The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-01-25
THE SCHOOL HOOK QUESTION.

A Voice from the Interior = Delegate
Hollis RIIl-Arguments In Favor Of
County Control-The Present Price Of
HehOoI ROORS.
PRESTON County, Jan. %.
Editors IntelisenCCr.
The majority OF the articles upon the
school book question are from Wheeling
and in opposition to any change.
viii you publish this from the interior
and favoring a change? desire, for the
following reasons, change made in the
school law so that the counties Of the
State may each select their own text
books. Delegate Hollis bill proposes q
way in which this may be done. advo-
cate change because ~ 1t will tend to
raise the qualification Of teachers by in.
ducing n study of more than one text
book upon the same subject (2) Other
States are working successfully under the
same or similar laws, (AIichigan for in
stanCe.) (3) The progress Of counties IS very
unequal bringing cause for change in one
which in another at the same time would
be premature. ~ This proposed change
puts the power Of purchase almost direct
ly into the hands OF those whom it
effects. (5) Giving the counties lib.
erty to change will have tenden-
cy to keep school books at low
price, while as the law now is there is no
restriction upon the rites Of the publish
ers but their own sense OF Justice
10y The State makes mistake when it
gives a monopoly OF the school book bust
ness to single publishing house Tor 10
more) ut its own price. These points, per-
haps, are not all equally weighty, and yet
none OF them are to be thrust aside as
valueless. Why deny counties the priyi-
lege to change when they are ready for a
change? 1t docs not follow that il this
bill pass that all counties will change their
text books. | object to the present law
because there is no choice left US but me-
Cessitated choice. admit that the prices
of our school books have been reduced,
but by no means has that reduction been
us great as it would have been had there
been competition. The comparison made
by one OF your correspondents between
the sale OF school books andglass and iron
is certainly far-fetGhed. These arc not
limited by similar circumstances, and there.
rethere can be no analogy between them.
State uniformity is more desirable than
county uniformity only so far us it saves
the nOmadic class OF our population the
cost OF new text books. Neither the
RegiSteF nor your correspondents SO far rs
have seen, have claimed that this class
constitutes largo per centagc. II is
small and not ut all sufficient to balance
M increased cost OF text books. Tho poo,
pie are asking for change us the Bills in
the Legislature attest. BY reference 10 the
Catalogue Of tho Schools Of Monongalia
county we see that the Superintendent
believes that our school books ought not
to cost more than one fourth the present
price. In conversation with bookseller
in this place no admitted that Il was
quite probable that 100 per cent was ad.
ded to the cost Of our school books before
they reached the hands OF pupils. Look
at the resolutions adopted by tho Institutes
asking for a change. 1t will not do for
correspondents TO lnsinuate that these
Bills relating 10 school books arc introduc.
cd by members MSimply to get q little
cheap nolorioty." This Is slur
that the people OF this county
do not desire TO, sec reiterated.
Every experienced educator knows Thai
changes in school books arc advisable Of
tontimes, not because a new book may be
better, but to put into the hands OF pupils
book to which they may not have kew
(writtcn on the fly leaves and elsewherc)
and stereotyped reason for every step
they take. l have not given all tho arRu-
ments that can be presented in favor Of a
change, but will forbear writing longer
article. The people OF this county arc on.
posed to doubling the State school tax,
and will observe how their delegates vote
upon this question.
Valley District OF this county, | under.
stand, has subscribed $4,000 to tho Mar.
row Gauge railroad, in favor OF which DR.,
Hays Is working,
Our Sheriff leaves on tomorrow for the
purpose Of bringing Elihu Gregg back to
kingwood, where, 1t is presumed, he will
have new trial.
An extra session OF the Circuit Court
began to-day, Judge Brannon presiding.
Respectfully,
u. S,