Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-07-24
A Few Reflections About the School
Meeting.


cient time has elapsed to allow us to
view the record calmly and impartially.
There may be enough material for pres
ent consideration in the action of ma
jority regarding change of readers.
tits presumable that the request of the
teachers was rejected principally be-
cause of ''expense," the debt" INC
Limans' case" and corn failure enter
ing strongly into the merits of the case.
Such arguments are always to be ex-
pected in every effort for Improvement.
But what are the facts in the case?
Simply that the new books. obtained at
exchange and introduction rates would
have been much cheaper than the old.
and even considering those who already
had old books from some other men,
bers Of the family, the change, on the
whole, would without doubt have been
pecunary gain rather than loss.
Several changes in text books have been
made in the Lancaster schools during
the past two years, and the students will
testify that they obtained their books
much cheaper than if the old books had
been used. A special effort to that very
end was made in every case. In another
school the writer has been the means of
saving to the pupils more than 800 bg
q change Of teri books.
| But Anti-Improvemen objected to
change because 1.-The old books were
good enough for me-" and ''makes no
difference what kind of books we use
only so they are taught right" This is
the same hydra-headed sentiment that
has resisted progress all through the
history of the world. 1t has opposed |
discovery, invention, and advancement
in every age. We shall not character
ize it as it deserves; but, in all candor,
there is no more reason for retaining all |
the old books than there is for holding
to the old wooden pillow, the sickle, the |
scythe, the stage-coach, or immovable |
types. There is as much improvement |
in educational methods and appliances
as IN any branch of industry; and it is |
just as essential that the true teacher |
utilize the best means for instruction as |
that the farmer or mechanic should use |
improved machinery. 1t is difficult to |
see how any intelligent person could ex-
anime Harvey's readers in comparison |
with Swinton's, or Sheldon's, or Apple
tons, without recognizing the infer
iority of those we are obliged to use.
And it surely ought to be of some signi-
hcance that the teachers and School |
Board had carefully examined these
readers; those who opposed change
had not. 1t has been no less our pleas
ure than duty 10 visit not few good |
schools, to correspond with many lead
ing teachers, and to examine large
number of courses of study; but we |
know of no other school of high grade |
that uses Harvey's readers. The pub
fishers themselves acknowledge the |
weakness of this series, and are trying |
in many cases to replace it with their
revised McGuifeys. These last were |
examined by the teachers and thought |
to be better than Harvey's, but still de-
cidedly inferior to the others mentioned |
above Some of the teachers reasons
for change were presented at the
school meeting. We shall only summar-
ize by saying that Harvey's readers are
not adapted to our course of study, nor
to the modern method of teaching read
ing followed by our teachers.
Let us consider another aspect of the |
subject. For two years change of
readers has been contemplated and
desired by the teachers. Last Septem-
Der they were much disappointed be-
cause the law would not allow the in
PRODUCTION of new readers at the be- |
ginning of the term without the consent
of school meeting. At the close of |
the winter term several grades had |
finished their readers, and new books |
were almost indispensable. However,
to avoid troubling the citizens with a
special meeting, they decided to obtain
with considerable annoyance and some
expense to themselves, supplementary
reading to last through the spring term.
The fear did not occur that the people |
~ i
a request as new readers for those who |
had finished the DID, the only regret
was that arbitrary law must postpone |
it with so much Inconvenience.
The students of Lancaster are, as |
class, poor readers. The teachers, re-
cognizng this fact, have of late given
special attention TO the subject in teach
er'S meetings, class work, and rhetori-
cal exercises. 1t is probable that the
statement can be safely made that IN
no former year in the history of the
school have the teachers worked as hard
for the progress of the pupils. At the
request of the Board of Education. and
in close connection with the manifold
labors of the School Exposition, final
examinations, and reports, they care
fully examined several sets of readers
and wrote out their opinions of them.
1t is not to be supposed that they wrote
all their reasons for change; but when
they unanimously and earnestly asked
for different readers, they supposed
they knew what was best for the school
This was the only specific request that
they asked OF the people; in manner
that could hardly fail to be considered
as either humiating or insulting to the
corps of teachers to say nothing of the
interests Of the pupils, u ,Cas rcfusedt
We fUrbear much comment that
might justly be made; out certain ques-
tiUnS unavoidably arise in the minds of
some. Is this the kindly method in
which the people of Lancaster propose
TO reward earnest and increased labor
on the part of their teachers? Is it
well to destroy the plans they conf
IDENTIFY cherished for improving the