The New York herald., 1877-11-22
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Controversy on the Retention of
Browns Grammar.
SCHOOL COMMISSIONER WALKERS RESPONSE.
Superintendent Kdde States His Objec-
tions to the Change.


tenttou the views of Commissioner Walker and other
school authorities yesterday solicited on the sub
lect. Mr.. Walker found to have taken "Eboracus
onslaught In the HERALD Of yesterday very good
naiurediy, and az be read the letter over ne only
smiled at the passages that assaied his judgment 10
The matter of Good Browns grammar, which Mr.
Walker instrumental in striking from the list
81 school books
..rhs s very lively and pleasant reading" said he,
nanu don't mind II a bit pm not at all sensitive
pny TAIL TO be convinced by Eboracus,' that is all
Havo you read Goold Browns GRAMMAR"
mo" was the reply.
THE ASTIQUArED TREATISE.
sWeli you have only TO read IL 10 convince yourself
how utterly unified u is TO serve as text book
among the children OF our public schools. Indeed.
aon't mean to deny that 1t is very interesting and
Elaborate treatise Of technicaties and OF complicated
aomenc ature, full Of the most admirable quotations
ma constructed philosophical principles. But II
literally preposterous apply this learned treatise
10 The boys and girls common schools, most Of
whom, you must remember, leave them before the age
sf fifteen. Browns grammar has done more TO dis
lrace the teaching OF grammar in puohc schools
han any other work. 10 teach grammar
schools by this book is like taxing work the cal
.uius tor inslructing our boys and girls arlthmo
ncn
sCGn you give any illustration OF this from book
hsell?"
'oh, yes Mr. Walker returned; 'ook at his obsolete
md an,iquated syntax. Here Is sentence-only one
81 many-whch he cites example OF bad syntax
requiring correction Bring him here to mel! Well,
Is that incorrect2 Goold Brown says IL is. He
you say Bring him hither to me'-what call
the solemn scriptural STYLE Now In what standard
author can you find tuch q sentence as Bring him
hither to mc?' But Goold Brown tries TO make the
literature OF an almost grammarcss language like the
English conform to his elaborate system OF rules In
slead oi finding his rules in literature"
"what as to the question Of analysis touched upon
by Eboracus?'"
"Wcil, | do not object TO it he says do; but
whnt say that It should 60 hand hand with the
composition OF sentences. To learn compose is
better than mcrey to learn to anaiyze. man VINO
takes part Of sentence is like who pulls down
house. HIS function Is wholly destructive, and
] say that tho power OF construction should stand
higher lhan TINT OF destruction"
1T rs objected that this change Will be source OF
burdensonc expense"
II believe have bccn known in the Board OF Edu-
CATION as champion of economy, put am convinced
that even II the expense should amount 10 $4,000.
'EDoracus' says. tue taxpayers would rather pay
tnat amount than TO allow their children to be perse
cuted with TINS obsolete grammar and TO have them
Instructed III barbnrisms."
it that OF tho teachors object 10 tho
Change"
'.Ui they do" Mr. Walker responded, with a
laugh; - they are all thoroughly famihar with tho
DoVs; they nave II at their nngcrs ends A change
Involves great amount oil work TO them, and they
o. labor IN ismiharizing themselves with Browns
grammar Now bear this IN mind. THIS is a book
Nrstcu III ls-7, revised in 1851 by Mr.. K,ddle.
s,uce then within the pas. sixteen years yn'ns IN nv
opinion, progress has been made IN tho proper
methoas OF teaching pnilooglcal subjects than
ever made before"
TnE oBJEcr GRAMMAR.
