Arizona weekly citizen., 1892-07-16
A Teachers VigorOus Kick.

Editor Cittzen:-Let me ask what i has become of the idea of changing text | boCkB?
 Has tSelf and it's agitsiors passed to ! that undiscovered country whose bourne no traveller returns," or is it yet racking the brains of that staff of educa- tors who will wield the rod of wisdom during the coming year? Will we be snd feed our pupils on garbage half a century old, or will our legislature give us chance to train the rising genera tion according to modern methods?
 Must We spend one-hslf of the time in the schOol-room pointing out and correcting the errors of antiquated au- thors, or may we spend it all instructing the future rulers of thIs republic in the practical of the present? Will you go to the butchers shop or bakery and buy tainted meat or stale bread for your family when you can get tenderloln and current cake next door at the same price?
 Next October you intend to have a national holiday celebrated principally in the public schools to inspire the youth with patriotism, and honor our c0untry's discovsrer; but It IS poor pat riotism that springs from quacks and bosses-Quackenboss!
 It may be too late now to make the change this year (according to law but 1t is not too late to keep the matter be- fore the minds of those interested in education, that they may remedy the evil or remove the cause before another year.
 The teachers of Cochlse county at their institute last March deemed it advisable to hold territorial institute, or, at least, an institute of the lower tier of counties at some central city Tucson-ssd also 60 hold the institute early in the school year. Now why not keep this text book question before the public mind until then, and perhaps there may be some acton taken? It must be done sooner or later. This Is an age of progress. Present pupils are future presidents, and if you manacle your schools and teachers by binoing jhem down to books, the contents of which they cannot copsc entiously teach, you have chained the wheels of progress, and your quadrI centennial celebration and Columbian exposition cauno0 compensate for the damage done Dy old books and obsolete ideas.
 You put your teachers Tn peculiar position when you place a book in their hands and tell them to teach the text knowing it to be wrong. Will they obey the law and oppose their conscience or obey their conscience and break the law?
 Law and conscience should coincide and then there would be no conflict; but so long us the present textbooks are in use conscientious teaching according to text is an impossib. lity. We call upon the press of the territory to use its pow er and influence in support of our cause and the cause of education which Is O @ and the same. We call upon the sup erintendents, county and territorial, to do their share in bringing about this needed change; we call upon the parents not to oppose any steps or measures that may be taken to facilitate their chIldrens' education, and lastly we call upon the territorial board of education and the territorial legislature to give us a decent, practical and progressive series of text books.
 If your legislature is not enlightened enough to make the change, call meet ing of your teachers and they will point out the inconsistencies of the pre-. ent series and recommend one that can be used in its place.
 Will some of the other teachers dur ing the vacation rise from their lethargy and wield the pen?
 Respectfully,
 E. F. ORIoRDAN.