Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-05-29
Our School Text Books.
To the Standard 4:


been introduced into the schools of
Tennessee during this and the last
decade. People have become weary
with the examination of so many
books, and many have become dis
gusted with teachers, in consequence
of the expense incurred in the pur-
chase of so many new books.
Teachers should becareful in recon-
mending new books, as it is well
known that almost any author of
school book can get it recommended,
by simply visiting man and telling
him that he is clever fellow, an ac-
complished gentleman, a finished
scholar and a splendid teacher.
In 1871, when Mr.. Burney took
charge of the G. F. College, he intro
duced the University Series, embrac-
ing spelling book, aseries ofreaders,
a geography, an arithmetic, an Eng
fish grammar, and U. S. History.
The books were highly recommended
by DIR. Elliot, and several teachers in
Warren county carried the spelling
books from their schools, and ex-
changed them for Holiness spelling
books. Taken as whole, Holiness
books have less real merit in them
than any other books that have ever
been introduced into Warren county.
The spelling-book was a contemplate
work, and the grammar was no bet
ter. So far as l know, not one of
those books, introduced by DR.. Elliot,
is now used in Warren county.
There is now much talk about
abandoning Pinneo's grammar, a
book which has been used in our
schools for seventeen years. The
question then arises, "What shall we
introduce in its place." Some have
recommended Lee & Hadley's gram
mar. / am opposed to the introduce
ton of that work. 1t says too much
about nothing. A great many foolish
questions are asked in it. In parsing
the word "who," in the sentence,
"The man who reads so well, is Mr..
Burbank" Lee & Hadley use 10
words. Reed & Kellogg, in parsing
the same word, would use about
twenty-five words. The following
sentence is in Lee q Hadley's gram
mar:
"Any noun having the form of a
possessive, is said to be in the posses
sive case, even though it do not limit
by showing possession"
Such book is "too slow a coach
for these days of railroads, teegraphs
and telephones.
Reed q Kellogg will not supply the
wants of our free schools. A pupil
who is commencing English gram.
mar, if he uses Reed & Kellogg, is
compelled to buy two books. This is
expensive. By using Pinneo, one
book is all that is necessary. Though
Reed e. Kellogg have many excellent
things in their books, especially theil
instructions for epistolary correspon
dence, which are really beautiful
and the placing of their rules of Syn
tax in one place, where reference t.
them can easily be made, yet, l can
not recommend their two books fol
use in our free schools. They will dC
very we'll for school that is in SEES
sion ten months in year.
Lee & Hadley have their rule
scattered through their book withou
order or system. Their book is no
suited to the wants of our free schools
In fact, many normal teachers wh'
= recommended the use of Lee & Had
: ley's grammer, have now abandoned
the book.
/ do not recommend any change il
1 our English grammar; but if peopl
5 are determined to abandon PinneO,
, would, by all means, recommend
Patterson's grammar.
, Patterson, like sensible man, ha
: placed his rules of syntax on one leaf
= where they can be easily found. i
parsing noun he gives the gende
before he gives the person or number
This was the way that nouns wer
parsed in our grammars fifty year
t ago. Some will call Patterson an oil
f fogy for parsing noun in this way
! but it is better to be an old fogy an
be right, than to be modern pedar
> and be wrong. Patterson has ais
e very judiciously placed his diagram
: in the sequel of his book, leaving tn
matter optional with the teacher
use them or not to use them. In Ten
' nessee, we are using six differer
:, grammars that contain diagrams
t These are Clark's, Buffers, Reed {
Ke llogg's, Lee d Hadley's, Pate
:, sons and Burt's. No two of thes
Z six books diagram alike. Patterso
+ has the most feasible, and the mos
t sensible mode of diagraming.