'What do you take 10 be tho proper object Of gram
mar instruction In our schoosY"
Il think II is wholly practical object. We our
chIiurcn TO speak aud write correctly and to
practical end by such com plicaicd ana elaborate
means are represented by BrowD's grammar is
sound common sense The Englsn language has almost
no grammar, and yet Brown applies to IL the rules
pt Latin and Greek For instance, he ridiculous
enough TO say that the subject of verb in
lhe nominative casc-appiyin5 Latin rule To Eng
lsb-wi,en every body knows that there is no vara-
tion III The iorm Of noun IN any case. Blown has
ioriy y-scven rules. then about the number OF
exceptions, then observations aud about hun
ureu aud forty sevcn subdivisions OF observations
Tue book IS not before mo and | NAV be mistaken in
tncse particulars; bat this is that cannot
tcach our boys TO write and speak correctly by n.
g,ructlug them in "secopdary aciupcts,, ana ..com
Inex derivalive sentences" aud all that of pro-
iound nonsense, which may do Tor university but is
certainly out OF place in our grammar schools"
lis u true that the pupils Of the pubic schools are
overcrowdcd with home studiesln
~ have heard something ABOUT that. but have not
Investigated IL aud cannot therefore, give competent
COMMISSIONER BxARDsLEY's OPINION.
COMMISSIONER Beardslcy, who Is chairman of tho
Committee on supplies, Expressed himself MS being
strongly opposed the change He had reud the let
ter oi 'EDoracu5," anu with the
communication in considering Mr. Walkers position
untenabe. This book had stood the test oil many
ycsrs practical experience was ardent;y supported
by the great majority OF the Teachers and there
no reason why IL should be displaced in TINS summary
iasnIon. Mr.. Bcardsley would have objection 10
allowing ths new books advoca.eu by Mr.. Walker
fair trial. and II any VI them proved them
eeives superior Good Browns 10 make a change,
but the present proceeding Vas wholly eSper,meutaL
No could tell tnat the books for Could
Browns would prove an Improvement Meanwhile
the taxpuyers we're put TO a ne and wholly uuneces-
rppre ei.piE a.ulv
that the reference books tor teachers, die
ouares, &C.. should have been OH by TINS change.
Those reicroEce works were greatly needed by them
ana the outlay for them was only 900 per year.
Mr. Becrdsley being pressed for time could not 80
moro extensively INTO tue question
SUPERINTENDENT RIDDLES BRoADsIDE.
Superintendent Ridule, whose twenty years. service
IN the position o Assistant Superintendent and Su.
per- uteudcnt eutiles him to DC listened to with cspe
cal attention on TINS subject expressed himself quite
freely To the writer
''Mr Walker Is an able man, y said he, "and an
ecl!cnt Commission r, ana have doubt he solely
prompted by motives OF duty III TINS matter For that
reason | regret to uIfier with hun this ques-
lion ol the retention OF Browns Grammar
our schools. Now, Mr. Walker claims that
the teachers favor the book because they have been
educated up To IL, because change would put
them 10 great trouble. believe thar our teachers
educated men and women, VINO have tho welfare OF
their scholars at ueart, ana who would shirk laDor
10 bring the schools up 10 higher standard. be-
hevc that the teachers are tue very persons who
would exercise the most Intelligent vel the
pub asscd Judgment upon tnis poinl.p
What would be the elect OF cutting of the book -
II DcleVe ~ would cause great
em oI Instruction, for all our scholars have bcen
aught by IL, and they would nov have uucarn all
he definitions they have already committed mem.
ory. Browns Grammar, pencvc, Is the best pub
llsned Mr. Walker OBJECTS that " does couiorm
To our system OF study, but grammar could do so
any better than this unless 1t were special written
for New York schools Browns, as well as all
Other gramnars. are written Tor the schools oil the
whole country, ana iD order procure the precise
book fUr our SPECIAL system should have to write
sne specially for the purpose"
''lnen you wholly disapprove OF this change, Mr..
RiddleYr
''l 10 The proper way OF introducing book
. TO try II on the classes that being formed
cmi-annualiy, and TO leave the old ones TO tue
,cou Of ord work when they have already iaken
10 mu1h trouble 10 master. As To Browns Gram mmar
being obsolete or antquated BOOK, must con icss
mat myself, rewrote some years tue exercises
chapters analysis and arsng, ana at tue
uinc modified his lists 0. irregular verbs. know Of
puuct uation, style aud instruc-
hon as Browns Grammar"
..nuve TIE teachers shown docldol preference ior
Browns grammarfn
..LucY have. OF course Yon Know how The use OF a