The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-03-06


respect, but for those who are always
clamoring for change in text books |
have the most unqualified contempt.
The friends Of this measure that
seeks to change our system and our
school books tell US that our books are
anLiquated; that they are not up to the
times in which ne live. II this be true,
what q wonderful discovery these gen.
tlemen have made and what debt OF
gratitude the people owe them.
NO NEED or A CHANGE.
"1f their theory be right, We ought to
build monument TO every book agent
and to every cranky school teacher who
| ia opposed to the books now in use, and
that have been in use not only in West
Virginia but nearly every State and ter
ritory in the Union. Our text books
are revised from time to time as necess.
lity may require, and VIC have to-.
day as good system and
ss good books, both in matter and
makeup, as are to be found
gny where In this country. The boys
and girls OF West Virginia will compare
iayorably with the boys and girls Of any
other State In the Union. Then why, in
the name OF reason, change the books? :?
Will we do 80 simply to gratity the
whims and caprices Of few people who
are never satisfied with what they have.
Gentlemen who favor change tell US
we are paying too much for our books.
/ do nol know whether we are or not.
But do know that our books at the
present prices are not One'halt so great a
hardship upon the people Of this State
as any change would be.
GOOD POINT.
BY a wise provision Of a mCrcifuI
Providence our children are able to
hand down from the elder to the
Younger members Of the family the
school books under our present system.
Sweep these away and adopt others and
YOU require the expenditure Of thous.
ands OF dollars By tho people OF our
State to replace them, and suppose we
were to change, how do we know we are
getting ANYTHING better? Book agents
tell us they have better aud cheaper
books. but who ever heard OF book
agent whose characteristeIic was ms
truthfulness. History tells us that
George Washington could not tell a lie,
but George was not book agent. l
would not like to say hatthtse gentlemen
who in their modest way have been en-.
deayoripR to contribute to our fund OF
information on the book question and
in various other ways add to our com.
fort and convenience would wilfully
misrepresent, but I do say they
might be mistaken. maintain that any
change would be an experiment, and one
which is fraught with danger and un-
iustifabie expense to the people OF this
S.ate. Since the friends OF a change
have most signally failed to chow that
they have any better or cheaper BOOKS
to offer, l ask in the name OF reason why
should we make any change? Is 1t BE-
cause they wish to Withdraw our pat
ronaVe from Cincinnati and transfer
II to Boston, New York, or some
other eastern or western City2 Circ!n-
natl is practically a West Virginia city,
situated almost within our border. She
buys tens OF thousands OF dollars worth
OF our coal, our timber and our manu-
factured products. Shall we refuse 10
trade with her simply because the
American book company happens 70 be
located there, and some book agent
from Boston has said that concern 10 a
very large and soulless corporationY we
are not adopting concerns and We are
not adopting agents; we are adopting
text books, and the question Is where
can we secure the best books at the
least cost to the people of our stateT
SHALL THE TRUST BE BETRAYED?
"To our keeping is committed one OF
the most sacred interests OF the people
Of this State-the welfare OF their chill
dren. Shall we betray the trust that is
reposed in US? Will We disarrsnge our
schools and burden our people with the
additional expense ofnew books? This
should not be question OF personal in
terest or personal feeling, but 1t is a
onestion OF Guty. Let us not forget that
thsre ia a Judgment before which we
nnst an appear and that is the bar OF
nublic opinion. Let uS remember that
We will all be required to give an account
ior the deeds done In our legislative
body. and let us 30 act by our voice epa
our vote that we can render that account
with 10Y and not with grief. Let US DO
that which our reason and luogmene
approves and our conscience ana con-
stituency will endorse
Mr., Hanen said the hgures showing
the cost OF introducing Wentworth's
arithmetics were falsi6ed by somebody.
Rayis arithmetics were antiquated they
were not taught in any normal school
in The State and Mr.. Pugh ought to
know, II he didn't, that they were not
taught in the schools OF Wellsburg nor
OF Charleston.
Mr.. cambridge aaid he didn't know
mucb about school books. In questions
of law he deferred to lawyers in The Leg
islature and on the questions Of educa;
tion was willing to defer to the fchooII
teachers. His people had been opposeai
10 change, but now they bad changed
their opinions. He favored Wentworth's .
hooks. Judge Samuels favored the sim
ples. system possible, provided II COW
ared the ground, and said the superin.
tendent Of the Huntington schools had
written 70 hin favorlng Wentworth's 8
books.
ONE ON Mr., HANEN.
DIr. Pugh who had brief convsrsA'
ton with Superintendent Morgan after
Mr.. Hanen's remarks, arose and stated
on this authority OF the superintendent
that Rays arithmetics were used in every
normal school in the state except West
Liberty and in Charleston schools ex.
copt in the High school.
LAIRD EEDEEMs HIMSELF.
Mr.. Laird spoke OF the sharp crihcism
| he had received for voting in favor Of
the extension of the session, and said it
would not be sate for him to go home II
he voted for change Of school books;
| He saw no advantage in change and
had heard no reason advanced for 1t,
No iairer proposition could be msde than
that Of the American Book Company,
and It was to the best interests OF the
people to accept 1t.
M. Simpson said it was better to 20
slow in this matter. Nobody was, de;
mnndipR a change except few school