The record-union., 1899-10-13

you Will investigate you will find my
statement verified, that there are more
| OF Frye's biographies and Princes
arlthmeticS in use in the schools of the
State south of Stockton than there are
Oh the State books, the latter having
Deen practically displaced. If you will
look at the Course of Study of at least
one of your neighboring counties you
VIII also find them made part of the
course of Study. OF course you saw
| week or two ago what was done by
the Los Angeles County Board of Edu-
cation. AT a meeting in the latter part
OF June it adopted a resolution throw
ing out the State arithmetic and adopt
ing Walsh's higher arithmetic IL the
county schools. County superintendent
otrlne opposed the action of the board
ana refused to instruct the teac hers to
use the new arithmetics on the ground
that 1t confiicted with the State law
which prescribes the use of the State
arithmetics.
| He referred the matter to the Dis
lrlct Attorney for his opinion and the
latter IN his written opinion stated that
the provisions of the law in relation to
the use of text books in arithmetic are
100 plain for misconstruction and that
the superintendent advice to teachers
that pupils are not compelled to pur-
cnase and use the new books is cor
rect. Also, that the use of unauthor-
lzed text books in the schools of the
county would, to say the least. jeopar-
dlze the apportionment of the States
money to the county
| near also that in one of the San
Joaquin Valley counties they are de-
| batting the adoption of a set of readers
and biographies in place of the State
series. I presume the State Superin-
tendent is keeping his eye on these
movements, however, and will take
action, if necessary.
| THE STATE UNIVERSITY. toe.
| There is another State Institution
mat Is being run into a close corpora
tlon, and IN manner which the peo-
PIE VINO pay taxes for it's support have
very httle Idea of, and that is the State
University, of which we are all so de-
serVedly proud and the future pros
poets OF which are so bright that thav
ShouId not be dimmed by scandal or
corruption
Its new President Mr.. Wheeler is
man of ability and Judgment. and
will, L am convinced, deal fearlesslv
with whatever he deems needfu1 of "a.
Iorm IN matters connected with it. AS
he has obtained what he asl,ad-f,lI
power TO deal with any situations that
may arIse-he has, on assuming his
new position, splendid opportunity to
lnFesugate and correct the evil of
which 1 speak.
AS is we'll known to educators. the
| system OF 'accrediting' high schools.
| Ooth public and private to the uni
Verslty' is In vogue. By this system
the graduates of such schools as are
recommended by the accrediting corn
mlttee OF the university are allowed IN
enter 1t without further examination
"hen recommended by the Principals cf
such schools. OF course, it is considered
very desirable by the Principals to So
cure place on the accredited list, for
their schools. They cannot expect to
90 this unless they can keen on tbe
right side of the University Professors
VINO are on the committee. On an avar-
| age six of these Professors ara an,-
pIoyed IN visiting the public and pri-
1 sate nigh schools and examining into
| their work
You do not see what bearing this
mas, or why I favor the abolition of
the accrediting system? Well. T will
ten you. Are you aware that there
Is What might be termed a 'sring.' COM
| pIlSlng a dozen or more of the TTni-
| Vefslty Professors. who are engaged in
compiling or editing books on the
| studies used in the High Soboo1c g.,
various book publishing firms and +bo+
many of these books SO comnilad mr.
eulted are IN use in the High Schools
OF thls State? Well, such is the fact
one Professor revised and pruned =
standard work on mythology that had
oeen IN use in the schools. and bis
work is now being largely used in tha
high Schools. 1t is said that he gets
d royalty on each copy sold of Is cents.
making a nice little addition to his
annual income of So, 800 wear 4
! snort time ago he was granted a wears
ieaVe OF absence, which, it is said. he
! spent In London, editing a work for
publishing firm there, for which he
received $4,000.
Another Professor has worked o,,o,.
an English algebra. which is in nsa
0-NSOA0s oA4OlIicI mas edited a
| geometry, and so on down the list
Such being the case, is it not to he
supposed that the Principal of every
hlgh school realizes that the road ia
blocked out for him, and that the best
ana easiest way to keep in touch with
the accredited list is to use the books
OF which 1 have spokenY
1t is not month since the Princina1
OF certain High School said in NV
presence that the university exam
lner who visited his school asked him
What book he was using in one of the
classes, and on being told. said. eff
you are using that, your work IS all
right, and passed the subject with
out further examination.
Inc question then is Is the ac-
crediting system to be made the naans
OF folsting upon the schools the hooks
edited by University Professors the
alternative being, as it is Understood
py most of the High School Princina ts
at least, that If such books are NOT
USED by them, their schools will nor
De accredited? Is it we'll for the moral
standing of our High Schools that the
shadow of such threat shall be con.
| sldered to hang over them. even if if
should prove not to do so. in fact
For Principals of both public and nri-
cob