The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-02
STATE PRINTED
TEXTBOOK SERIES.
The Historical Review OF a BOOK
Publishing Experiment.
The Opinions Expressed by Leading Ieachefs
at the Convention Recently Held In
Sacramento City.

T-ba State of California is more deeply en-
g,ged in the pu blishing business IMAM any
Ether State in the Union. 1t IS certainly
worth WHILE at the close OF the year. IN
striking a balance of affairs, to review TINS
scbool-book experiment There is practi-
cal business side to the matter. There is an
side also. Both must be conSld-
cred Is the system successor failure?
Is there not rising tide of criticism, and
has not a better way than the socialistic
path of State printing been long and per-
sistently neglected?
INTERVIEWS WITH sUPERINTENDENTs.
December ID, at Sacramento, many of the
leading educators were seen. The following
are authorized:
Superintendent G. Z. Thurmond of San ia
Barbara:
1 was one OF the committee who drafted
the resolution on textbooks at the last State
meeting OF Superlntendents at Sacramento, the
other msmbers being Superintendent Chlpman
OF Santa Clara, Harrell OF Kern, Foss of Pumas,
Seavey of Placer and Renfro of Lake. We all
agreed on the following, which, while 1t did not
pass exactly 10 that form, fully expresses my
sentiments:
at is the sense OF your committee that the
State Series Of textbooks, with The exception Of
the Language Lessons aud Elementary
Geography, is In no way adapted TO the neeas
of the public schools OF the State, and Is work
ing an Irreparable injury TO our public school
system; that we believe that the California
State Series Is Interior to any other series OF
text books now in existence, and We believe mat
10 this series Is due entirely the present over
crowded course Of study, and we earnestly rec
ommend that immediate action be taken TO re-
wise Inc whole series, The books mentioned e2-
cepted."
superintendent L. j. Chapman Of Santa
Clara:
I.have no objection to the publication OF text
books by the State, but what L do oO1ect 10 is
Ibe quality of Inc books they have already given
a u.s. Fans FranSly, however do not think the State
can ever compete with private enterprise in thai
line. either as 10 price or IN the quality OF the
books produced. With two eXceptions-YiZ.: the
Language Lessons and Primary Geography
The present series would not BE- anywhere near
adequate for use IN schools without supple
meulary books. or late the mechanical con-
ST uciiOn OF the State books has been fair. Ear
lier, however II was anything but good, espe-
'cialy IN point OF binding. They have cost US so
much that l would not iHvOr dropping them alto
getheri tut believe they need very thorough
and careful revision.
Superintendent Alfred Harrell of Kern
County:
l do not think the State textbooks have a sim
gle reGeeming feature. They are totally unfit for
use in the schools, with the exception. perhaps
OF the language Lessons and the Arithmetic. l
believe IN the State publishing books. and tnat
they should be free, but not such books as they
are giving Us now. 1t Is hard TO say, however,
whether the Stale can ever successfully compete
with the private publishers; II certainly has not
done SO vet. Tie History, Grammar aud Readers
are the worst. They are totally untitled for
ordinary country schools. The teachers IN my
county are unanimous In their condemnation.
At The very least tie whole series should be Wig
DIously OyeThauled aud revised.
Superintendent A. J. Tiffany Of Nevada
County:
do not believe that the State textbooks are
as good those furnished by the private pub
lishe either in point OF subectmatter or In class-
10 lie impt owed upOu. As 10 the question whelier
the buuks furnished by The State could ever be
good a. those furnished by private enterprise
/ would say that the Stale might get good
work, but is not hkely to under the ure sent sys-
ten. We have men here who might write good
text books, but the way the thing is managed
they viii never be the ones who Will be called
on to write The books. Ii has been slelsure
minute job, and not regular business with The
men who wrote the present set and the result
distinctly shows IL.
Superintendent Job Wood Jr. of Monterey
County:
. Our plan of handling the State textbooks has
made them successful, but il has only been made
SO by lie use OF supplementary books. | believe
In the State adopting State series OF text books,
but think there are serious faults III those now
IN use. Many of the books are good, but the
whole set should be overhauled aud supple
mented. As at present constituted they are not
as good because not SO fun as those issued by
The private publishers.
