Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-09-21
The Official Textbooks.
What Was the Matter of the Stat. Board. When
TWAS Empowered to Examine Books
Submitted. Before Chosne!

Submitted. Before Chosins!
Ii the State adoption of school
books is real benefit to methods of
instruction, we think it might be diff
ficult to prove it from the books lately
selected by the State. The main oh.
ject to be subserved by adoption of
textbooks by the State is, of course,
to secure uniformity, as we'll as a high
degree OF excellence from the talent
that may thus be enlisted in their
preparation, and the opportunity af-
forded for employing the best skill
and facilities for the better grade Of
letter.press work, from the ample pay
afforded on contract OF large proper
tions. One of the points OF uniform
ity that has been frequently lost sight
OF in adopting educational textbooks,
and that has been totally disregard in
our humble opinion, in the late award,
is, that each series should be uniformly
good.
1t will not be disputed, as a corol.
larry to this proposition, that if the
books adopted are uniformly bad, that
State adoption is bad, or that if some
are good, or passable, and others are
bad and intolerable, that the question
simply resolves itself into one of de-
gree, and the new books must stand
or fall upon their merits as may be
amply demonstrated by actual use.
Some glazing defects have already
become apparent, and it is not surpris-
ing that when they are so readily de.
tected, before the ink is scarcely dry
on the printed page, that our best
qualified teachers are asking for fur
Their time before expressing their
opinion upon the degree of wisdom
displayed in the choice that has been
made. 1t is very general belief that
the book selected for the First of the
series of readers, is far too difficult for
beginners, but it is probable that the
Educational board saw this, and rec
commended certain easier lessons to
precede it, or in view of the possibili-
ties, or rather impossibilities of teach.
ers performing good work with insult
able tools, to supplant it. Although
the need of this easier book was ap-
parent to the board, no means was
provided for getting it into use, with
out buying it. in addition to a class.
book admittedly so far advanced as to
be practically useless to the pupil
who is preparing for a progress,
step by step, through the course of
study prescribed by our wise and law.
empowered educators. The Second
Reader is somewhat better, but still
it is on q shelf little too high for
the advanced beginner. Neither of
the Readers give spelling and pro-
nouncing lists OF the difficult words in
each reading lesson, or makes any at.
tempt at defining their meaning. No
instruction whatever is given for at
tanning a proficiency in emphasis, in.
tonation or infection, in any of
the Reader series. It may be claimed,
perhaps, that if all teachers were
as skilled and diligent as they should
be, that such omissions are not
necessarily defects; but if it be true
that "He who shortens the road to
knowledge lengthens life," it cannot
be disputed that those who straighten
the curves, build the bridges and fill
up the mud-holes, perform a service
equally meritorious in promoting
speedy and easy travel over the course
that has to lie passed by those who as
cend the Mount OF knowledge. The
board should not have lost sight of
the fact that many of our teachers
are but pupils themselves, and that o
frequent review of the lessons of the
school-room is essential to divest them
of crudity and fix the idea taught
upon the memory.
The Spelling Book is as fair a sam.
pie OF excellence as hasty manufacture
may produce. 1t in no way surpasses
the book in use in this State from
1880 to 1895, but will be, when the err
rors are corrected, q fair elementary
work for common schools. The arith.
metics are collections of problems,
without explanations or answers. In
well-graded and supervised city
schools, the results with these books
will perhaps be good, but it is safe 10
say that these effects will be in exact
proportion 10 the ability of the teacher
and the time which other work will
allow to be devoted to this subject
There is very little indeed in the books
which will aid the child to work out
his own instruction. They are built
upon the spiral" plan, which pro.
vides that q series of subjects, includ,
ing simple equations, are presented
and then recur again and again, each
time approaching the completion Of
the subject. At the last revolution
the student finishes all subjects a,
once. So far as this plan provides TO,
review, it embraces one of the an
proved methods of instruction
Whether a child who leaves school Al
the fifth or sixth grade is better of
with a smattering of algebra and &c
ometry, and the subjects OF squar,
root, equations of payments, banking
and the like. or complete knowledg,
of the simpler subjects, is open to dis
cussion.
The Grammar Ia fbo .o A.