The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-25
Books for Use
In Free Schools
Common Sense Way to Single
List.
Editor Of Tho Timc.-Dlspatoh:

Editor Of Tho Times Dispatch:
sir.--r know county that at the last
| adoption of books for use in FREQ schools
| took series OF readers higher IN price
| than several other series of readers Of
| fered to tho committee. Tho result is,
II observation is worth anything. and
| also many teachers who have handled
Same pupils In two series, the one In use
before last adoption and tho ono In use
| now. say that the gain In interest on the
part OF pupils Is at least thlrty-fve per
cent. the gain In the pupils ability to
read understandingly is more than twenty
por cent. All sorts OF theories may be
| advanced to account for this. but tho
| truth is. the subject matter put into
the hands OF the children is at the bot
tom OF 1t. So with all the books put for
successful use with children. They must
be suited to child life and child devel-
opment. No class OF people can adjust
books to child life so well us the teach
ers who handle both the books and the
children every day. Following up thfs
common sense axiom. there Is. perhaps,
| a way to settle the books for free
schools question and ge. the best books
for practical use throughout the State.
There may exist difference OF opinion
as to books best suited to rural schools
in the first seven, or grammar. grades,
and those for city schools in the same
grades, where there is n teacher to each
.
rural high schools and the city high
| schools.
Let us suppose that our State Superin-
tendent through the State Board have
| each county superintendent appoint :.
committee of three teachers covering tho
first seven or grammar grades and have
these teachers make a choice OF all boo ss
| for each grade-a committee from rural
high schools do the samoa committee
from city primary schools covering seven
grades do the same thing. committee
from city high schools do the same. Have
these selections sent to State Board or
referred to committee OF three school
experts. then from this concensus az
opinion from the actual teaching force
OF the State could be deduced uniform
grammar school course of study With,
/ Hooks to suit both rural and city schools
as near as possible to be had in any
state, and also uniform course "
study for city and rural high schools
alike with books to suit. This would give
State uniformity in public school work
and It would make possible and easy
the single list adoption.
Prior to this all book concerns could
give prices to State Board. In n unfit
cation of the work throughout tho State
along these lines could rbe had what the
State can not afford to be without. VIZ:
the experience and wisdom OF those who
handle Virginia children and the school
books used with these children during
the first seven grammar grades and the
three high school grades OF the Vlr
gtnia child life. The Idea OF going on
an open market and buying any sort of
reader, or geography. or speller, or arith-
/ metic, etc. simply because 1t may be n
I penny cheaper might be educational sui
4 eide to the Commonwealth. What Is a
& cent or two on book II the child gets
the right book? All sensible people see
and know the result when o child gets
sthe wrong hook II In touch at all with
the child.
! believe we can have a uniform
graded course of study for all the public
schools Of the state suited to both rural
and city schools, with single list OF
C,ooks adjusted thereto.
Some were disposed to Taught when
in 1900 we adopted and published a reg
,llar course of study for the Ouancock
publlo school. This was followed Up,
. and last August the county school board
, Of Accomac adopted uniform graded
course OF study for all the schools In
; Accomac. do not know of anything
that has helped all the schools in the
county so much as the coordination OF
methods brought about In this way.
Many Of our best teachers have written
to me OF results and many have told
me they would not know how to get
along now without tho uniform graded
course.
For our entire State, let us have n
coordination of school work. uniform
graded course of study that will take q
child from the hearthstone to his univer-
sity. his normal school, or his college,
along the shortest, safest. pleasantest
and most useful educational highway
DO not let MS get tho cart before tho
horse In our school work. This we do IL
we blindy adopt Single list" and then
, try to lit 1t TO the condition now existing
In school work in this State. First of all,
let us establish uniform course OF study
that will obtain all over the State. Next.
4 let us adjust to this course of work tho
n best books on zach subject based on the
IeMperlence of our best teachers. There we
viii nnd ourselves enjoying all the BEN
| Gifts thut may come with the single
list and what may he even better viz,
state uniformity and coordination In
education. This can be done. and done
A with very little friction and great upift to
tho cause In our commemorative.
q. G.. JOYNES,
onancoch, Va, or Accomac