The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-02-05
SHOULD THERE BF -
COUNTY UNIFORMITY VIZ ~
TRXT-BOoKs, OF
w. H. Rufuer, of Vipini. 'V5t Of Ha
Superintendent of PnbI GsaEe
Instruction

w. H. Rufuer, of vjgini. pUE' Of Ha
Superintendent of Ppbr' '''e
instruction.
Correspondence of the Progrs.u
Mr.. EDIToR:-I encloso Farmer
for publication a statemon nSfeWiS
speaks for itself, and is qoj[a ns ~hiS
to the occasion in view Of - p0FVn@
OF county adoption of Sch, 1ysN@
books now being urged in tho u 'sa
Assembly, and already in vo osaed
nearly all the schools, 40 'Sue b
formed. The county boards =. am d
ton are much nearer the aon ouas
therefore, much freor from sl
influences than State boards. 9peGa
there are a hundred times moro uS
to Influence. 'uea
"The~ questions are, should tbo l.,
books be prescribed for the wp9
State, or should there be a door 11oa
liberty allowed to local boar5o @
choose among several different boobS~
The majority of antbo+s
among educators oppose all centres
ton OF power in regard to this sr
jet; and hardly any are now fonDs.
advocate the licensing of only on.e
OF books. X 4 WI
Il think it a most dangerous an3t
congruous arrangement to set a S.t,
board, composed chiefly Of civil "a.
GERS, to selecting school books.
II would avoid everything savo,i,,
Of monopoly in favor of particular
dividuals or companies, not only h
cause of the indefansiOle character
this proceeding in every point of view
but because of its d~iscouraging ina
ence upon all native authors. the bIg
Of whom would have to stand outss
Of this small favored circle. X
l could name some excellent primar
school books by Virginia autbo
which fail simply for want of a fan
chance. know of competent teacbg
now who wish to prepare text boon
but cannot get them published becsp
OF the existing difficulty of gettinga
ditional books admitted into the Stan
even on trial. And SO almost the a
tire intellectual progeny of cur fa
thousand Virginia teachers (pu6h
and private) is strangled even befa
birth. The end of such a policy mus
be intellectual barrenness. 4 =
Until a recent period the idea VA
unknown of depriving local boardsd
the privilege of determining wh
books should be used in their school
And among the many strange thing
seen of late in this broad land Of 0uE
there has been nothing stranger n
more dangerous than the destruCtia
of some of the most precious Local
powers in school systems, followed By
powerful combinations to seize upon
the school machinery for private and
governmental ends. + + = :
TN the few States which had The
temerity to try this plan "a single book
list chosen at the Capitol the men,
.bers of the board of education, who
were commonly civil officers, chose The
books and made the great contracs
and hence, were objects of very speCa
interest to book-writers and book-puF
fishers; for a State book monopoly Wa
a golden prize of the first magnitude
In some of the larger States, The
schools buy a million of dollars worth
of books every year, two-thIrdS o.
is clear profit to the publishes
Or at least the cost of manufactus
1oes not exceed one third of the retail
price. 4 X 4 X
''There is then,this army of oficiaA
nto whose hands this one book
with orders to force it upN
,very child in the State schools. -
Whenever a people can be ruled Ip
!! state Of acquiescence like this, tbq
re ready to receive any doctrines t1S
nay be poured into their ears, andp
any yoke that may be lalda
heir necks. Such education as ts
nay suit a government like thata
russia Or Turkey, but not one basH
principles of personal liberF.
Jnder this system of rigid law aa
etailed prescription, true educatpa
eases to be possible, + = aa
he school system, so far as true eau
ati q is concerned, becomes a ltele"
laq Inc, turning out certain uniform
8 which are to education Wn''
uppeeF to men
''Thl Moons given for encourages
ache liberalize and store theE
lindsl the study of many BOOKS
lany1 boplied also to the local schoC
- - final