The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-08-21
THE CHANGE IN SCHOOL BOOKS.

A number of the Territorial papers are in
dulging In considerable adverse criticism
upon the change of some of the text books
for our public schools, authorized by legal
enactment last winter, and do not seem to
lay the blame, If there be any, where 1t be-
longs. We shall give the important facts In
the history of the case, and some Of the In
fiuences that secured the change.
In the first place, the prominent teachers
of Montana began to express their dissatis-
faction with the Independent r eaders soon
after their adoption in 1881; and experienced
teachers coming from the States, where the
Independent Readers had been used in the
schools they taught there, always expressed
regret in finding them in use here. The same
sentiment was voiced in the County Teach
er's Institutes of the Territory whenever the
subject of text books came up for discussion
and at the meetings of these Institutes In
Silver Bow and Deer Lodge counties in 1884,
special resolutions advocating a change of
readers were passed, which were intended to
bring the matter to the notice of the next
Legislative Assembly. So that there was an
almost universal desire among the teachers
of the Territory for change from the Tnde-
pendent series of readers. Many parents
and patrons of the schools also objected the
ghost stories and fairy tales in the third and
fourth Independent Readers, as undesirable
reading for children.
In the second place. the use of the indie
pendent series expired by Limitation July /,
1885, and As the publishers, A. s. Barnes &
Co. had brought out a superior series in 1884
they did not expect the use of the Indepen-
dents to be renewed by legislation, and they
tried to secure the adoption of their new
series by the last Legislature; change of
readers was therefore inevitable.
In the third place, A. L. Bancroft & Co.
were the only publishers we know of who
canvassed the Territory for endorsements of
| their series Of readers from County Super
int ndents, school Principals and leading
teachers. Most of these endorsements were
| cautiously worded, and did not always ex.
press n preference of the Bancroft Readers
to all others, but only preference of them
to the Independent, and Bancroft & Co.
were entitled to all the capital they could
make of them.
AS to the Grammar change, although Sill's
| first Territorial Teachers Association at
Helena in 1882, it did not prove popular
nor useful text book in our schools princi.
| pally from the fact that in principle and in
arrangement 1t was great innovation upon
the science of language and the plan OF
teaching 1t, and the disciples of Brown
Clark, Green, Harvey and Swinton were
slow to accept it and to learn how to teach it.
And as there was no elementary text book
prescribed, several d ifferent ones were used
as supplementary" and "Sills Lessons In
English" did not come into use except in the
most advanced classes. A change of Gram
mars was therefore desirable in order to Sc
cure uniformity-and Swinton's are as good
as any of the old-school. We never heard
there was any general desire or demand fol-
a change Of Biographies, and do not believe
there was any.
| As to any charge of fault in these changes
1t does not lie wholly at the door of the Leg
islative Assembly. Those who drafted the BIZ
making the changes, and those who voted
for it probably thought, from all the infor
nation within their reach, or the influence,
brought 10 bear upon the subject, that they
made good choice of text books; and if &
better one could or should have been made
those newspapers, educators and patrons o.
the schools are more to blame who failed Il
use their influence for one or give their opin
ion upon 1t in time.
1t is folly to make any contest of words o,
actions as to the introduction Of the new
text books. Their use has become a law
which must be obeyed or enforced as mucl
as any law, and very few school districts car
afford to close % per cent. of their appor
tionment of the school fund" in violation
1
| of it. '.a--