New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-10
THE OBNOXIOUS TEXTBOOK.
WHAT WILL BE DONE WITH hA"'
THORNE-LEMMON LITERATURE

THE MATTER MAY NOT BE TAKEN UP By The
BOARD OF EDUCATION -DAY-oNLY ONE
OF THE BOOKS FOUND IN THE
BROOKLYN sCHooIS-PERci-
Val. CHUDBs OPINION.
In spite Of Professor Franklin W. Hooper's posi-
tive assertion on Friday afternoon mat at 'e "'e
ing of the Board Of Education TINS ai'erhoo" ~
would introduce resolution 10 erase ~
official Catalogue OF Textbooks the a"'e'''"
Literature" OF Hawthorne and Lennon 1t Is MOI
certain that anv action on the matter VIII DE hau a'
the meeting to-day. On Friday II Is Only 'a'r ~
say Professor Hooper spoke impusively. as soon d.
his attention was called to the fact that TINS doom
was on the list Of books to be usen j" inc ms
schools lie said yesterday that IL he "e'e ''
chairman of the Textbook Committee ne "o"'"
bring in such resolution to-day, ana ne hopeu
that the chairman. Edward Rowe. would 90 go "u'
II NOT he professor Hooper, would have the matter
brought III at the next meeting OF the committee
probably about the middle OF the month.
Mr. Rowe. who is the oldest member OF the boaru
of Education will not, however take 'he cur.
suggested by Professor Hooper: AT any rae' nc n""
moi made up his mind to do so yesterday. "heh
saa, hv n representative OF The Tribune he said;
81 have never seen a copy of the book referred TO-
and have no personal knowledge OF the way IL was
nut on the textbook list. We make our contracts
with publishers for five years, and before the iasi
list was made up had some 2SO DOCKS 10 e~-
anime Now It is out OF the question for MEM
hers of the Board Of Education who render their
services without compensation. to read every one
of these books carefully. They were looked over
though by the members OF the committee each
member taking some of them to examine Wher-
ever there was any doubt book was examined
more carefully.
MAY BE DROPPED QUIETLY.
.In the case of this American Literature 1t
seems TO me that the best way VIII be 10 drop II
quietly If a resolution TO drop 1t from the list IL
Introduced IL may lead 10 long discussion IN the
Board and will cause comment outside. l do not
think any of these books have been used IN the
schools of the citythey could only be USED III the
four high schools any way-and we can accomplish
the purpose in view by simply directing the secre'
tary of the Board not 10 send out any OF the DOCKS
II there are any acquisitions for them II we make
a hue and cry about the book. We will simply al
yertise it, and my experience has taught me that
the best thing In such is 10 make ms little noise
as possible But. as ! SAID | haven't read this
work and have never a copy. and all know
about II Is from hearsay.
The publishers Of the joint work OF the great lit
crary firm of Hawthorne and Lemn on are already
in the field beseeching the members OF the Commit
fee on Textbooks TO stand firm and not he fright
encd by what the newspapers say one OF the mem
bers received n letter yesterday assuring him that
the whole affair tempest In teapot. and de-
nouncing in scurrilous language the ,citizeh OF
Flushing who made the first protest against the
use of the book In high sch DOL In that village
DID ANYBODY ASK FOR IT?
4 member of the COMMITTEES Textbooks Is au-
thorty for the Statement. that the american Lit
erature" was placed in the Catalogue OF Text
books on the request OF Perciyal Chubb the IN
structor In English and history IN the Manual Train
ing High School and OF two OF the teachers or III
erature In the Girls High School. As nearly a.
Af- L. ,,,ss ~. tai o.. NJ fls
case
Calvin Patterson. principal OF the Girls High
School, when asked yesterday whether the Iaw
thorne- Lennon book used IN his school, re
piled with emphasis that 1t was not. When told that
/ there was a report tina, two OF his teachers had
asked 10 have IT put the list OF textbooks he an
swercd: THAT cannot be 80. Ny teachers are no,
in the habit OF communicating their Views and
wishes to the Committee on Textbooks All tn.
books wanted In this school are ordered 10y me and
II any such request had been made 4, would have
gone through There was never any such re-
quest. have never copy OF the book In ques-
ton. and there none OF the books used In this
school
/ Percival Chubb who is well known to the people
airy subjects before the Brooklyn Institute, wa
found by the writer at the Manual Training School
/ In Court-st. The first remark made to him was
II understand Mr.. Chubb. that you have good
opinion OF Hawthorne and l.emmon's American
Mr. Chubb with momcntary hesitation. replied
We'll. don't know that have formed any opinion
about the book AZ a whole"
did you MT ask the Committee on Textbooks
to have It placed on the high school list. so that
you might use II In your clnsscs?
MR.. CHUBB DID NOT COMMEND 1T.
NO, a, ALL" said Mr. Chubb carr cstly: Il have
never commended the book. except In qualine
uav. mayor wro,. a xo,d I'm IFS favor and n.v.r
way "e'e' WIZ WV" ~ " ''' "' NV
asked TO nave 81 put on the lst. In fact. nave
never read the cntir. book There are some thing-
! =, l., A.. a., ,,.o,,,, vho, : ,.,,,o ,.o., l., a,
chapter on Hawthorne. As Hawthornes son Is re-
,b me re- son tha uaTt ~ the hook ia ~ snec,o
interest In this school we do study any history
OF literature we STUDY literature tseIi, ana We CIV,
opu ~ Uawthorve and Inmmon's boot IN r.,
school and that IL my individual copy ] have
loaned II TO some OF the students 20 read In connec
! tcn with the work we have been doing. That Is