The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-07-04

should We Change !


MFssRs, EDroRs In your issue Of May
I'd you were kind enough To publish some Of
the results and conclusions OF my perusal and
comparison of Appleton's Arithmetics with
others. These arithmetics were handed out
10 the teachers of the county 10 examine, after
meeting Of the County Teachers Associa.
ton, in which but one sentiment had been
expressed upon a change of arithmetics.
That sentiment WAS strong and earnestly in
favor Of continuing Brooks's Arithmetics in
use in our schools.
That article under the head "Shal We
Changer stated plainly and respectfully what
regarded as few of the serious, unanswer
able objections to Appleton's Arithmetic
objections which any teacher of experience,
orperson of moderate intelligence, will at once
recognize as apparent, upon statement.
The writer Of the Slew words in reply in
your issue OF June 18th, is intelligent enough
torecognize these objections, forhe has avoided
meeting or attempting to answer any of them.
Instead of endeavoring to show that the
facts ! then stated as objections to Appletons
Arithmetics were advantageous to his series,
and that the features in Brooks's Normal
Arithmeties which were claimed 70 be i'm.
provcments in teaching the subject, were not
points of real excellence, he attempts, with
the adroitness of Mr.. John Dawkns, the
Artful Dodger," to escape the issues which
presented, and with the superficial innocence
and inward chuckle of the jew Fagin, rubs
his hands, happy with the thought that he may
obtain a condemnation by prejudice inilamed
by misstatement and miscoustruction, which
never could be obtained by fairness and
truth. 1.-The boys right remarked Fagin,
looking coyertly round and knitting his shaggy
eyebrows into hard knot. You're right,
Oliver, you re right, they ,ciW think you have
stolen 'em. Hal haln chuckled the jew,
rubbing his hands sit could not have hap.
pened better" t0LIyER TwIsT.)
But mistake the intelligence of the teach.
ers of Carroll county, if they can be lured
from these practical defects of Applcton's
Arithmetics by this feigning to suppose my
criticisms upon Appletons Part !, Slate or
Practical Arithmetic, to be upon the Primary,
and by this deliberate application of my re-
marks upon one book to another and alto
gether different book mot only in one instance,
but Systematically throughout the entire arti.
Gle. And when my criticisms fail TO apply to
another book of his selection, he so far iorgets
the amenities of language, which obtain among
gentlemen, as to resort to the lowest style Of
political ytuperation and to an inexcusabe
personal assault
This proiuse indulgence in strong terms
proves nothing further than the authors ia
miliarity with such barbarous language.
have no issue with the writer of the "reply,
but as q teacher and citizen of Carroll county,
and as one having natural pride and inter
est in its true prosperity, appeal to the teach
crs, citizens and School Commissioners of my
own home, for vindication in what have said
and for protection from such foreign asper-
sions. Read my article Of May I'd, compare
what ] there say of the books designated with
Appleton's Arithmetcs which were distribu.
ted for examination, aud you will find every
issue that have taken against these books as
have stated. As one grown up from child.
hood among you, have u right TO cherish my
reputation in this community, and TO defend
it before you, that it may not suffer by SIMS
ter attacks through irresponsible parties from
abroad, who are Indifferent to the good name
OF any one when their interests can be thought
to be advanced by blghting it.
For the purpose of thus yindicating my ac-
ton and reasserting the statements of my pre-.
vious communication, | consent to notice an
article devoted to u peryersion of my com.
parison Of Brooks and Appleton's Arithme.
tics, and to a gross assault upon me because
lhave moderately and respectfully stated some
ion Of our teachers. But to the reply -
LIST, The agent says D." there is no such book
as Appleton Part !, Slate Arithmetic. -
Forgetting this denial, he proceeds in the
next sentence to say, The great feature OF
our Part H." or Primary" (which we
suppose TO be the book Mr.. Dehoff refers to, }
is'-6c. ] ask the teachers of Carroll county
who were furnished with what purported to
be u set of Appletons Arithmetics, and
which comprised the only books submitted
for county adoption vis:-"Appleton's PR.
mary "Appleton's Mental" Appleton $
Part l. Practical or Slate Arithmetic, and
"Appleton's Part II Practical or Slate Arith.
metic, to look at the title covers of the four
books now in their possession, and then Mt the
books mentioned in my previous article in the
third paragraph, counting from the bottom.
Having done so, will not ask you if it is
probable, but is IL possible that you could
mistake Appletons " Part l, which is a
Slate and Practical Arithmetic, for Appleton's
Primary, which is mainly Mental Arithme-
tic?
If you could not commit an error so con-
spicuous, (since Part T. and :" Part ii are
printed by the Publishers in large, bold, black
letters, upon the front corerS Of the two large
Slate Arthmetics,) | ask would you commit
the error "of supposing mean Appleton $
Primary" ut the beginning of my criticisms,
when mention Appleton's . Part l. Slate
Arithmetic, particularly as quote part
II from the front outside cover of the
book referred to in that paragraph? If you
who are comparative strangers TO Appleton $
Arithmetics could not possibly suppose ] re.
fer to Appleton's Primary, when | speak OF
Appletons Part T. Slate Arithmetic, can
our utmust charity ascribe the cause Of the
misapplication OF my comparisons, and the
misconstruction Of my statements, by the
agent who is familiar with the books, to either
ignorance or mistake? Why he chose to
present this counterfeit comparison in place
of the real comparison, and to meet his own
spurious objections with stereotype rbaldry
rather than to openly and fairly meet and OPP
pose my facts and arguments, | will not stop
to inquire. The reason will be obvious to any
one. who will take the trouble to examine his
books.
The mode, language and purpose of his
attack / also pass without further comment.
1t speaks more to the fair-minded and honest
teacher, and people of my county than | am
willing TO suggest. | ask but one question
If this style of covert defence and personal
assault, so well contrived and executed for
its masked purpose, is the only defence that
can be offered Tor tile Introduction oil q series
of arithmetics, which, too late for remedy,
may prove as specious aud deceptive as the
reply, is it not tenfold more important that
they be subjected to the most thorough scru-
tiny before our county purchases and introdu-
ces them2
A few words in answer to ''the reply:
LIST. Our manuscript read, Primary Men.
tai and Mental Arithmetics.n BY mistake,
the type made this 81 Primary Mental Arith.
metics." I'd, We did not object to the three
or four pages of tables, mental exercises, &c.
in the Primary and Mental, but we did
object to repetition in Part H. Slate or
Practical Arithmetic, of the same matter, or
similar matter, "to that properly found in
these two Mental Arithmetics y and rs the
agent mentions the % Elementary in way
that We interpret to mean, as we limited in our
previous paper, that it is to go into the schools
also; we again object to a re.repetition in it
of what is already given in two books treating
Mental Arithmetic particularly, and for the
reasons before stated. The increase from
three TO four books only serves to strengthen