Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-09-06
SCHOOL READERS.

Now that the schools are beginning
a new term, we deem it not inappro-
pirate to publish the following letter,
written in May, 1872, by one of our
most accomplished lady teachers. to
Rev. A. w. Young, President Teach
ers Association. Giles county, Tenn.
1t contains some valuable suggestions,
which principals and teachers Of
schools throughout our Southern land
would do well to consider:
SIR:-I have watched with no little
interest 1.-The Battle of the Books"
and am glad to know that your Asso-
citation will make gn effort to secure
uniformity" Your success would
surely save much money to patrons
and a vast amount of labor to teach
ers. | heartily concur in your ad0p-
ton of certain books of the "Uniyer-
sity Series" but wish to speak special
ly of Holmes Readers. Your decis-
ion as regards them may be of great
Importance in moulding not only the
minds but the morals Of our youthful
population. In the formation of new
classes. l have gradually introduced
them, and with most satisfactory. re-
suits. The type is clear,o distinct-a
positive pleasure to weary eyes. The
pieces are neither too long nor too short
the subjects too grave n0rtoo.gay The /
matter, 18th prose and poetry, is supe-
rior in style, and there is an admirable
proportion of each. The definitions
are short, simple and SO arranged and |
numbered in the reading as to arrest |
the attention of the child. They set |
him upon successful search, and SO !
that he is almost impatient
for the new lesson. Finally, there is
a purity of tone and healthfulness of
sentiment rarely found in Selections
for the Young" / might multiply
reasons, but the weightiest one, with
me, is, our children are being taught
to hate 1.-The Land We Love-" The
literature the North has poured upon
US since the war is as destructive to
every pure principle, as the kissing
lava from the mountains mouth is to
the tender flower at its rugged base.
Their school books have not escaped
the blight. In enc way or another,
the trail of the serpent is over them
ILL.," Books which were favorities in
lnte- bellum days, have interpretations
md amendment" teaching things
contrary to taste and truth. By a
word, a picture-silence or SANDER
hey impress the children that South
I'm people are barbarous folk, some
What superior to the monkey tribes, but
lastly inferior to the negro What
oever things are true, whatsoever
hings are lovely, whatsoever things
re of good report, they guess they
hadn't ought to tell" Now, l like
hese Readers because they teach all
he cardinal points, and are so free
rom all malice and evil speaking.
They give us beautiful pictures of life ,
mis- side of the Plymouth settlement. :
nd introduce to us "the Virginians,"
he Carolinians and Tennesseeans.
The stories suggest scenes with which
southern people should be made ia +,
niliar; cotton and rice fields, sugar
the sowing of seed and
he gathering of grain. They see our
wn majestic mountains, grading
fruitful valleys-lose themselves in
ublime stretches of prairie and plain, I
r find their way through wilderness !
f woods. They look upon the proud ,
'almetto, the pungent Pine, the Or
nge grove, the Magnolia and the {
loss-crowned oak. They hear the I
oar of our olon rivers, and are charm t
d with the fragrance of flowers, the !
ests of birds and the infinite variety
f life in field and forest. They be- |
ONE acquainted with great and good
len who did not land with the Pill
rim Fathers-behold stars not in the
Jorthern constellation, and admire
heir shining splendor. [ know the
opular plea-and these may seem !,
mall things, but child's mind is
and what he reads in the a
,hool room he takes into the busy a
'orld, for aceaI or a1oe. 1.-THE pen is o
tighter than the sword" While zoe =
old as precious the memory of the
epoted dead, we ought not to teach
heir children to hate the soil for
hich they died Let us give them
outhern books to read nOlo-it will
ION be too late. The lessons will be 5
armed, b
nd the tree for many a season +
ear fruit-wormwood, gall and death.
Respectfully,
SUE F. MOONEY.