The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-11-18
THE QUESTION OF TEXTBOOKS.

The QUESTION OF TEXT-BOOKS.I
One of the difficult educational prob
lens of the day is the text book question
The people are asking relief from whas
they consider an unnecessary burden OF
taxation for the school books used by
their children. The belief Is quite gen.
eral (1) that text bsGks are unnecessarily
costly and ID that changes in books
are unnecessarily frequent. A popular
desire for reform IN this direction found
an expression in the platform of the par
ty whose successful candidates are now
managing the public inter ests of the
State.
Not only In our own, but also in other
States, has the textbook question pro-
voked feeling and discussion. l is one
OF the more important, as we'll as one of
the more difficult questions connected
with our educational interests. There
are so many competing series, of different
publishers, on a given subject; there are
50 many books In series, on one
snhject; the range efsubjecta taught in
the schools is now so wide; and, finally,
changes in text books are so frequent,
from the personal preferences of success
i've teachers, or the persuasive appeals
ofpublishers' agents, that it is no won der
paterfGmil6ds breads the opening of a
school term as much as (although for a
different reasOn) do the youngsters.
The teacher also often finds, from the
variety of books among bis pupils, diff
fcuty in classifying the school, and a
consequent waste of time and energy.
These are serious evils, for which there
should be found some remedy.
The following possible solutions of. this
question have been presented, and have
their respective advocates
(D State uniformity in textbooks,
secured by the appointment ola commits
sion, whose duty it shall be to select the
books,-the books so selected to be fur
nished by agreement with The publishers
at the lowest possible wholesale rate, and
their use made obligatory fer series of
years.
(2.) County or town uniformity, Sc
cured by the appointment of county or
town commission, whose duty it shall be
to select the books, which when so select
ed shall be purchased and used as above
Under either this or the preceding plar
the books may he ordered in needed
quantities by tho towns or districts, di-
rect from the publishers.
3D. State uniformity, with the text
books selected and purchased by the
State, and furnished to the schools
through the county, town or district or
carnations, at cost, as Webster's Die
tionarY is now furnished.
a. County or town uniformity, with
textbooks purchased by the county or
town, and furnished to pupils in the sew
eral districts free of cost, or for a small
rent fee per term, las books are now fur
nished to pupils in the Normal Schools.
o. State uniformity, with textbooks
prepared expressly for the State by con-
tract with authors, and to be published
by the State and furnished to schools at
cost, or free, as schoo! copies of the Con-
stitutioR are now furnished.
(6.) The present chaotic system.
Which ofthese plans is the worst would
perhaps not be difficult for intelligent
men to decide; but which would in prac-
tice work most satisfactorily is not go
easy to determine. The first has been
tried in Minnesota, with general results
which We have as yet failed to ascertain
with much certainty. The fourth is a
plan which good authority says is now
working satisfactorily in Maine.
The people of the State may rest as
sured that the Educational Department,
OF the administration is thoroughly alive
to any genuine reform which it may be
possible to inaugurate in this direction
and will leave no means untried to deter
mine the exact conditions of this prob
lem. 10 ascertain these it conceiyes to
De its first duty in the premises. That
these conditions are not SO few or SO
easily apprehended IS some shallo1 re-
formers may think, he best knows who
is best acquainted with the methods and
cost OF making and selling books, With
the power AID influence of publishers