The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-06-13

~ Last week we published by re-
quest ali item correcting alleged mis-
statements in our report of the meeting
of the textbook committees of the diff
fcrcnt towns of the county, in Middle
bury, May 26. In another column of
his issue, we publish statement show
ing the entire correctness of the first re-
port. At first sight the matter seems
to be Of little moment, but owing to the
course taken by some parties we feel
compelled to state the animus of the
attack upon our report, as we have as
eertained it.
Our best educators and all disinter-
ested and intelligent men feel the desi-
rabillty and economy of uniformity of
text books throughout the county.
There is hardly town which does not
furnish pupils to the advanced courses
in the graded schools at Middlebury
and Vergennes. These two schools
have agreed 10 use the same series OF
textbooks in all branches. They will
adopt the books which a majority vote
OF their meeting referred to, showed to
bs the favorites. With respect to the
books concerning which decision was
not they reached they propose to confer
and agree upon the best. Ifevery town
In tho county would adopt the same Sc
ries of text books as these schools, the
interests OF every pupil and parent
would be equally well subserved as
now, with tho additional advantage that
tine pupil could retain his books If his
parents removed to another town, or if
be was sent to either Of the graded
schools. Books could descend from
older to younger pupils and still retain
their usefulness. This would relieve
many families OF a serious tax in money
and trouble.
The principal obstacle TO this desira-
BILE uniformity lies in tho fact that a
small number of superintendents have
taken agencies for the publishers of
certain school books. They are paid a
price for every town in which they can
succeed in getting their books intro
dHeed. The position which these STU
psrintendents have taken is strange
enc, to say the least. Under the law
they are made members of the text book
committees of their towns. They are
repaired to exercise judicial functions
In respect to tho text books which may
be submitted to them. Their decision
Is not intended to be for their own in
tsrest, or that OF publishers, but for the
interest of their towns. Any superin-
tendent or any member of a texttsQk
committee, who accepts an agency -
the publishers Of school books, renders
himself unable 10 decide rightfully, as
much SO as the magistrate who should
accept bribe to decide case. The
interest Of the towns of this county is
In uniformity of text books, and II the
unbiased members of all the text book
committee Of the county assembled
should decide by majority vote upon
the merits of text books, it would lay q
heavy burden upon those who reject
the majority decision, to show a good
reason why they should subject their
towns 10 tho Inconvenience of using
different books from the neighboring
towns or the graded schools. 1t would
seem that the only reason that could be
offered would be that the text book
committees, instead ofacting according
DO their best judgment for the interests
Of the townspeople who chose them,