New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-10-07
A Card from Superintendent Boothby.
STATE OF LOUISIANA
Office Division Superintendent Public Education,
Sixth Division, No. 20 City Hail.
New Orleans, October g. 1876

Office Division Superintendent Public Education,
Sixth Division, No. 20 City Hall
New Orleans, October s. 1876.
EDITOR REPUBLICANS:
My attention has been called to the pro-
ceedinRs of the School Board at it's last
meeting, as published in the Times and
Pcayune, wherein occurs an error which l
desire to correct through your columns, rela-
tive to the introduction of readers for edu-
catlonal purposes in the Upper and Lower
Girls High schools. One might infer that
and without the authority or instructions
of the committee, claiming the power under
the rules to give instructions relative to
the government of the high schools. Such
is not the case. Previous to the re-opening
of the schools q meeting of the high school
committee was held, attended, by invitation,
by the principals of the high schools. The
committee decided to introduce reading and
elocution as q special branch of study in
the Upper and Lower Girls High Schools.
The question relative to the book to
finally left to the superintendent to select
q suitable text book for this branch of
study. found not over one dozen copies
of any strictly el0cutionary work in the
city, and after obtaining the opinion of the
principals of the high schools, concluded
to recommend the Independent Sixth
Reader as being the most suitable and
available at this time. Before the readers
were distributed the agent of the Wilson's
Readers-the reader adopted by the board
for use in the grammar and primary
schools-called upon me and informed me
that he considered the use of Wilson's
Readers in the high schools was q preroga-
tive of the publishing house which he rep
resented, as we'll a. their use in the gram
mar and primary schools. I immediately
sent word to the principals of the high
schools not to distribute any readers till
final action was taken by the board. l had
not suspected that the agent Of house
which published two-thirds financially Of
all the text books used in the city would be
80 illiberal - to demand that the grammar
school reader should be used in tho High
School. I consulted the committee and teach
ers, looking to the best interests Of these
schools; the agent had no interest in the
schools, but looked wholly to the sale OF
his books. This matter was finally referred
to the text book and high school commit.
tees, with power to act. The insinuations
of dishonest purposes on the part of ''party
or parties" falls to the ground, upon the
statement of the facts of the case. con-
cede to the Wilson's series the excellent
merit which the primary numbers possess.
do not think the fifth or sixth number of
this series is the best available reader for
use in the high schools.
No one knows better than yourself the
difficulties that have been brought about
by the multiplicity of text books used in
the schools. Daily parents plead their pow
erty, and ask not to be compelled to give
up the books they have for others; teach
ers, in order to have uniformity in their
class, importune the superintendent to be
allowed to purchase one grammar or one
schools is required to carry out the orders
of the State and city school boards; he
looks to the interests Of the schools a. well
as those Of any publishing house; he prop
erly regards the financial condition Of the
parents of the pupils, and tempers as much
% possible the exchange Of books, and the
expense incurred thereby, to the condition
of the people. The few copies of the lnde-