The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-05-18
Prof. Cope Replies to Rev. L. B. King.
APPLETON'S VS.. McGUFFEY'S.

re caileu upon TO teach. (
From certain statements made hv your
one, must conclude that
he teachers he so lauds are very deficient
n some of these most important partic-
liars. What they are shall now pro-
iced to show.
The communication contains fierce
on Appleton's series of read
,rs, pronounces them wholly unsatisfac
ory after thorough trial, and states
hat the old household gods-McGuf-
'ey's series have been restored to their
Did place OF honor.
One Of two things is true: either the
trial was not thorough and impartial, or
the Judges were not competent to render
a decision. The correspondent himself
has never used these books, and no one
can be good judge of school book
unless he has put it to actual use in the
Hence, your correspondent
has no right to make such charges as he
has done.
After referring to the failure of the
readers, he makes this wonderful state
ment, quoting the words of the teachers,
"The scholars get tired Of reading so
much of the fictitious and light stuff
found in the Appleton's." This sounds
very much like parts of the circulars
sent out by the publishers Of McGuffey's,
but it may be original with the teachers
But granting that Appleton's Readers
contain fictitious selections, Goes it fol-
low that they are any h,ore harmful than
the dearly beloved Meg Iffey which con-
tains selections equally fictitious and as
many of them? However, the sacred
name of McGutfey hides all these deadly
sins.
The fictitious select ons that are found
in Appleton's, and ! will also include
McGufey's. are taken from bouks that
no right-minded parent will hesitate TO
put into the hands Of his children.
That many OF the selections are ficti-
tious is not in the least detriment to
the books, but positive advantage to
the pupil. Selections of this kind will
cultivate his mind and powers Of thought
as no other kind of literature will. Fic
titious literature has been cultivated in
all times and ages, and forms the largest
part of our English literature, and even
enters largely into religious writings as
the correspondent Is well aware.
But it is not necessary to discuss the
matter further than to present the testi.
mony of two or three witnesses whose
statements can not be impeached Ma
cauley says, in his Life and Letters, 81
would much rather have q hoy read jack
the Giant.K and Robinson Crusoe
than all the formal treatises on grammar
and logic thai have ever been written" !"
And who is the more capable of judging
what is fit for children to read, this illus.
trious historian or the teachers of Suns.
bury townshipp A year or two ago, the
Superintendent OF the schools of Boston
having become dissatisfied with the pro-
gress that the pupils Of the schools were
making in reading, made q sweeping
change in the text books on this subject.
What do you suppose was done2 He
prepared for the use OF the schools Sc
lections from the arabian Nights, one
of the most fictitious and exaggerated
books ever published. This book was
followed BY . collection Of Fairy Stories,
edited By Henry Cabot Lodge-editor of
the International ReUie1. But what fol-
lowed2 A new interest was awakened,
and much greater progress was made in
reading than bad ever been obtained by
the old methods. Why is thisP Be-
cause the method is natural, and supplies
the mind of the child with just what it
Graves. But according to your cores
pondent, the books MEG Guffey 's-that
so enlightened and disciplined the minds
OF the parents, must Of necessity form
the basis of their children's culture
There can be no greater fallacv than this
II the argument were good, then wonld
it of necessity follow that the old En-.
glish Reader on which the grandfather!
we're bred, would be still more worthy O
use, on account of its venerable antiqui
ty2
However, the next statement Of you
correspondent is still more wonderful
Mark it we'll. "They Appleton read
ers require the extra cost of dictiona
Try for definitions" This is the FIRST time
/ ever heard any teacher, much less ON.
of twenty-five years standing, make an,
ohjections to the use of dictionary.
Here, to my mind, is one of the granc
features of these standard readers, tha
they require the pupil to make diligenl
nee Of a dictionary. 1t is an evidence
Of poor teacher and dull pupils. wher,
you lind the dictionary not in constan,
use. But it is not necessary to dwell or
this. for all nv readers know that to read
understandingly, one must read diction-
ary in hand.
| Now that I have shown that the fea-
tures of Appleton's readers, OF which
your correspondent complains, are not
blemishes but positive advantages,it may
not be out of place to say that have
had every book OF Appleton's series pu,
TO thorough and impartial test. Every
book Of the series gave most excellent
Observation-Disclosures than was anticipated
and far better than any series used in the
schools of which have had supervision
But it is not necessary to go into detail
further than to say that the good quail.
ties of these books have been discover
ed and tested by actual use.
The plan of these readers is one tina
is calculated to make the pupils moi
merely readers hut thinkers as we'll. /
they carry into life the methods Of study
taught in these hooks, they will hav
made good beginning towards success
In the battle of life.
| The Fifth Reader OF this series is
difficult book, bpt lis difficulties are wha
will most strongly commend it to goo
teachers. It requires not only of th
teacher, but also Of the pupil quite q
amount Of knowledge to understand per
fectly all the illusions in the selections
but the selections are many of them th
same as found in the much Landed Nc
Guffey. After every lesson is a serie
of questions embracing several distine
features: A sketch of the author, allu
sions to the names of persons and place
I found 10 the lesson, difficult words to b
defined, hard words to be spelled, a com
parison Of this lesson with Others as re
CARDS style. In fact the pupil must b