The state chronicle., 1892-12-20
Fhe State Chronicle
TUESDAY. Dec. 20. 1892
REPORT or SUPERINTENDENT
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.


We have seen some of the advance
sheets Of the able and excellent re.
port of State Superintendent of Public
Instruction Maj S. M. Finger.
Maj. Finger will leave office with
the plaudits of well do-e ringing in
his ar from every portion of North
Caroli'a Under his administration
the school system of the State has re-
ceived new impetus, and the prosper.
Gus condition in which he leaves il
attests bis eminent fitness for the
office he has so efficiently filled for
eight years. The admirable admins
tratise ability he has shown in the
management Of an office, the success
OF which at once enlists the sympathy
and interest of every friend of enlight-
ened advancement, encourages the be-
lief that Maj jor Finger will not be per
mitted to remain long out of the pub.
lie service.
To day We direct attention to that
part of the Superintendents report re.
lating to "Uniformity in Text Books
School Book Trusts-Impr oper and
Unfair Books"
Major Finger says: ct has been
and is now the policy of the State to
have uniform series of text books
on each of the subjects taught in the
public schools. The reports of the
county superihtendents to this otfice
show that uniformity has been almost
secured.
Superintendent Calvin H. Wiley,
before the late war, advocated State
uniformity because:
l. Uniformity affords some protec
ton against improper AMI unfair
books.
2. Uniformity enables the teacher
10 have fewer classes and give bet.
ter instruction.
3. Uniformity largely decreases the
number of books that it is necessary
for any family to buy, and it also re-
duces the price of the books, becaus,
b tier terms can be made with tn,
publishers
Uniformity secures quite saving
of money to poor people when the,
move from one district or county int
another. The books they have ar.
carried with them, and are used il
any school which their children ma
attend.
To these reasons ! will add tina
uniformity checks the questionable,
not crooked, methods which in thes
days are so frequently used in tn
scramble for the introduction c
school books. This is da
of trusts, and the people ar
emphatically condemning them.
know of no trust which is so far-reacl
ing in its deleterious effects as schoo
book trust. 1t assumes to contr(
with its money not only the prices (
books and the quality of material pt
into them, as do other trusts as to ii
other articles of merchandise, but
likewise assumes to control the kind
| information, facts of history, etc, wi,
| which the minds IF the children are
/ be stored. To accomplish its ends,
agents are TO be found in the lobbi
j Of legislatures, and wherever their i
huence can be made effective in Il
\ interest Of monopoly.
8 | have recently been criticised b
4 cause | have advocated the use in o
q schools of United States histories wri
4 ten by Southern authors, but | ha
nothing TO take back and no apollo;
to make. | have never examined
| United States history, written eth
| be fore or since the late war by
] Northern author, that did not do i
| justice to the South either by posjti
statement or by omission. have n
found that these histories of NOrthe
, authorship do the South justice as
q her colonial history during the Revol
a tioDary War, or her history after t
organization of the State government
j OF course | do not mean to say th
s in all cases this injustice is intentions
In many instances l think it may
4. attributed to want of infor nation
= be part Of the authors. The Sout
j ern people, until recently, have Il
7 cart enough about the matter
write down their deeds and the dee
l. Of their ancesto ors, and others have 7
le diligently searched the records a
- fully and accurately written our hlstC
ID for US. But we are now doingbet tel
lr We are writing our own history, a
III IL il compares very favorably with Il
" of the Northern States in love of
k. erty, in deeds of valor, ard in stat
manship.
1t may DE that the Northern autt
Of United States school history is
= tween Scylla and Charybdis. 1t n
4 be that if he does full justice to
81 South, the Northern people will ref
n to allow his book in their schools; a
it may be that if he does not tf
the South fairly the Southern peo
will be more and more averse to the
OF his book in their schools. Howe
this may be, school books, like OF
= manufactured articles, are made for
+ most part for the purpose of max
g money. Ire larger the sales
more the profit; and the fairer,
more truthful and the more unsectlo
IS the books, the larger will be the 81
lg iu the end.
h, | know of no more potent means
s. the correction Of our histories and OF
l., T., -, of