The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-01-09
SCHOOL BOOKS.

SChUOL BOOkS.
We wonder how many different
series OF the 'fbest school books in
the world" there are? Surely there
IL no end OF making school books,
and much study about them Is
WEAKNESS to the flesh. The whole
country IL flooded with readers,
grammArs, Biographies, etc. We
mean different kinds OF them. It IL
enough to make . teachers head
ache to count them; the children
are made weary carrying them,
and the parents are impoverished
buying them. II lie enough to make
any man poor TO keep 9 family
stocked with school books under
the present REGIME. We have two |
little fellows going to school, and
if We had taken good care OF the
books we have bought to satisfy
the Whims of some school boards
(book agents) we could start q re-
spectacle second hand hook store.
We are getting tired of this intoler-
able tax upon our lean purse, and
feel like crying out against this
school book monopoly"
In the first place, our children
are required to study too many
books. A six year old boy or
girl must carry load OF books to
school, whom really they would be
better OF without any book at all.
At the age of ten or twelve the
children need help to get their IL
braries to and from the school
house. They are literally loaded
down with books. Five or six
studies are imposed upon them, re-
Quiring an arm full Of books. We
never see children going to and
from school without being disgust
ed at the dead loads of books which
they are compelled to carry. 1t is
safe to say that in many instances
they carry more knowledge in their
aims than they will ever get into
their heads. There 10 too much
'book larnin," Little children are
stuffed full of grammar and arith-
metic books. It is an easy matter
for child to memorisc the book
rules of grammar and arithmetic,
without having any practical
knowledge Of either. We some
times feel like saying, away with the
books. Let our boys and girls have
q little freedom.
But we set out to write about the
never ending changes going on in
all our schools. Every few weeks
parents are called upon to buy .
new set OF books. We elect a new
Superintendent, and he must show
his wisdom by discarding the books
recommended by his predecessor.
We have . little change in our
school board, and right away some
new books must be bought. A new
teacher is employed and he don't |
like the old series at all. He can't |
teach unles q new series Of books |
are adopted. Some tonguey book |
agent comes along, aud buttonholes
our teachers and directors, and |
some new books must be bought,
and so on and so on. II is too much |
to bear. Every city and town and |
neighborhood In the State are suE-
fering. The people will have to
rise mp in their might and put .
stop to such proceedings. Why 90
many changes in our district
schools?
Il there no remedy? Can we not
have series OF books adopted for
. term of years? Can we not form |
. union against this school book |
monopoly, and ''strike" when
we arc required TO draw upon our
depleted pockets for new book? I'll
the patrons OF school win stand |
together they can put 9 stop to the
numerous, not to cay, foolish |
changes 90 prevalent all over the
State. Let the people at their
school meetings speak out on this
subject; and vote with reference to
1t. They are imposed upon; let
them resent the imposition by re-
fusing to yield to the dictates of
interested parties.
While we are at II, we had Just
as well cay that our schooI-bookS
are too high priced. No other
books cost so much. None other
should be a. cheap. It takes a.
much, more. money to buy q paper
covered, poorly bound and stitched,
printed too often on very poor pa
per Chat 1t may wear out qaick)
school-book, rs Il does to buy .
well bound, handsome copy Of .
biography or book Of travels. The
whole country Is full of these cheap
books, and some school officers or
teacher becomes interested In .
series, when &c 10 forced upon IN
willing parents, and they have to
pay an exoFbitanE price for new
bOoks,no better than the old ones.
But the books have been adopted
for the school and the parents may
complain aad pay the price. We
say again something must be done
10 put : stop 10 this Outrageous
monopoly. Parents will have TO de-
fend themselves. The quicker the
matter is taken In hand the better.
Why may not parents be sliowed
to say how many and what kind
Of books their children ehSll
take to school? Have they NO 4
rights which Superintendent, | '
directors and teachers are bound q
10 respect? Shall book publishers | J