The San Francisco call., 1897-08-07
LIKES SOME CHANGES.
Fred M. Campbell Believes In Word
Analysis and Mental
ArIthm etiC.

The following letter has been received
from former educator:
Editor Call: Ordinarily man does not like
10 see his name in the papers and, being an
ordinary man, share in this prejudice But
am really pleased that in an article in this
mornings CALL my name does appear
and / am pleased because it furnishes pre-
text or excuse for this letter, which am sure
you will do me the tavor to print.
don't know that the Board OF Education of
this City needs any defense at my hands, and
they will probably not thank me for volun-
teering in this matter; and, indeed, l don't
care whether they DO not.
In the article this mornings CALL refer
ence is made in deprecatofy way TO the ac-
tion OF the Board of Education in adopting
certain books for the schools of this City. My
conten ton Is that 1t is source OF congratu.
lation whatever may be said OF the adoptions.
1t is true that do now represent the Ameri-
can Book Company; but as | have been for
nearly forty years actively engaged in educa-
lional work in California in ali its depart
mems, from the district school 70 the State
superintendency, and have been a book man
for only one year, | find it exceedingly diff
cult even if was so inclined. to think, act or
speak from the point of view of the latter to
the exclusion either in whole or in part of the
former.
Conservatism in educational matters and
work has always controlled me to the extent
almost OF warranting the designation of old
iogy;" In other words: | have adopted the
"In educational reforms $50 called) make haste
slowly"
California has for some years past been a
sort OF Mecca for what l call "skylight edu-
cators'-people who come flying in With no
END OF theories and whose words OF wisdom (?)
are hung on to by everybody. nearly, lest they
should fail to be considered progressive" 1t
was on the sugges ton of such as these that we
had the fad of "oral instruction" follow ed
later by that of ''object lessons" Then came
the throwing out of mental arithmetic and
also OF the training in the voca bulary of our
mother tongue by the disseminating of The
study of word analysis.
Inc natural result has followed and is
abundantly in evidence, from the fact that
the children in our public schools to-day can
neither read. write, spell or cipher as well
as children OF corresponding age and grade
could ten or twelve years ago. Give to any
boy or girl in our schools to-day the simplest
arithmetical problem and he or she will be
quite as dependent a slate and pencil as is
man paralyzed in his lower limbs upon his
crutches.
j want to say, therefore. that 1t is a hopeful
sign OF The times, an evidence of a healthful
reaction, that not only the San Francisco
Eoard OF Education, but Boards of Educa tion
all up and down the State, and the normal
schools, are putting back into the course OF
study the subjects of mental arithmetic and
word analysis. And am very sure that not a
parent OF any child now in the schools of this
Clty Will fall to thank the Board OF Education
ior lts action In this matter, and the reinstat-
ing 10 their proper positions in the curriculum
OF our primary and grammar schools OF thor
ough and systematic trai ming in men tai arith-
metic and In the vocabulary of our mother
tongue. EPED NJ CAMPBELL