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


on which examples 10 dollars and cents arr
given. lie answers this by calling il "clap-
trap, utter falsehood, &c. and then takes
up Apptetoa's Primary, another book, and
asks me to turn to certain pages 10 find Fed
! eral Money. One might think this poor
| practical joke ii It had any other setting than
this article, but taken with what proceeds It,
II cannot be Invested Of "A more serious i'm .
| port. Well may he feel that honest ICON.
/ parsons are odious' to series Of Arithme.
/ tics having so large n stock of prctention and
| so little real capital to carry il. | am gener.
Gus enough to presume that he would have
preferred to make a fair comparison were a
successful one possible, to resorting to sub
teriuge, which, by its partial transparency as
sisis, both in revealing the truth and in show.
ing desperate attempt to conceal It.
9th. ! mentioned the matter Of cost as an
objection to change, because the price was
one OF the strongest points urged in favor of
IL. ! said, by the showing Of the Publishers
OF the two series, that the county would lose,
financially, by the change, as Brooks's series
was cheaper. have no question as to the
superiority of Brooks's Normal Arithmetics
as to merit, and | shall continue to ''sound
their praises as shall always commend true
worth and deserved merit wherever found.
If, in addition to superior merit, they cost
less, which the agent does not and cannot
question, another very practical argument is
presented to those OF our people who cannot
afford TO drive rs 200 horses for the con
tlnuance Of the present arithmetics in our
schools.
9TH. ] mentioned seren Arithmetics in Ap-
pleton's series; LIST, Primary I'd, Mental :
3D., Part !, Practical or Slate Arithmetic All,
Part IL, Slate or Practical-the four books
laid before the commissioners and presented
to the teachers. also mentonedas5th. Ele-
mentary; 9th, Practical, in one book. and
It'll, Higher in preparation, as given in back
covers Of the series. The agent twice refers
to the elementary and also tothe Higher
in way which assumes that these two are
also to be used, but one more, the full Prac
teal, and the sereR volumes enumerated are
in use VIII this kHoriedge he writes his
violent paragraph.
Finally, fellow teachers and patrons, enough
has been said and shown 10 exhibit the pur.
pose and character of the pretended answer.
Nothing further on the books is necessary,
but ! will again ask yon TO read my article in
THE ADVOCATE, May %, and the agent : reply.
NTH the books in hand, and then to draw your
conclusions.
This remarkable reply of The Soft-Soper OF
Appleton's series, near the close, contains
this honest sentence, " We have no objection
to fair and honest criticisms" We regret
that we cannot say as much for his article as
we can for the sentence, but since we cannot,
we will say--"we have no objection 10 fair
and truthful counter criticism"
The agent charges that We would Brighten
the commissioners, and thus indirectly insin-
yates that we have aimed an attack at them
Our article contains nothing so disrespectful
to the commissioners as this intimatton, BIS
! Appleton's agent, that they could be fright.
ened from what they believe to be right, in
seeking the interests Of our schools and our
/ people.
/ My article was written in the conviction
that n change Of books was disturbing, ex,
| penslve, and serious matter, and that, as q
teacher, and native resident of the county
1t was my privilege, and my duty to express
my opinion, if had any, before change was
made, which our teachers generally believe
will introduce inferior, expensive, and badly
bound books, for those now in successful and
satisfactory use throughout the county.
As as attempt has been made before, moi
only to gratuilously explain my motives, bat
I to mpute to my language the opposite of what
I il expresses, wish to now saw, that Ineither
said nor intended to say anything Of the Hon
orable Commissioners which it is not proper
for one gentleman to respectfully submit. tc
another, when he appeals to his reason and
not to his prejudice.
/ Ny issue was with the books, and | refer.
/ red to the Board but twice, and then MS fol
lows: "The proposition (of change) has met
with serious and partially favorable consider.
I alton from the commissioners, and again.
:" ! hope il is not too late for our worthy Board
of School Commissioners TO give this matter
that fair consideration which they are dispos
ed to give all questions that come before
Them The first is bare statement of fact,
and the second is hope, couched in polite
and complimentary language, that our Com.
missioners will give the subject further con,
sderation before introducing the books
/ In keeping with the rest of ''the reply
am charged in this, with an attempt to fright.
en- them. Our Commissioners are not fright
ened by gentlemanly address. Whether q
| pure and polite speech is so strange and for.
mldable weapon to the writer Of ''the re.
I ply as to thus affect him, we have no desire
to learn, but the people of Old Carroll have
not yet forgotten to recognize and to respect the
| polite, careful, and considerable language OF
that American Nobleman, Charles Carroll.
They are not, therefore, disposed TO misinter
pref its meaning.
| from Tue DaitlIDOft
Committee does not bear enough scholarship
upon its face to be of Importance. | would
suggest that the teachers of the county pre-,
serve it for exercises in analysis, parsing, and
correction of false syntax, during the coming
winter. Analyze the first Of the two senten.
ces comprising it. Parse this portion of IT,
''the book best adapted was the one that in
the largest degree had simplicity of expires.
sion, CORRECTNESS Of grammatical arrangement
Of language" (what Of the Rhetoric Of this
:" easy of understanding, comprehensveness
and minuteness in detail, yet no useless verdi
age" ~ II Appleton's Arithmetics are
anything like this, prayers and penanee would
not be too much to ask, if they would protect
us from the scourge.
We have tried Brooks's Normal Arthme-
ties and zee like them. They are thorough,
scholarly books, and show the author to be an
able mathematician, and skillful teacher.
They are endorsed by the ablest mathemati.
clans, scholars, and teachers of both Balti.
more City and the State, as strongly as by the
teachers of Carroll county, and they are used
IN nearly all the best school counties Prof
Brooks, the author, is at the head of one OF
the largest Normal and Teachers Training
Schools, and has given us the best modern
methods Of teaching this subject. In conclu-
sion. ask indulgence for writing at such great
length, but what have shown must be my
apology. Having demonstrated that my first
assertions were not met except by invention,
they must now stand stronger than before, in
| your judgment, because Of this failure Of ''the
reply" to do more than invent and calumni-
ate, have shown in order to place myself
truly before you, the character of discussion
that must expect to become party to, il il is
continued. am unwilling to transfer the issue
from one of books to one of personalities, and
to explain the plausible, and possibly endless
inventions Of the writer OF 'the reply" and
therefore, cannot longer consent to discuss
the subject, and now most respectfully with.
draw. Truly'fours,
JSo. W. DEHoFF.