The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-01-22

that OF State publications OF Textbooks
At the biennial session Of this body II
December, 1882, Just previous 70 III,
nesting Of the Legislature Of 1893, tn
subject was brought up for discussion il
view Of the late declaration OF one polit
iCal party in It's fayorand the subsequen
limited discussion in the public press
The calling Of the roll, alphabetically
for opinions, showed the Buperintend
ents to be practically unanimous In
their opposition TO State publication
and committee Of Eve OF the ableBI
superintendents, representing some o.
the populous counties Of Sonoma, Los
Angeles, San Mateo, Contra Costa and
Tehama, was raised to prepare report
on the subject, to be laid, as intended
by law, before the Legislature. Two
days later the committee presented Q
tremendous assault on the system,
which was unanimously adopted.
HOW THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
This report, backed up with an ap.
pendix OF tables, giving the details from
which the conclusions Of the committee
were drawn, was laid before the Legis'
lature, but it received no attention what.
ever. Itisnot probable that it was ever
read by single member. In due time
the proposed amendment received the
necessary two.thirds vote Of both
branches OF the Legislature, and was
laid aside to be voted for by the people
IN the autumn OF 1884. Had each voter
been obliged to write "fop' or against"
the amendment on his ballot not five in
q hundred would ever have voted at all.
II would have been defeated, however,
in that case, as the more intelligent
citizens, go far as they thought Of it at
all, were opposed TO 1t. But there were
several other amendments at the
same time. These were designated
on the ballots simply by their numbers,
and in that way attached to q long ticket
containing long list Of State, Congress.
sfonai, county and municipal officers.
The county committees OF the various
parties printed "For" or Against" as
they saw fit, against each OF the amend.
ments, and the electors voted for them
just as they got them. The public feel.
ing was such that the county commit
tees Of all parties printed their tickets
"For" text book amendment. The
teachers generally scratched "FOr" and
inserted "Against." The public voted
straight. In one or two counties
roulumne and Tehama-some enterpris.
ing teacher got the committees Of one or
more parties TO print. the tickets
Against" the text book amendment,
and the people voted them Just the same.
The general result was the almost unani-
nous adoption OF the amendment by the
people in November, 1884.
PROTEST FROM TIE TEACHERS.
Before this was accomplished, how.
ever, there was yet one more earnest
and dignifled protest from a competent
and Intelligent body-the California
STATE Teachers AssoCiatioR-Rhich IL
would seem ought to have produced
some eff.ct. At the meeting Of this as
ISOLATION in December, 1884, the amend.
meut being then before the people to be
voted for in November, 1856, the subjsct
was brought up and referred to a com.
mittee OF eleven OF the very strongest
educational men OF the State. Their
names will be found appended to the
report, which was unanimously adopted
by the association.
The opinions of the teachers as set
forth in the report are the opinions Of
the teachers OF California to-day. De-
spite their protests the system was es.
tablished by the State, and the time has
hardly come for any full expression from
them. When the proper time comes the
educational men will again make them.
selves heard, and that in no uncertain
or Ineffective manner. A few OF these
men have been employed by the State
Board in the compilation" OF some OF
the books; still others have been freely
Consulted" in the matter; some others
hope to be so employed or consulted in
the future. These few men and their
special friends must, in common graft.
tude and consistency, speak well OF what
they have helped to do, but whoever
will miugie among the teachers at their |
large gatherings, or listen to the discus.
sions which frequently spring mp in the |
Teachers Institute, can have any doubt
OF the overwhelming condemnation
which is ia store for the system when
the time comes for the teachers to speak |
their mind.
TOTAL KXrRNsEs OF TIE SYSTEM.
Let US take view of the situation in
the pregent year. The following table
is compiled from the printers reports
and is accurate. The item Of Sl5,O 600 for
Cookies Entomology has not yet been
paid into the Textbook Department:
Act approved February %, 1885.
For "Compillng" .......... ......".sa0,0 600
For machinery, material and
Printing. ....i,......,'...........,.slbO,OO