Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-15
AN AMAZING ARGUMENT
On the Subject of Our school Books
An Answer.
(CommunIcated.)


The distinguished attorney OF the
American Book Company, in his argu-
ment before the State Board of Education.
gave as a reason why the books OF that
company should be retained in the public
schools of Virginia that most OF them
all of them, in fact, save with. perhaps
one excepton-have been used in the
schools of Virginia since the organization
OF 1.-The free school system"
The gentlemans contention Is that a
school book which satisfied the educators
of Virginia twenty-five years ago ought
TO be Just as satisfactory 10 the teachers
of the State now.
This argument, reduced to its last analy-
sis. means, IL II means anything. that the
educators Of Virginia should shut their
eyes to all the educational progress of
the past twenty-five years; that they
should not recognize the improved
methods in teaching or the advanced
educational thought Of modern pedagogs.
The old was good enough; why bother
with the new?
We wonder whether a good housewife
would be willing to accept this dictum
with reference to the modern sewing
machine. In comparison with one made
twenty-five years ago; or whether the
farmer would cheerfully accept the same
argument and act on it when buying
moving machine. a reaper, or any other
agricultural implement II is very much
to be doubted whether a good surgeon
would attempt to practice his profession
to-day equipped with the instruments and
materials made use Of twenty-five years
ago. 1t is clear that a person who had
quarter of century ago
and electrical appliances would find
himself utterly unable to cope with the
electrical machinery and other appliances
OF the well equipped. modern electrical
establishments. Every student knows
what remarkable progress has been made
along all the lines of the arts and sciences.
even during the past ten years.
The strides along educational lines Slnca
the days OF Horace Mana have been tre-
mendous. as all Virginia teachers well
know. Child study, the kindergarten.
manual training, inductive teaching, and
the application TO the work Of the school
room Of well understood principles Of
pedagogy have characterized the educa-
tional work OF the last quarter of a CEN
fury.
The school Of to-day is a different thing
from the school of our bOyhood days.
The school book of to-day is also vastly
different thing from the school book that
we thumbed during the lazy hours that
YEARLY dragged on while we sat under
the threatening rod and watchful eye Of
our schoolmaster." The school book of
to-day is a work Of art: In it's mechanical
execution as well as in It's authorship.
it surpasses in excellence the old school
books as the modern piano excels the
instruments Of our fathers day. One has
only to examine carefully the output of a
well-equipped, modern publishing plant
TO discover the truth OF this proposition.
The Virginia schools are fortunate i'm
possessing teachers Of rare ability. They
have prepared themselves at great ex-
pense and with painstaking effort for the
work in which they are engaged. They
have studied at the normal schools. at the
summer schools. at Institutes and con-
ventiOns. and have read the best peda-
gOgical literature 10 be obtained. all OF
which has helped them to become real
educators.
They have caught the educational spirit
of the age; they are not satisfied with
the methods Of twenty-five years ago. In
view OF these facts, the argument of the
attorney for the American Book Com
pany seems TO be in the highest degree
fallacious. II seems to us that the i'm
plements used by the teachers Of Virginia
should be modern az the methods
which they have so wisely adopted; that
the school book which embodies he latest
and most approved methods in education
should be put into the hands Of our teach
ers, rather than the sO-called antiquated
publication which. according 10 the state
ment made before the board Yesterday,
has been in use in the schools of Virginia
"snce the adoption of the free-schooi
system" Why should the teacher be
hampered I'm her work for want Of the
best tools?
And since 1t has been demonstrated that
the teachers and authors of Virginia and
the South are capable Of making the best,
why should we go away from home to
get what we have right at our door?