Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-07-22
school Book Trust victories.
'itor GreenJrier Independent:

pany, a gigantic trust, next in power,
perhaps, to the Standard Oil Company,
exceeding all other combinations in dis
seminating false history, in notoriously
corrupting by bribery school authori-
ties throughout the Union, and in
adroltly propagating sectional ideas in
tended oinjure the prestige and prowess
of the Southern people 10y teaching their
children falsehood instead of true his |
tory.
Every posted person knows that Nc
Guffey's Readers and Spoilers, copy. |
righted nearly a half century ago, are
not abreast Of the demands of the pres
ent day and generation-that they are
out of date-that they are back num-
bers compared with other books con-
tanning new and progressive features
and methods of instruction published
by competing book houses-and that
the American Book Company publish
much later and far better of such books
than those offered to the people of
West Virginia. Yet they have gener-
ally succeeded in palming off on us
those old Anticipated bookshelf uffeys
having been repeatedly revised, sec
tionalized and falsified until some of
them are obnoxious to the Southern
people and would not be recognized by
the dead author, and Rays arithmetic
still in some parts adhering to the be-
lated, ill-adapted British system of
pounds, shillings and pence.
AS to the Justification of history, one
of scores Of instances must suffice here,
namely: On page 81 of McGuffey's
Fifth Reader, Benjamin Franklin is
sketched in most fulsome style as the
genius who freed America and the
student is directed to read this \ ORTIZ
ern fabrication in Il solemn tone" to
impress this sectional falsehood upon
the youthful minds as if Franklin had
done it alone, despite the universally es-
tablished truths of history that George
| Washington, 1.-The Father of his Coun-
try" was the recognized military qe-
Mas of that struggle, and that Thomas
Jefferson, the author of the Declara-
ton OF Independence" the greatest po-
| litical philosopher of modern times and
unsurpassed as a statesman, was the
genius of the Revolution in civil life.
This straddling trust in politics. cha
meleon in its well known practice of
buying up school authorities, seems to
think that our people are ignorant and
do not know the best books and that
! Tod hgn
Guffey's to deceive and defraud the
people, and Rays back numbers. are
good enough for West Virginians. Can
we afford to keep our children in igno-
rance by the debauching money power
of this infamous trust?
Three other reputable houses com
peted before our School Book Board to
furnish school books to our children for
the next five years. They publish such
class OF books far superior in material
and matter to this trusts books, yet
said Board ignored them all and awarded
the contract to this trust because it
was considered economy 20 do so,
condoning the fact that the American
Book Company was the only one of all
the large publishing houses that refused
to contract with West Virginia people
for these same books in 1895 on the
terms prescribed by Act of the Legis
lature. All other publishers contracted
promptly and are living up to their con.
tract. The law forbids said Board &c
enter into contract with any publish
ing house unless the name of the author
accompanies The book. Will anv per
son claim that McGuffey IS the author
of the said readers and spoilers tina,
simply bear his name, he having Ions
ago sold his copyright and died Il? OF
that Ray is the author of the present
arithmetic and algebra when all hav,
expired as to copyright and have no au
thors in fact OIL law?
This trust has treated West Virgini;
J with contempt, yet members of sal,
J Board, who freely denounced it's course
, promptly voted for this trusts books
What brought about this suddel
change? The Board s action is calcu
lated to drive from the State every repu
table publisher, and to provoke censure
When decisions are made in favor @
the trusts books prior to hearing tn
, merits of all competing books, it dis
courages competition and brings stron
criticism of said Board, who seem dc
termlned to hold Oh to Anticipated book
or hfty years ago. Is this course ey
: dence of advancement and COMPETENCE
Tor selection If all reputable compe
: tltion is to be thus driven off this ma
odorous trust will have full SWAY an
our children must lag far behind til
t times on all improved methods of teacl
a ing. Is this justice to the children
d Is 1T the wise and economical thing [
}. do? 1t is not economy" but extray;
l. gance to doso. 1t is high time to thro
of the yoke of oppression, and rebul
/. trusts and mOnopolies.
q Let said Board in Justice to itse
# correct its mistakes and remove susp
;, clon by reconsidering it's mistaken, u,
n wise action, in part ut least, next Fl
day, for the people can not, for a me
l. plttance OF monev saved for old book
II afford to have their children improper
J. and falsely taught. No sum of mon,
ii could repair the damage that will resu
y from such damaging policy.
GREENBRIER.