Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-05-07
For the Ellsworth American
Free Text Books.

ElUor i noticed 10 the late issues OF
the AMERICAN, articles from "A Country
School Girl" and from "One Of the Moth
crs," in regard to the free text book sys-
TEN. They complain of the lack Of text
books AT home for use during vacation.
agree with the Mother" that a child can
not study with interest, when his mind IS
on hi, book literally and visions Of torn
leaves. ink spots and aw full results crowd
Ing his brain. But until within wear,
parents have been cDnp.ied to furnish
books for their children 10 use in school,
why can they not buy them now for
home use at least if they do not care 10
assume the responsibility of taking them
from the school room: The school OIL
GERS Of the town will sell books at cost
thus reducing the former price nearly, if
not quite, one half. If the aw-maker, OF
our state had not decided that the towns
must furnish free text books the school
Girl' and the Mother" would be buy ine
their books now, paving exorbitant prices
and high profits to the booksellers. They
can buy the same books to-day for half the
money and thus form home library
which may be consulted al viii and with
out regard to careful handling. Al school
the children may be furnished as are the
other pupils.
think there is hardly teacher to be
found in the state, who does not rejoice in
the abundance of books and who will not
agree with me that our labors are made
much easier of course the teacher has
the care and e-ponsiblity- this Is no
small matter in large school-aAd there
is another register added to the number TO
write up at the close of the term; but the
extra after school hours" required for
this work are cheerfully given By most
teachers who rccoilect with sigh of
weariness the days past when four or
more different books appeared in the read
ing class, necesstating as mary different
classes and the use OF many precious
minutes needed in other work. 1t seemed
in some schools that every publishing
house in the United States was represented
by those few pupils. One child would
produce tattered geography stating that
"Suse and can study together and as
result the recitation hour finds Susie and
her sister minus lesson and plus an hour
after school, which is as much of pun
ishment to the weary teacher as to the
deficient pupils. A small boy would bring
a ragged Mother Goose picture book in
which to begin the foundation of his edu-
cation; another displays the "arithmetic
that aunt Jane had when she went to
school,"
The mothers and housekeepers all over
the land have thrown away the old fash
ioned churns and abandoned the brick
ovens of olden days and have more mod
ern implements for their work. So would
we teachers enjoy banishing aunt James
ancient volume, which she perused years
ago by the dancing fre-light from the
wide old-time fireplace, when she wore
pantalets and prim curls, and with it
fathers geography" and "cousin Julias
primer with the first leaves gone, which
used to confront us on first DAYS" at
school Now, at last, these antediluvian
relics may be consigned to the attic or the
flames, and the children be furnished with
books such as they need and that they
may be formed into classes where no two
need study the same page.
Who is there among US who can enjoy
the most interesting story with another
looking over our shoulder, intent upon the
same? Not many, am sure How then
can we expect restless, wide-awake child
to commit to memory dull lesson when a
seat mate is buzzing and whispering in his
ear? Give every child a book and better
lessons will follow.
| have found little difficulty in keeping
the books clean and in order. Even the
smallest child is eager to "see whose book
Is cleanest when school is done !" thur