The New York herald., 1877-11-21
CHANGING BOOKS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
A CRITIC REVIEWED.

A CRITIC REVIEWED.
To THE EDITOR THE HERALD
To innovale u not always to REFORM and he who
aspires dignity OF censor should bring 70 bis
ofico something more than mere consciousness. Had
Commissioner Walker been mindful OF such common
sense he might not have undertaken the rash icono.
clasm OF that effort at dictaton which succeeded
..motonn before the Board Of Education last weok,
but which may not result in triumph as "move-
mentn before our watchfu Taxpayers It Is no
ssforegone conclusion because Mr. Walker "moves"
and his colleagues follow that everybody is impelled
thereby, and It is yet TO be seen whether and
methods Of education tested BY employment during
q half century be displaced forever BY halt
hours defamation.
In assailing Goold Browns grammar Commis-
sioner Walker was, we suppose, governed by self
satisfactory motives, and We surmise nothing con-
cerning them. Facts and deductions,> however, are
subject to criticism ana the Commissioners remarks,
without being saliont In facts, diluse In deduc-
tons, which We may notice.
Mr.. Walker AYERS that Browns grammar "has three
deiects-its elaborate definitions and dlvisions, its
false syntax and analysis" and he proceeds deluce,
without other logic than assertion, that .the way
teach analysis is not by taking sentences apart,
by the construction OF sentences by writing by
posing" Wobster." however. differs from .sWalker"
in definitions our standard American photographer
Affirming that analysis Is "an examination OF the
component par,s Of subject each separately, as the
words which compose sentence" Commissioner
Walker mistakes .analysis' Tor .ssynthesisn its op-
posing method; blunder not blameless In an erudi,e
teacher.
But the Commissioner complains that Browns
"defnilions are cumbersome,n and asserts that
swords OF three syables not used II larger odes
can be found" Complaint is only justaabo by proof
~ a VIZ
IL chronic complainant before the Board but he adj
duces more evidence against Browns .santquated'
system las calls it than he produces in favor OF
Solomon's 'antiquatcdn system OF Aogging children.
He fulmnates, as Jupiter Tonans, In his way, until
fellow Commissioners accept ound for sense but his
Lightning ilumines MOTT only shows Mr.. Walker In
. cloud
Is our conclusion unjust to this School Commits
sioner? Has Mr. Walkcr's familiarity with our
school studies--or have his educational anteccdents
otherwise-qualined him TO the white toga Of
magiser ntorum or 10 wear the purple he covets Of
pontfer carnLea, a Of .'obsolete disci-
plino by "tho rodf" He tells Us That he 'vistcd the
schools TO how this book effects acknowledge OF
grammar; ana he IS 50 particular as to remember
visit,n 10 learn what Is meant by secondary ad-
Juncts," &c, thus making his '.point'' OF flppant
wit to provoke q laugh, which ripple of post
that "mot.on" against Goold Browns grammars
simple 'smoton," recorded as Carried" but
what aoes the motion carry with IL? Taxpayers may
note II they consult some report Of the Board upon
bills OF supplies paid, that the latest necessary pur
chase Of grammars involved an expenditure Of about
$4,000. Mr.. Walker will presently perhaps
introduce u supplementary ''moIion'' to pur-
gramnars; not only TO make ''ducks and drakesn Of
the money invested IN the late purchase OF the 5000
copies of Browns granmars, reduced at once
to waste paper, but to neccssilate, as every
citizen must see, The replacement OF every gram
mar used al present in our schools Mr. Walker, IN
hts nnsy way that he does not propose mako
"bonnre' oi all our cnIldren's grammars which is
very considcrato in Mr. Walker Possibly, had he in
quisitoriaI powers ne might venture duto.dd
aud, perchance, ordain isder erpugatione Of
other books, TO make room Tor BOOKS .'wouId
prefer" ana which another publisher might be ready
io supply But the Commissoncr knows, or me clerk
Of The bureau eau INFORM hm, that II is simply i'm
practicable to teach grammar In our school classes out
grnmmars now IN use must be discontinued, not as
ney separately become dcfaccd but at once, in order
by another publisher Commissioner Walkers
rnodomontado about '"bonnres" viii not pre-
veal, n ma ABSURD emotion" be not rc.
considered by The better Judgment Of the Board,
ia iui session. an expenditure OF school
moneys, computed IN dollars ny tens of thousands,
winch may seriously interiors with payments OF
eaencrs' salaries next year, and suggest to their
nnanclers another hve or ten per ccut 'reductiou,"
&c Mr. Walker began his naranY 10 uy averring that
but those OF New York ciiy," oack settlements of
Colorado mountains" sc. Why ava ros Commis.
sioners among ms audience rcDukc such BGoimn
statement ~ tneir colleague from 1.-THE rural dts.
tricIs,n an ex-teacner IN academy, VINO tnus ~
nored the TACT, registered IN every Reaens Repor,n
thai Gooid BiowOs srammars are Used IN nlty-sx
acaGenles OF New orS STATE aonef Did sir. Walker
igDorc tnis iact ana begin his speecn win u iass
statement Ia pursuance oi a aeliuerate purpose TO
eject one school book that smother might lake It's
paceS Cou,a ne select, for ouset no weapon Dut
boomerang, 40 awkwariiy thrown that n return
~ a
parveyor IA New York city consult, his puryeyor
tell hun, doubt not, tnat 0oola Brown's gram
mars mold their place IN the schools oi every citv
within loo miles OF New YORK, save perhaps. Pnsla-
aeipdia, who're schooi books arc suDject political
board But TIE false statement made by Comnis-
sioncr on his ofcls responsibility, ~ seemed, suit
nced to begin nostltes. and that laughter plo, oked
by mouthisg OF secondary sdJanctsn effected the
summary concentration Of work wherein IT'S author
merged tue intellectual usulruCt oI lifetime work
winch has stood Tue test OF nfy years use, until,
WIN wave ot his haao, Mr.. Commissioner Walker
delivers his personal oplnson ana would prefer We
should have no grammar al all ihan 10 use browns
auy longer. And 80. because Mr.. Commissioner
Walker riscs IN ms pace, Ike Neptune.
"grdv,ter co0moaHS," aud pours toe Of
Grammar oi standard merit. indorsed by principals
aud teachers throughout our ety. Aad suosstent on
It's own good repute since was adopted against zes-
Gus Efforts by interested advocates or attorneys OF
rival publishers TO supersede i-tbis excellent gram
mar must be wnslieu sdown tue wiGd before tfso
1atcd breath VI a school comm whose postioa
has expanded his mind 20 widely tnsi analysis" 70
not "syIthetch enough for him and no must Tar our
citizens Tor new "syntax' snd bundle on 10 stock
wells some nve thousand new books lately purchased
because ~ is bis opinion that only lev ubgramma
cal examples Of construction are ch0lce English and
tho remainder OF Gooid Bf0~H's lie work Allogctuer
too antiauated educational oracle In advance
OF grammar SCHOOLS aud grammar generally.
but Mr. Walker quotes "sen,ences' ~nerewith 20
barb his boomerangs Aavertng 10 those examples
cited by Gooia Brown as specimens Of salse sy1tsx
such as sCain's killing his bfotner Abel rgsnalea ia
envy,n syy admitting tue fact will not alter nrgu-
mcni,n sBriug him here TO mc,V &c, ne
assumes that G0oid Brown WAS iuoorrscs