The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1909-10-30
Graft. or What?

g for tie past twelve years, with eac
change of the administration, t
! change the books which are to b
f used in the schools for the ensuin
four years, there by putting the pee
pie to an unnecessary, and, in nan
J instances, unbearable expense. I
spite OF the protect and howl .agains
it the thing has gone on, with seem
! ing indifference. But now it ha
reached such a point that it is lkel
$ candidates for important offices IN tn
a next State campaign will be called ut
on to pledge themselves against th
continuance of the system, to the ep,
that it be finally eliminated. Discus
ing the subject the Alexandria Dem
ocrat saws:
i 1t must be made condition pre-
cedent to the election Of the next Gov
ernor and Superintendent of Publ,
Education that the patrons of th,
public schools Of this State shalt no
he held up again,fpr the benefit .o1
/ Northern publishers OF schoolbooks
as has been the case for the past
twelve years under three successive
administrations, to the amount OF
nearly or quite one million dollars. A
solemn pledge must be exacted OF
candidates for these Office during the
campaign for nomination, that they
will not disturb the status quo, so far
as the schooIbook question is con-
cerned, by making any radical changes
in the textbooks then in use as has
been done under the present and two
administrations Immediately preced-
ing 1t. Besides the policy now pur-
sued 10 public schools, judging by
that in vogue in Alexandria, is not
only unwise, but tends to the detri-
ment, rather than to the benefit and
Improvement Of the pupil. 1t is i'm.
possible for any child, no matter how
massive or capacious his intellect, to
'nasteIthe capacious subjects which he
is required to study, nor IS his men-
tallty sufficient to retain them, even if
he could grasp them. This quadren-
NAL change Of schoolbooks is ques-
ton Of vital import to the patrons of
the public schools and must be made
an issue in the nomination of these
officials who preside over and control
the des,lnies, for veal or woe, of this
department.
That this is sound logic is indis-
putable. The pupil, as rule, is
overburdened with great number of
books, the greater portion of which
the scholar cannot and does not study
It is not only an inconvenience to him
hut . detriment to the overworked
teacher, who finds il next to lmpos-
sible to hear .aiI the lessons, and e.
peclally when the pupil happens to De
duh. It is axtra strain to the nerves
which teachers should not be called
upon to bear. AS stated in the arti- |
Gle above it is Simply a physical I'M
possibility for child to study the |
large number of books forced up it
and retain one-half Of what he studies. !
Hence be is injured more than benefit
I'd. But still the ramming process
is continued and the poor little brain |
grows weary aud inert under the
process.
In the good, old days of Reading.
Riting and Rithmrtic," child WIS
not required to carry whole library
% and from school every day and |
spend half Of the night poring owe,
he volumes it contained. About al
hey had in those days were spelIer,
! reader, grammar, geography and
and vet men who filed the
positions OF Presidents, Senators.
ambassadors, ect., were turned on,
rom the schools which were then
The '.ologies" which now
make up the greater portion of
Students studies received no attention
The object was to torn nut good, capa-
Die business men, and not corps of
1t is time for this foolishness to be
ut out. On all average it will cost
PARENTS IS for each child which is
ent to the higher or graded schools
Right here, 10 this town and parish
here are many parents who cannot
ossibly stand the unreasonable tax
nd as it is here, 60 it is in other Sec
ons Of the State. The thing is a
raud and . graft and should be
hrottled by the. people. The press
as already taken holi of it; this
,eans enIlghtment on TIE subject, and
lis will lead to it's ultimate annihila-
~ nnnoiflsnnv,flo Time