Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1905-08-17


, wheat it throws too much in the straw
Similarly a teacher finds that with som,
books he secures good results while with
others he gets nothing satisfactory
Some books are theoretical; others
practical. \ book must be practical ant
suited to conditions in order to be a gooC
tool. 1t should be highly usable.
=. The book is a great factor in charac-
ter building. There may be in it those
things that appeal to the nobler instincts
and stimulate growth and development OF
best character; or these may be wanting
and their place supplied with matter
which book men call "wish- washy,' -
''trashy," "namby-pamby," etc. The
one may be compared to a meal Of meat,
bread, and potatoes, and the other to one
filling but the latter lacks the elements of
growth in the due proportion which the
former supplies.
3. They cost money. They should be
used carefully and completely and should
not be changed frequently. But when
upon district there should be no hesi-
tation in disearding it for a better, when
it has once been demonstrated satisfac-
torily that the book in use is wholly in
| adequate. For the greatest value that
most of us parents will be able to give
our children will be in the form of an
education. With it we should try to be
| liberal.
While the waye of "change of text
| books" is going over the state, the Boil
| linger County Board of Examiners takes
! a conservative position and recommends
| only such changes as seem actually
| necessary for the good of the schools.
We believe that in the subjects of United
States History, Language and Grammar,
and Geography, a poorer selection OF
texts could hardly have been made by
any committee. The author Of the his
tory is unfair in his conclusions, having
written from a very partisan standpoint.
Children have great faith in their books
and we have a right to require that the
texts be true.
tended to be used in connection with a
library; and IS most schools arc not pro-
yided with the same, the work has been
crippled nearly to failure. The books are
theoretical We believe that this text
should be complete in itself and should
be, in fact, the best text in school-tbat
which deals with our mother tongue. The
text in grammar is good in itself but is
wholly unsuited to the pubic school work
The primary geography is little more
than a supplementary reader. 1t lacks
the attractive arrangement and the helps
to study that distinguish all the better
books.
In view of the foregoing considerations
the County Board recommends that the
district boards adopt the present list of
common school text books with the fol-
lowing changes: Barnes New School
History to replace Shinn's; Mother Ton
que Book to replace DeGarmo's Books
l and II; Graded Lessons in English to
replace Patrick's Grammar; Higher
Lessons in English to be used for ad-
vanced grammar; Frye's Elements OF
Geography to replace Rand & McNally's
Elements; Frye's Complete Geography
to replace gradually the present text.
That is, when new text is wanted Frye's
be purchased, and anyone wishing to ex-
change for the same be allowed to do so.
Practical Writing will he the copy books
used.
The selections made to replace others
have all been tried and proved Of especial
worth in the school room and we believe
them to be of such value as to warrant
parents in making what little sacrifice it
may cost to accomplish the exchange.
We fully appreciate the undesirability
of any change in texts simply from a.
money standpoint, and would not recon-
mend it If We were not persuaded that it
would rebound to the good OF the schools.
Furthermore, in order that there may
be uniformity of texts in the county and
in order that boards may not be persuad-
ed to purchase inferior books, We recon-
mend that district boards do not adopt
any other texts than herein recommend
ed.
The books may be bought for the fol-
lowing prices: Barnes History 81;
Mother Tongue Book [, l5c; Graded
Lessons in English 40c; Higher Lessons
6ic; Primary Geography 65c; Complete
Geography st.25.
II an old book is taken and given in
exchange the prices will be as follows;
History 6Oc; Mother Tongue "; Graded
Lessons 24c; Higher Lessons }Sc; Pri-
mary Geography 39c; Complete Geog-
raphy 75c.
An old copy will be received in ex-
change, provided more than half Of the
text is presented, whether it has cover
or not. But such exchange must be made
before October l..
w. A. DAvAULT, Commissioner.
F. HENDERSON,, Mem. of Board.
w. r. FARRAR, Mem. of Board.
Resolutions of Respect.
I