Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-08-14
TEXT BOOK TUSSLE.
That's What the School Direc.
tors Had Last Evening.
METCALF & BRIGHTS ADOPTED.
But Not UatI After An Exhaustive Dis
cussion and Reconsideration OF Former
Action Was INDUCED in-Assignment OF
Teachers for the Coming Year.

Teachers for the Coming Year.
The hour of II had dawned last
night before the board of education
accomplished the disposition of the
text book question. which had been
under that body's consideration for
some time. The Metcalf & Bright
system of language for the lower
grades was adoped to substitute
How to Talk" and Sill's gram
mer. Notwithstanding the OPP
position of voice and press
throughout the state to the at
tempt of the American book trust.
which represents the system ac-
cepted by the Rock Island directors
to gain an inroad on the educational
institutions of Illinois. The direc-
tors championing the Metcalf &
Bright did so-according to their ex-
pressions-purely from an econom-
ical standpoint. There is a war
on between the book concerns,
and in order to triumph the
American trust is making propo-
sitions to the boards OF the
Se'eS ~ SNShohSC al VI lis SleHlS
for the one now in use without addi-
tional cost. The company also
agreed to furnish as MANY extra
books as were necessary to the Rock
Island school, gratis. This is a
tempting offer from an economical
point of view, and is done solely for
the purpose of popuIarizing the lit
erature.
Mrs. HamIlton's Position.
The recommendation of Mrs. Ham,
ilton, of the text book committee,
was for the acceptance of
the Southworth l. Goddard sys-
tenn. which, although little ex-
pensive, was, in her opinion, more
fitted for the juvenile mind. Mrs.
Hamilton contended that the aver
age language book-and especially
Read & Kellog's. now used in the
higher grades-was too technical for
the young mind. and had tendency
to make grammar distasteful to the
pupil. Something more comprehen-
sive and illustrative was neces-
sary in order to interest the scholars
mind. She did not believe ques-
tion of a little additional expense
should be considered when the ques-
ton of better education was at stake.
DR.. kinyon was for economy: so was
the public, he held, and if the board
adopted text book which would re-
guire an additional cost howl
would 90 up. The Southworth &
Goddard system was finally adopted
IS to 2. DIR. Kinyon was dissatis-
fed. and continued an argument in
favor of more economical text
book until a move to reconsider the
action was made by Mr.. Sinnet and
seconded by the doctor. A lengthy
discussion as to the respective cost
and merits of the systems was in
dulged in and ended in the adoption
of the Bright & Metcalf by. vote of
3 to 2.
The Action OF the Board.
The various competing houses
were represented as follows: Shell
don & Co. by F. A. Freer, of Gales
burg; Leach, Shewell & Sanborn's
Southworth g. Goddard series by w.
II. Quicker, and Merrill & Co. by
w. H. Wheeler and P. S. Lobdeli.
The American Book company was
not represented last night, but has
had active representatives here for
some time until recent date.
The question of economy will hardly
excuse the board for putting the CITY
schools in the hands of anv trust.
and it seems that after studying the
matter two years the board would
have been wiser to have extended
the time little longer, much as is
uniform system of text books
needed, than to have placed the
schools under such extreme obliga-
tions to book concern. The books
adopted consist of the Metcalf &
Bright series, Part No. /, and the
Metcalf grammar. While about
thirty ballots were taken, Director
Sinnet went over eventually to the
side OF President Robbins and Direc-
tor kinyon. and the act was done.
Teachers Assigned.
Mrs. Hamilton, from the teachers
committee. recommended the follow
iug assignment Of teachers for the
coming term, which was adopted:
Building No. IL. c. Dougherty,
principal and ninth grade; Mary En-
trikin. eighth; Hattie Henderson,
eighth: Julia Nj. Anderson, seventh:
Sarah NJ. Hitler. sixth: Lucy Coyne,
sixth; Lillian Fitzpatrick. fifth: Miss
Pratt. fourth; Dora Hartz, third;
Emily Freeman, first.
Building No. 2-Randeline Requa,
pin cipal and fourth grade: A. F.
Cooke, third; Harriet jenkins. Sec
ond; Margaret Repine, first.
Building No. MARY Platt, prin-
cipal and ninth grade; Lou j. Philip.
ninth; odessa Wakefield, eighth: Mar
garet Wilson. eighth: Mary Carter.
seventh; Jessie c. Liston, sixth and
seventh; Lucy A. Taylor. sixth; L.
NJ. Copp. fifth; Anna n. johnson.
fourth; Anna I. Bromley, third:
Emma Churchill, second and third;
Mile DeSanto, second; AIDA Muse,
first.