use"
Signed by all but one of those who re
commended French's Arithmetic.
e FRENcHs ARITHMETIcs IN OTHER STATES
S The board endeavored to decide betwee
c the conflicting claims of text books by pei
n sonal examination of the books, and not b.
y external testimony in their favor Still W
It found ourselves confirmed in our opinio
+ of Frenchs Arithmetics by learning tina
!, they had been so largely adopted elsC
!. where. From the list of places in whic
they are used, we will mention the cities G
IS New York, Philadelphia, New Hayer
n Pittsburg, indianapolis and San Francisco
l. the Normal schools of Maine and Me-
Al Hampshire, those at Buffalo and Fredoni,
n n. Y, Lebanon, Ohio, and the lllno
1t Normal University the entire state of NJ
le braska by official adoption for five years
e One-half of the schools of Indiana and
lc large number of the cities and towns
4 Maine and New Hampshire and number
t; of other schools in all parts of the coul
ii try.
10 UNDUE INFLUENCE OF THE SECRETARY.
" .bo 1,,;n tl,o
ir of the members of the board can sc
u whether they are men likely to be swcrvc
s. by what has been euphOniously terme
G. ''the undue influence" of their secretary
II. Absolute silence in the meetings of Il
IN board and out of them, may have been Il
a most polite way of influencing the boart
al 1t probably was. AT any rate it was Il
only influence exerted Neither direct
nor indirectly, neither personally nor l
r. agents, did the secretary approach an
al member of the board on this question
nd Further than this at his instance, Il
90 publishers of his arithmetics abstainC
pb from sending any agents into this fel
or When the publishers of the competir
no books declined to send copies for exam
is nation to the teachers consulted, the Sc
So rotary, at his own expense, purchased al
he forwarded the necessary copies. d
sc French was not present on any occasi,
ed when the subject of arithmetics was und
ed discussion, or when the vote was taken.
or AUTHORITATIVE AND BINDING"
,w An anonymous circular issued III the
at- terest of Greenleaf's Arithmetics and SC,
'or tered broadcast throughout the state,
his forms the public that the action of t
'as Board is advisory, not compulsory I
ks Legislature was not so short-sighted as
ks enact measure of so great importar
mt to the schools. and still leave them to
preyed on by book agents. The law
plicitly declares that the list shall be a
remain authoritative and binding upon
ost Board of Education, superintendent a
ac- teachers, and superintendent and teach
err shall recommend for use, as new boo
'ed shall become necessary for instruction
laa the branches named, no other than
OF OF books included in the said list. The ass
'ts ton that Judge Steele considered the
,od ton of the Board merely advisory, is
ION founded. AT the last meeting of the 30;
NY which he attended, he expressed great
Ell dignation at the falsehood which attribu
am such an opinion to him. He did say d
Oh a pupil might demand to be taught fir
iey any book on the prescribed list, and Il
mo the law would sustain the demand Ii
lth true, as the circular takes pains to info
ara the public, that the law afiixes no expr
penalty to the use of other than the auth
me lied books. That, however, is a d.
IKE argument to address to law-abiding y
,,hg pie, especially when enforced by no oil
lhe reasons than those of bOok-publishc
lhu agent Do the people of Ye;;-::'oht wish
a have their children. i-.-'ructed in arithme
Sc or any aii.or subject by the agency of
of nrm which openly and defantly advi
the them to break state law, and insnua
of that il il possible TO do SO with impunit,
1t -
nrv CONCLUSION.
cry We have withheld this expose of
ote situation until this late day, because
Al. g.. baf n,a ,