Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-08-20
MONTPELIER. VT.
Changing School Books.

Changing School Books.
The action of the State Board of Education
whereby wholesale change of textbooks for
common schools is to be begun on the first of
November of this year. has drawn forth a
great amount of criticism throughout the
State The action of the Board was sur
prise, and to none more than to those who
looked for it to take such course as would
retain the confidence of the people in its good
sense.
1t has been the lot of the gentlemen COM
posing the board, like that of the promoters
of any great public enterprise, to call upon
the public for larger expenditures. They
have seen the need of better school houses
and of better teachers, and they have year
after year, well argued for these and for other
good things that involved an increased out
lay of money. Now the cheapness f thing
makes it sure that the g conservatism - oil
the country will rally to its support, and it
is needless to say that the Board has not yet
seen its hopes realized throughout the State
by coming up to their standard of what is
needed
To have brought matters gradually up to
what they wished was within their reach
had they acted more wisely in what forms
one of the merest accidents in educational
advancement. by moderate use OF the
powers granted them they would have wise Y
attained larger influence and have giver
their recommendations for advancement IN
other lines almost the force of law. As it Is
they have lrittered away much of their infu-
ence for good in other directions by their un-
paralleled energy in the adoption of new
books. Mr.. Baliou of Burlington saved
them from the depths, it is true. by killing
the bill that contained the Estate Depos :
tory - scheme, but the case is lamentable as
it is.
But for all this Vermont is far better off
than most of her sister States in being free
from vex ltious changes. A late article in
the New York Tribune discusses a new law
passed in Indiana. There county board
have committed to them the selection of text
books, and it has been found necessary to
provide that text book after adoption shall
be used at least three years. This has been
done to avoid the changes made by incompe-
tents who sought places upon the school
boards because of the money that was to be
made from the Office through the power it
gave in saying what books should be used
Books, before, were hardly dog-eared :"
previous to their displacement by some new
faVorite whose way had been purchased from
these corrupt officials.
For the last fifteen years we have been
comparatively free from changes. Our law
prevents change oftener than once in five
years, and until 1872 the State Bard saw fit
to retain in great measure. at each selection,
the books previously in use. In many OF
the neighboriDg States, town boards have the
decisive voice in this thing, and the result is
that when family moves from one town to
another in many instances an expensive
change is required to meet the wants of the
new locality. Our State system saves much
to our people il this respect.
in our system, then, as in the ipjudicious ac-
ton of those who manage it. We obtain
by it uniformity; and by this we mean not
only in the use of the books of one author
upon particular subject in the same school,
but the use of that authors books through
out the State. This not only helps the teacher
of the one school, but prevents costly
changes when families move. We are thus
freed from any changes whatever for five years
at a time, and we venture to say that after
this last performance there will be no sur
prising change at the close of any OF our
periods of five years. What changes are
made will arise either from general dissatis-
faction with some book in use or from an I'M
mistakabIe demand for the introduction o.
some new work that shall command popular
approval by undisputed superiority over all
rivals.
Probably the grumbling over the unpopu-
lar selection made last year will amount to
nothing further than the continued use OF
some of the old books instead Of the adoption
VI ebC liz" OhSoy nhO III o dhSuIpS VI tut
influence of the State Board (if it is thought
best to continue that Institution in beingl
No reasonable man supposes that corrupr
means were used to Influence the choice made
but it IS very evident that many do believe
the arithmetic question was managed queer :
ly, and that the best selection of readers va.
not made. The Analytical Readers were ev-
identity highly thought of, not only by teach
ers but also by the Board. The America,
Readers were adopted. The firm which pub
fishes the latter series also publish the geog-
raphies that were displaced. The selection
of readers has therefore looked to many Xix,
polite rather than truly wise one.