Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-11-20
Reasons for the Adoption Of New
Text Books In Howard County.


According to Sec. o, Chapter "a,
Laws of 1890, the School Board of
Education arranged for vote on
county uniformity, to be held at the
annual meeting in March 1891.
At this meeting the electors decid-
ed to have county uniformity.
Accordingly, June 1, 1891, the board
of education adopted the FRANKLIN
readers. the Modern speller, Reed y
Kellogg's grammars, Smiths physi-
ologles. Spencerian copy books,
Swinton's Biographies, Wentworth's
Algebra and arithmetics, Macy's civil
government, and Montgomery's his
tory.
On the II, day of August 1891, the
above list of book went into use in
the schools of Howard county.
These books were in use five years.
The contracts with the different COM
panies furnishing the text books to
Howard county expired in August
1896, and it became the duty of the
board of educatien to arrange new
contracts for the next five years.
The board of education consists OF
the following p 'rson:
Chairman-F, A. Mcpherson, Co.
Superintendent.
Secrelary-W. g. Fish, Co. Auditor
Supervisors-HAn ans JAG ,bson, Goo.
Merrill, Jas. Irvine.
There were notices published for
bids, aud after having adopted the
new list of books. notices were placed
in the PLAIN DEALER, Times, Repub-
lican and Teacher, Giving u complete
list of books adopted, prices, rates OF
exchange and time for the exchange.
The board thought it advisable to
make change in the civil govern
ment because Macy's does not take
up the government of Iowa only in q
general way, aud it is very essential
that the pupil thoroughly under
stand the government of his own
State, as we'll as the Nation.
Chambers ''Iowa and The Nation
the one we have adopted, meets thi:
long felt want so much better thar
the one displaced. The change has
not displaced more than 200 civil
governments in the ounty, and O
this number not over fifty were uset
by pupils attending country schools.
i The demand for u change in the
arithmetics came from all over the
county, the one in use not being !
book properly arranged to meet the
wants of the pupils or teachers.
The Essentials" contain at least
twice as many practical example
Systematically arranged, leading tn
, pupil to see for himself the relation
of the different principles to eacl
other.
Reed & Kellogg's grammars were
obJecsed to on the ground that TO-
much of the work was devoted t.
, aiagraming, aud too little to compe
sition work. We all know that pu
, pitt who studied the old grammar to
often lacked the power of expression
} Though they had IL, raed man
: rnles they, were often unable to writ
5 u single clear, smooth English ser
tence.
Sheldon's Language Lessons wi
t be welcomed by all teachers who b.
lieve that technical grammar shout
, be taught side by side with practice
composition.
In connection with their teachin
4 sentence building, punctuation is il
) troduced, and the rules are thu
e brought in close relation with tn
s laws of English expression.
y Frye's geography is in a great man
e ways much superior to Swlnton's.
not only explains the conditions
t the country, but gives the cau
d "why" such and such things real
e do exist. For example:
b What are certain grains grown
II emo eectson of the country and n
another? (Then substitute the wo
fruits, plants or animals in the pla
of graius.)
= What has commerce to do with IL
welfare of q country?
- Why are people living in certa
= countries more civilized, than tho
" living in others?
ID In what ways have railroads help
if build up our country?
a. Frye's biographies develop all
n these ideas, and teach of the earth
~ the home Of man. Swinton's does NJ
~ Are not the growth of cities, poE
lv ation of the different states and /
n. different Industries of this ma tion &C
ID stantly changing, SO it is advisable
m change geog, aphies.
OF The books adopted are not a
nc higher priced than those 6isplac'
- Up to January l, you are allow
N. about 40 per cent. of the price of
be new books, to be given in exchar
to for the old ones.
IA, In conside ring the above facts
in Board have tried 10 do their swe
es duty. Respectfully,
T., A, mcpherson