National Republican., 1878-08-23
The Text-Booi, Question.

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The Textbook Question.
To the EIitor Of The National ReppbricdH
SIR: As q resident Of the District and pa.
tron of tho public schools desire, in common
with many others, to protest against the action
OF the District Commissioners In disappearing
the decision Of the school trustees, which sub
stitutcd Robinsons Mathematics for the
Davies series formerly in use
In the first place, cannot, hut with all
Difference to duly constituted authority, 70.
gard the action oftho Commissioners as in the
highest degree arbitrary and injurious to the
best interests Of the public schools.
This action of tho trustees necessarily i'm
plies that the school board Is not capable Of
Judging as TO the kind and character of the
textbooks 10 be used In the schools. and It
would seow to justify and demand rcorgani.
zatiOn Of tho board by the appointment of
persons competent to be intrustCd with such
duties II the Commissioners who have just
appointed this board are to cast such n suspi-
cion upon tho fitness Of their own selection,
will 1t not inevitably tend to weaken the con-
fdCnce of tho public In them and impair their
usefulness?
Again, their action assumes that the Com.
miSsiOnCrs. In addition to tho numerous and
delicate and complicated administrative duties
the determination of all matters involved In
the management and maintenance Of the
public schools-not only the choice Of text
books, but the course Of study, the selection Of
teachers, aud the internal administration of
tho whole school system.
Such a view Is not supported by reason !;
and in tho law We fail to find any countenance
for II. On the contrary. the statute under
which the present board is appointed vests
them with nll the authority and power in re-
spcct to the public schools which was author
lied by law at the time the act was passed.
And an unbroken series Of laws and municipal
ordinances from the very beginning of tho
public schools in this District has expressly
charged the trustees with the choice Of text.
books, and the sole and uncontrolled choice.
II is said the late board acted hastily In
dropping the Davies hooks. This is mis-
take. The subject was before the board and
its committees for nearly or quite year.
The sentiment of the late board was nearly
unanimous that the Davies series was u fail
urc, and really the only point at issue before
the board was whose bonks to substitute for
1t. Tie Text. Book Committee unanimously
recommended RobinSon's and the board by
! fourteen 10: five every member present and
! voting sustained the committee, and OF the
| five who did not agree with them a majority
nt least were in favor Of a change, though pre-
| fcrring another series to RobnsOns.
| bcneve there Is only one largo Northern
city that retains Davies iBu1alo) all Others
have discarded 1t. There is fundamental
error in the scheme of this Davies series
which has rendered it unfit for q popular text.
| book. 1t requires Of the beginner an cXplaua'
| ton Of processes which he has not ac
luired by experience aud practical knowled &C
| 1t attempts, iu otEer words. to teach the logic
OF mathematics to the beginner instead OF the
practice Of mathematics. 1t Is true this fault
Is not so glarng in the books used by higher
I grades but the bulk Of our pupils are in the
lower grades, and any series of textbook
! fact.
ON all grounds | deem tho action of til,
| Commissioners unwise and untcnabc, anC
hope they will revise it. remain, &c,