Superintendent J. II. Shannon OF Inyo
County:
As the Safe textbooks. opposed the
measure for, Iiirir adoption when 1t was nTst
under consideration. L believe tbat at present
our books cost Us largely more than they did
under the old system, because OF the amount OF
supplementary text required 10 make them ell
cieni. Some arc fair, but all OF them are limited
In range Especially is there too much differ.
baf ud
have no objection TO the Language Lessons. The
History is tolerabe, but a Primary is badly
needed. The State textbooks should be thrown
ever altogether Men who have spent lifetime
preparing for such Work can certainly get up
better books than men picked up by the State.
But, besides this, one grand objection Is that we
pay for HE plant and then have 10 pay for The
cost Of the book. Again, the districts have 10
pay postage on their Otders-on 1ye-dolar
order 81 OIL Is cnaTged-aDd thet efore the books
are really one-hftl higher 10 the consumer.
A Norton of the Board Of Education OF
Monterey County:
BY the present system the State constitutes
Itself one OF the most Objectionable OF scnoolbook
tTnsts by forcing upon unwilling school authori-
ties and dlSappTOving teachers d useless set OF
readers, spoilers aud primary aTthmcttcs and
objectionable grammars aud histories with no
visible chance OF relief. Many OF the books are
Inferior In composition and binding. and they
hamper the eiIoI Is Of The teachers.
i am glad that the question has been taken up
in The CaIl, aud l hope tile city and country
press Will follow suit.
Superintendent j. a. Noryell Of MERGED
County:
As general thing the State textbooks have
not given satisfaction In my. county. l am OPP
posed 10 Tree textbooks. IL these be gran ed to
the child Ell the people might well ask ne Xt that
the State ciotbe ana feed them. 1 would favor
dropping the present system II we can get better
books from the private. publishers, and l think
we can The present books are not adequa o
for their purpose The readers are SO bad That
have 10 use supplementary readers altogether.
Superintendent c. B. Wakefield Of Ell Do
RADIO County:
= With a teacher that understands the books
and can leach them, and has supplementary
books TO use with them, tile State xt.books are
They would no!. however. be satisfactory with
out supplementary text. They have been cheap
er 10 tue children than. the older books, because
the cost OF The supplementary books fails on the
state, they being purchased from the Library
Funds. There might De better and there are
worse books. They undoubtedly give the teach
ers more work. l think they could be much i'm
proved, ana favor their thorough revision.
Superintendent B. r. Foss of Plumas
County:
l am unqualified In my denunclation OF the
STATE schoOl-books. They are far inferior TO any
oiher system of textbooks. / consider the
whole shit, scheme inpoiitc, and think The books
tlcle Is dear at any price The uresent hoo.
a ao obstIuct the school work Again. can.
nSsh liz "g ths state should be called on TO fur
th1n Win their boots and shoes, A'ie
., L. j. McGrath, Superintendent-elect of
Sierra: VI
1t is hard for me to express an opinion or.
hand. In some things like the State text-books
and Id some things do not. They are moi NM
ioinly progressive. There Is clean iump be-
tween the First aud Second Readers. The Ian.
guage Lessons, however, have proved good. I
think should favor the free text book system If
the books were good, but the books should be al
Improvement in many ways on what we hays
now. AS rule do not believe them 10 be IA
eGoo as those formerly published by the publish
eTs.
Superintendent Clay Hampton of Mono
County:
On the whole am opposed to the State rext.
books l am for some OF them and against
others. ike the Third Reader but not the
others OF the series. The Grammar and Lam
guage Lessons are good. but l do not like the
others. They are very Cheap, but are corre-
spondlngly poor in quality. The print is good,
but the binding Is poor. l would not dron them,
but would bave them thoroughly oyerhauled.
Superintendent Mrs. +. Meg. Martin OF
SonOnia County:
am partially In favor OF the Slate textbooks
out more because we have them now than from
a consideration OF their intrinsic WORTH Some