The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-01-30
School Book Trust Literature.

against state Uniformity OF 1eNt-BOOkS
and Free Books" We are informed that
the state is being literally flooded with
this and similar publications. The con-
tents Of this pamphlet purport to be taken
from an official report of Mr.. BATEMAN as
state superintendent Of public instruction
of the state of Illinois Singularly enough
the date of this report is not given.
Prof. BATENAN's "opinion" is we'll writ
ten, ingenious and clever in every way
He bases his opposition to state uniform
ity of text books upon the grounds that a
diversity of books is desirable; that what
is suitable to the needs of one pupil is I'M
suitable to the needs of another; that one
teacher may find certain book useful to
him, while another teacher may find the
same book hindrance; that the selection
of school books for an entire state involves
greater responsibility than ought to be
imposed upon any individual, and finally.
that uniformity would increase rather
than diminish, the expense OF school
books to the people.
Mr.. BATEMAN's arguments, plausible as
they appear on the surface, are not good.
In the first place the objection to uni
formity of text books throughout the state
has equal force as against uniformity OF
text books in a county, township or
school district Mr. BATEMAN very truly
SAYS:
The tendency to routine, to unbroken same
ness, is very great in in our public schools.
This is, In fact, though to a great degree
inevitable, one of the greatest evils incident TO
any general system OF public education. We
are obliged to deal with pupils in masses; to
prescribe rules andregulstions courses of study,
textbooks discipline, checks and spurs, re-
straints, incentives, ETC., for groups, classes,
averages, aggregates of scholars, rather than for
individuals. We cannot consult or regard the
special aptitudes, idiOsyncrasies, needs, talents
tastes or temperaments OF particular pupils. to
any very great extent, in the instruc
ton and management OF common schools.
In these respects all state systems of
free schools are necessarily more or less
rigid infexible, stereotyped; they do not admit
OF that tacile adaptation OF particular ends; OF
that special application of forces restrictive
incentive, or admonitory, according to the
mental, moral. spiritual or physical wants
bases of each separate pupil may require,
which is always desirable, but which is fully
practicable only in private instruction or in very
small schools The governing unit in public
education, as has been said, is the mass, the
aggregate, the school; it cannot be the individ-
ual, 10 but a limited extent. Hence, as already
remarked the tendency is TO a sameness of de-
velopment, that is not so favorable to the evO-
luton OF the most and the best OF which each
individual pupil is capable. And this, as has
also been remarked, is 10 some extent inevita-
bic in any general system OF common schools,
or even in any school.
Mr.. BATEMAN says that this evil would
be enhanced by making textbooks uni
form throughout the state. This is
glaring non sequitUr. So long as it is i'm
possible, as he admits it is, to consult the
individual tastes, aptitudes and idiosyncra-
sizes of teachers and pupils in the choice of
text books, what difference does
it make whether the textbooks
are selected by the state or county Off
Gals? Better books, we should imagine,
might be expected from the former than
from the latter, for as rule they would
be men of more experience and capacity.
Mr.. BATEMAN says:
Under the present independence of the local
districts in respect TO a choice OF books, while
there is, or should be. strict uniformity in the
schools of each separate district there Is the
greatest diversity in different districts towns
and counties; sosthat pupils passing from one
district town or county TO another may
escape from the ruts of routine books and
methods OF which they had become weary, to
fresh books and methods, which, even though
perhaps intrinsically no better, serve TO in
spire the pupils with fresh life and spirit.
Under the plan of state uniformity, the
other hand there would be no escape from the
routine and stagnation of old books and book
methods, without leaving the public schools
altogether; the same unyarying monotony
would be found, in this respect in every school
of the state, tall il should please the state
thorities to make a change.
So that in order to get the assured ad-
vantages of diversity in text books under
the present system pupil has TO pass
''from one district, town or county to
another" does he? Well, it would be IN
teresting to know how many pupils do pass
from one district, town or county to
another in Indiana. Probably not one
in thousand; and even this one will find
eighty chances out of ninety-two against
getting change in text books by change
of residence, since single firm, VAN Ant
wERP BRAGG q Co, are said to control
the supply OF books in eighty out of the
ninety-two counties in this state. So it
will be seen that Mr.. BATEMAN's specious
argument against state uniformity of
text books falls to the ground of
its own weight. State uniformity
is not more obnoxious to the objection he
urges than county or township uniform
ity, and, anyhow, it practically exists to-
day, under the manipulation of the school
book trust.
As to the claim that school-boOks fur
nished by the state would cost the people
more than under the present system, it
is thoroughly exploded by the experience
of California. What has been success
fully accomplished in California can be
just as successfully accomplished in In