The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-25
I. The Textbook Question.

sLdtorSof The Times Dlspatch: ,s II
s,r-rho legislature advising th9 ;, s s,Srn
ceeuS In selecting text-books Is ~ n :,
s5urelysti1ne must drag heavily with our
solcns when. they have leisure tor sucd,.n
diversion. The resolution 'tnfy Az =, stntc
Bourd are competent and Wen lua!, l!.sA
to make tho ction. That oe,ns stmu'
there is no reason for the Genera s.
bly, instructing them how to az y; at ~,
|snesd 4 medicine we consult q doctor; l1r
legal ADVICE, NO go to q lawyer; n po1li-
tics. d politlcian when It " q question
q books VII &c WSey On tic
STATE Board ore OF u high grade; q ma
5jL,;,y OF tho board. & indeed. nre distin,
g!s he'd ere z, not o. n neeu
B 4 lle action OF the Stale Board IN favor
3of7f. multiple list of books seems 70 .he
misunderstood. Some of the NEWSPAPERS
unusual thing, and that with multiple,
It's. county boards may adopt any o.d
be ok. In fact, we have always had q m ,l
trle list in Virginia, and in.rea "a s,pns
5i.atne present State Board has folloWcd
ats predecessors, except that the present
bald Is more restricted as to the c olun e.
ties, as tho q final adoption OF BOOKS =, ~ ~
has 4. string attached. But the State
lsrnrd has not only followed the pTctc.e &C.
del,ts In Virginia. they have naop.eu M.
system In operation in almost every pro-
Eres sivc STATE, certainly in the States.
rc,ed for1the highfstandard or heir pub
schools. The testimony e the i, n :. ~
thls country in favor Of q m ultlp.e over
a single list is overwhelming,
The advocates OF a. single list urge n
H. H. i best judges 3 BOOKS boo can % bouEhs
e een ~ into another can still use their
Oh books It VII ,aye county comma
perhaps. prevent scandals. These LOOK
formidable, but there is really no force
In either OF them. Let us sec II there vs. Is
Wlst-Grant that the State Board IS
better quaiined than county committees
to select books. That is ali right. It Is
Just what the State Board does. ne
Constitution makes 1t the duty or the nla!e
gcard to MAKE the selection Of text
bceks. and they do 1t. This Is equally
true as to both plans. single and multi
Pile. But the Idea has in some way gotten
are thrown down. and tina counties may
adopt books at will. TINS. OF course, IS
q mistake All the county board does,
| or can do. Is to appoint three trustees
! superintendent IS chairman. are 2 COM
| mllice to recommend to the State Board.
lfrom the list adopted by the State board.
such books as they consider most suitable
! for their, county, In choosing committees,
1 H. is tniri to presume county boards VIII
name those VINO know The peculiar needs
l OF tho schools. 5 8f
Augusta cousty is, doubtless. q fair.
sample Of low the committees are maze
| up. The teachers are q male princlpul5
| Of "a graded school, II female graduate
Of state Normar prlnclp pal OF a graded
school. and a most successful tcac CHER IN.
| charge or the primary department In q
/ graded school. Two OF the trustees are
eX-teacbecs; the other one Is an old Cons
fcdcratA, WHIP will certainly look ftar
| that part Of the histories relating to the.
civil War. a committee like this ls well
fitted to select books. but should they
| make a. mistake, no harm will be done,
for they a. limited 10 books On tho
| St,lie Hat, and such hooks arc worthy, or
the Stare Board would not have ad opted
them. Besides. tho committees can only
| recommend, the State Board having re-
served the right to turn the Recommended I
| ton down. aili 1t 80 #5 .s
III. Ruffner wrote with great, force
against the evils ct q single list Is !, a z 9
rigb, to select books tor rheiu counties,
united to the State list, Only great and
strong reasons Will justify taking away
1 from them this right, The State Board