The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-02-26
gpaerspH Iyntelsigepser.
TEAGHERs'GoLUMN.
j. G. CLINKsCALES, EDITOR.
SCHOOL BOOKS.

after quoting an extract from the Abbe-
Vile Medium makes a strong plea for |
the old text books of twenty, thirty and
forty years ago. They plead stoutly for
"Webster's Elementary Spelling Book"
and Smiths English Grammar" and
would lead one to infer tha, they consider
these books equal, il not superior, to any
of their successors While We admire
the zeal manifested by these gentlemen
in their defense of the time honored old
text books, we must beg to differ in our
opinion rs TO the comparative nerits OF
the old aud the new. BE it far from US
to deprecate any Of the good done by
either Of the books mentioned. Some Of
the bappiest recollections Of our school
days are inseparably associated with The
very two books in question. We can
realize now almost our exact feelings
when We got 10 "Ba ker," and can see
the word no~ as il stands at the begin
ming of the irst line on the right hand
page of the book Aud often have we
laughed at the alacrity with which the
. boy in the back part Of the book came
down the tree when persuaded by the
.forcible logic Of the earnest old farmer.
With these early Impressions fastened
upon us, we find it difficult to lay aside
our prejudices long enough to make
fair criticism of either the old or the new
text books. The Medium speaks of the
valuable lessons taught In Web,t"rs
famous old book, and nludes to the fact
that 100000 copies are sold annually as
positive and unmslakablc evidence of its
popularity and merit. Is he quite sure
that the wonderfully large sale of the
book is not rather an evidence of blind
ing prejudice and a want of progress and
appreciation of merit in other books?
And are there not truths equally striking
and equally beautiful in many of the
series Of readers now offered to the chill
dren Of the land7 We think SO. or
course child may be taught to read by
keeping him hammering away at Web.
stsr's old speller long enough, h't isn't
the arrangement tho graded steps, in
the various series Of readers much better
adapted to the wants and nature OF the
child2 Do the pctures of the dogs and
geese and cows mean nothing. 0f what
use are object lessons, upon which 80
much stress is laid by the best educators
of to.dny9 Certainly great progress has
been made in the art Of school teaching,
s and, as consequence, progress has been
made in tho art Of writing school books.
Smiths Grammar has served its day =;
and it served It we'll. Many of the
brightest intel e;ts In our coun ry studied
no other; but does that fact argue in ils
favor to tho extent Of discarding all
others7 Does the fact that the Rev. j.
l.. Kennedy, who educated many Of the
ablest men not only Of our owE State
but of other States, taught Smiths Gram
mar justify tho conclusion that that
grand old scholar would, If alive to day,
still hang tennciously to that old book9
We dare ssy that If Mr.. Kennedy were
here to day, with all the vigor and ener:
gy of his palmy days, Smiths Grammar
and Webstcr's Speller would not be al
lowed place on hin desk. He taught
the best books in his day, aud were he
alive and teacher to day,'he would use
the best that PIE written.
We do no. deny that parents are fre.
quently put to useless expenditure OF
money for text books. Among SO many
. good books it 10 perfectly natural that
every teacher have his favorite, and when
the State Board of Education adopts
moro than one series of readers or more
than one grammar the way is opened for
the exercise of bis choice. We can not
agree with the Medium and the Courier
as to the comparative merits of tho old
and the new books. Nor do we concur
With them in the opinion that the RENE
dy for the evil Of buying many books is
o uniform determination on the part OF
the teachers to return to the old books
in spite Of their better judgment. No
progressive teacher can afford to shut his
eyes to the merits of new books neither
could the Cacoceises Scri6eadi be choked
off by such a: game. For the sake OF
economy let text books be changed only
when reason and deliberate Judgment
dictate but Jet not economy make H.
deaf to the demands Of the rising gen.
Grafton. Les the State adopt her books
for ten yeara-for twenty, If you please
but what intelligent Board would think
of adopting Smllh's or Mitcheil's Geog
raphy over Harpers, Cornell's or Apple,
ton'oP