The record-union., 1891-12-04
AFTER THE STATE sCHOOLBOOKs
AGAIN.


Nearly two years ago the RECORD
UNION took occasion to call attention to
the fact that in Alameda County there
was an apparent effort to choke off the
State series Of schoolbooks by the intro
duction of supplementary works pub
lished by houses of the book rings, from
which the State SO long struggled to free
itself
The plea was made at that time that
these supplemental works were neces-
sary, in order to keep the schoolbooks
abreast with the progress of the pupils.
We believed then, and do still, that this
was special pleading, and that its ill-con-
cealed purpose was to belittle and bring
into contempt the State series. We now
have news that the Alameda County
Teachers Institute has passed resolutions
denouncing the State series, and that the
same body has set on foot a campaign
against them.
Putting the earlier and the later facts
together it will not be at ali difficult to
discern the fine hand of the enemies of
the State series pulling the wires. We
would by no means limit free speech in
the Teachers Institutes, nor abridge the
field of criticism. The State series must
stand upon its merits, if at all-all that is
asked tor it is fair play. But the system
has not had it. From the outset the
book rings have labored against it.
At every session of the Legislature their
agents have hung upon the skirts of
members, and poured in their ears all
manner of sophistries calculated to lead
them to distrust the whole system ofState
publication of schoolbooks. They have
infested the sessions of Teachers Insti-
tutes and Teachers and Superintendents'
Conventions. They last year employed
several newspapers in San Francisco to
assail the system and hired literary sharps
to peck at the joints of its armor. At the
last session ofthe Legislature they worked
''jokers" into educational bills, and but
for the watchfulness of few devoted
friends of the State series, these bills
would have become laws.
There is, therefore, every reason to be-
ieve that in the more recent assaults
these same thirsty book rings have had a
part. They may have concealed them
selves well and have operated upon the
teachers without the latter being fully
conscious of the influence. The text
book Of the private publisher always has
an advocate and defender. The school
books of the State series are practically
defenseless. There appears to be no one
to champion their cause, except here and
there sincere and courageous newspa-
per. Even the State Board of Education,
and the officials of the Department of
Education, do not manifest that interest
in defending the system that their duty
to the law and the will of the people
would seem to demand of them.
Doubtless the State series is not perfec-
ton. AS it is the work of man it is not
fiawless. But admitting that it is sus-
ceptible of Improvement, it does not fol-
low that it should be utterly rejected.
Where it has blemishes let them be cor
rected; wherein it is weak let it be
strengthened; wherever it can be i'm
proved let the work of improvement be
| applied.
1t is simply idiotic to exclaim that the
State cannot produce as useful and gen
orally good textbooks as can the private
publisher. The worlds libraries are
open to the compilers of California school
books; the whole field of knowledge is
theirs to commands; the literature, science
and discovery of the world is as readily
at their hands as they are accessible to
the compilers or origiuators of books
printed by the book rings for the fleeing
of the State.
| The friends of the State system need to
| be alert; its enemies neither rest nor
! slumber, and are both domestic and for
| eign. Coin and greed lie at the root of
their purpose, and it is promoted by
means that are dishonorable and venal.