The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-01-11
OUR TEXT cooks.

The question of a uniform series of text
BOOKS to De used IN our public schools is one
OF more moment to the people of the terri
DRY than is apparent at the first glance.
1t is true as has been stated, that a good
teacher with the poorest text book can do
more and better thar a poor teacher with
the best book. But it is equally true that all
teachers are not good teachers. neitbec are
all text books good books, and Furthermore,
all teachers whether good, bad o. indifieren, a.,
have their preferences for certain text books
which are also good, bad and Indifferent, and
when their selection is left to each individ
ual teacher as it generally is at be present
time, There eau be no uniformity in their au-
thorship nor in their excellence. In "a pecu-
mary point of view the question comes home
to every parent in the country. The purchase
of school books is no light tax upon them.
AS a rule, those who have large families to
supply are the least able to bear the expense.
90 such their removal from one district to
another entails a loss in book money they are
not always prepared to sustain. To remedy
tins 1t has been suggested that the trustees
for each district purchase the books to be
used in the schools of the same and sell them
to the pupils, and buy the same of the pupils
should they remove from the district. This
plan is open to several serious objections.
In the first place there are nearly one hun
dred school districts in tile territory and there
fore there would be nearly that number of
school boards IN rranuIp pvpv fha bo,le t>
be used in their respective districts. This
work, unGer the most favorable ]circums.an-
ces would be a very disag:eeable one fer trus-
Lees to perform. In the next place trustees
d, a general thing are not familiar with the
various text books in use and as a conse-
quence would not be able to select the best.
The value they might place upon worn books
returned to them by pupils leaving the dis
trlct would not III all cases be satisfactory,
and would become a source OF great annoy
ance. There are many other objections to
the plan which. taken separately. would seem
trivial, but taken III the aggregate are formid-
able.
We certainly should have a uniform series
Of text books Tor the use ef our schools.
There are bat few that question lis necessity.
ADOLF The onig difference of opinion that ex-
iatsln regard 10 the matter is in the ompo-
SIT On OF the proper body to prescribe the
series. We suggested some time ago thai
he governor. auditor, or treasurer and the
principals OF Two or three of our city schools
AID the territorial superintendent Of instrue-
|i"h could constitute such a board. 1t might
oe composed of the territorial superintendent
II public instruction and the principals of
oar graded schools or OF any other equally |
competent persons. The mauuer of fOrmlu4
he boa q We do not conceive to be rs esseu-
liat as That 1t be composed of persons who
are qualified to discharge the duties that may
be assigned TO it. We sincerely hope the
legislature VIII recognize the imuortaucc of
amending our school law in this particular.
We are aware that school matters are TOO
often regarded as very small matters, but no
measures can come before our incoming ley-
l~siattre frausht with greater interests to the
people OF Montana than those pertaining to
cur common school system.