The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-16

fu! study ana honest consideration of the
books submitted to us, do now make our
report
You will notice that many Of the books
used in our public schools for the past
three years find places on the list being
satisfactory. and trust that any new
books recommended will after a fair trial
meet with the approval of those most
directly interested, namely, pupils and
teachers;
Readers-Hazen's Harper's, Barnes,
*Butlers, Monroe's, "Raub's Normal,
stepping Stones to Literature.
graphies-Butler's Elementary, But
ler's Complete.
Grammars-Tarbell's Language, Books
/ and II, Revised; Whitney & Lockwood,
No 3.
Arlthmetics-*F. II. Hall. Parts l, II,
III (AnsweTs).
Histories - MontGomery's Beginners.
Montbgomery's Leading Facts.
Spellers-FThe Normal Speller, Nos.
and 2.
Physiologies- Stowell's.
Algebras--Hull.
Civil Governmcnt--*TheP PENNSYLVANIA
Citizen, by Schimmel
Writing-'The Natural System of Yer
teal by d. c. Heath
TO REPLACE OLD BOOKS.
The only recommendation the board
adopted was the substitution of the
Revised Tarbell's Language lessons
for the old edition. The book was re-
vised by the publishers. CHM & Co.,
to meet certain suggestions made by
Superintendent Howell. All of the old
books now on hand are to be replaced
without expense to the board.
adontp6
that "Raub's Stepping Stones to Lit
erature" should be added to the list
of readers but as there is no such book
the recommendation falls fiat.
The books which the advisory COM
mittee wanted replaced were Miners
aritmetics, Swinton's spoilers. Town
sends civil government and Wallis
writing books.
One of the controllers who was in
sympathy with the report of the advi-
sorry committee has furnished the fol-
lowing statement:
I'm looking over the list it will be
seen that the only new readers added
are the New Normal" by Prof. Raub
and the stepping Stones to Litera-
ture." This will entail no additional
expense, for the reason that they are
compelled to use readers in the city of
Scranton and that the books were to
he ordered for those that We're needed
for this year.
mo change was made in the geOgra
phies. In the grammars q change was
made from the old edition of Tarbel's S
Language Books to the revised edition.
This edition Of these books could be
ordered this year and displace the old
books, gradually, entailng no eX-
pense.
COMPLETE CHANGE.
I'm the arithmetics, the teachers rec
commended a complete change, believ-
ing fully that the books recommended
would be far superior to those already
in use. The histories they made no
change in. In the matter of physiolo
gies they recommended the same book
in use, but recommended a change in
the system of writing.
1T was claimed at the board meet
ing last night that this change would
cost from $4,000 to ST. 900 In CONVEX
sation with a number of book agents
it was understood that a full change
of all the books in the city of Scranton
could be made for $4,000 or $12 900 A
wholesale change was never thought
| Of.
THE meeting of the teachers COM
| mittee was secret and they acted on
| the merits of the books. 1t is an in
| justice to the teachers of this city tc
| have their report turned down in the
| manner that it has been. | believe
| that the teachers are better able tC
! judge the merits of text books than
| the controllers, for the reason that they
! are using the same, and that they had
/ these samples submitted to them, have
| gone over them carefully, and are fully
| capable of judging as to the merits oi
| the different books. When a text book
! has been in use for three years it Is
nearly worn out, and II would be cheap,
cr for the board 10 adopt a new tex
) book as they will after the expiration
I OF three years have to purchase nearly
| as many 10 supply their present needs
! MS they would II they did not make
change. by making change the pub
| fishers allow n greater discount an(
| take all the old books off the hands
of the board, which saves considerab bl,
! expense.
THE EFFECT.
"If the teachers in the city of Scran
ton are not allowed to recommend tn,
! books that they desire and be sup
ported by the board, it will amount Il
this; That no matter how good bool
| may he IL will not be rocommende,
to the board under the present con
! ditiona, and that the old text books
that have been in use for the last ten
/ fifteen or twenty years win be con
! tinued in use and the children of tn
city will not have the benefit of tn
new ideas embraced in the new publ
! cations.
II feel that If The board wanted L
| act conscientiously in the matter O
| adopting text books, that the repor
of the advisory committee OF teacher
should have been adopted, considering
! that instead of the expense OF $500
it would have been only an cXpens
of $4,000, ana those books would b
continued IN use for the next thre
years and the board would not hav
to purchase any more of the sam
books for that period, thereby glVinl
new books, practically at no expense
There is talk Of a special meeting
Of the board being called this week 4
reconsider the action on the text booI
matter, This depends altogether ol
whether OF uot majority can be pc