Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-09-10
PUBLIC SCHOOL TEXT BOOKS
Leading Educators Discuss the Pro
posed Changes.

pOSeu OndnBeb.
CORVALLIS, Sept. 10 - (Special.9--
Upon the subject of the proposed
change in school books, Prof. VIM
Weizell, ex superintendent Of Multno.
NAH county, and prominent man In
public school work, talked very freely
Saturday TO u JOURNAL reporter. Prof.
Wetzell has been here the past week,
and he in association with Prof j.
Burnham, of the Portland public
schools have been conducting the Nor
NAL Institute for the benefit of Benton
county teachers, much TO theil profit.
"Prof. Wetzell, from a practical
standpoint, economical, as we'll as pro-
gressive, do you favor or oppose any
change in public school books now used
in Oregon II yon favor change,
what ?n
NO." said he, "I do not favor fire.
quent changes in text books; 1t is not
economy. Teachers and students must
adapt themselves to hew texts. My
Experience teaches me that It is not so
much the text bc0k, as it is the teacher
behind the text book. Please quote me
as emphasizing this point. In school
text books, we should have uniformity.
throughout the state, in each series CT
studies. At the present we have ia
Oregon, four authors upon grammar.
L shall favor the adoption of one only,
and instead of sill, Clark, Barnes and
Swinton, / shall endorse Maxwelps
series. If we we're all finished teachers
change would not mean delay in
school progress, but to the average dis
trict school and its teacher, a change
next year means comparative stand
still Of from three to six moEths-that
isit would take the school and teacher
that long to adapt themselves to the
new texts. The matter of school text
books, coming as it docs before the
board of examiners and the county
school SUI uLerintendents, every six years,
gives their constituents the direct ben
eft Of all com petition and improve
ment In the manufacture of school
books.
"The American Book Company, who
are now furnishing the public school
books in the state, sell to retail dealers
under contract who cannot realize more
than a stipulated profit, thus placing
the text books In every pupils hands
at uniform price. l certainly do not
approve, make me say, of any method
of exchange of new books for old, In
the event of any change, but rather a
elk months introductory price Of say
two thirds the regular price, OF less"
In similar interview with Prof
Burnham he fully endorsed the present
series of public school books.
Prof. J. H. Stanley, ex-superinten-
dent of Washington county, said: "I
do not endorse any change except, to
replace the grammar series now used
with MaxwelPs series, for which tie
books used in our common schools will
cost only so cents, which is comp ara
lively small cost. tits economy to
retain the present series throughout"
Prof n. F. Holm, Benton's superin-
tendent thinks several Improvements
might be M de In our public school
texts, and especially iE geography, sub
stituting Frye's, instead of Montieth's;
also in substituting MoDtgomery's or
Thomas history for Barnes United
States history. He also endorses
change to Maxwell's grammars. The
remainder of the series, under our pres
ent system Of uniformity, which, how
ever, / do not fully approve of, will
yield as good results as can be expected.
There should be more reliance, how
ever, upon the teacher, than upon the
text. But in as much ss we are not all
ideal teachers, we must have books
that lead us as well as our pupils"