The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-07-14


Glenn, O'Driscoll, Rembert, Thack-
ston and Toms. In the case Of the first
and second basal readers, Messrs.
Glenn and Rembert voted for the
Graded Classics of B. F. Johnson &
Co. as a solid basal set. Messrs. Dan
iel, O'DriscolI, Rice, Thackston and
Toms voted for the Wheeler first and
second readers, as adopted. In the
case of the biographies, the final vote
stood for Maury. Messrs. Daniel,
O'Driscoll, Thackston and Toms; for
Frye, Messrs. Glenn, Rembert and
Rice. In the case of the grammars
the following voted for Kinard and
Withers books: Messrs Glenn, O'Dris-
coll, Rembert, Rice and Thackston.
The following voted against these
books: Messrs. Danied and Toms. In
each such instance, however, those
who opposed the books finally adopted
cheerfully accepted and approved the
verdict Of the majority. In the final
vote on all other books adopted the
undersigned members voted alike.
Change of Text Books.
In reference to the change of text
books, it must be remembered that the
law itself anticipates the necessity for
change in providing for periodic
adoption. The object, morever, in in
viting bids is to secure not the cheap
est books, but the best books at the
lowest prices, The board showed its
recognition o.: this principle as a pri-
mary end in the fact that, at its first
meeting and frequently in the course
of the adoption, it was repeated with
emphasis that the first duty was to
get the best books irrespective of rea-
sonable differences in price. One OF
the most dangerous doctrines implied
in Mr.. Swearingen's protest is that
which tends to establish the principle
that books should not be changed and
that cheapness is the chief object
No mans child should be COMPEL
ed to use inferior text books even
though such books were furnished
free Of cost. Time once lost by the
child through poor books, is never re-
covered and the damage done is ir-
reparable. People living in the coun-
try, are, as q rule, not in position to
keep up with the advance in text book
Improvements. These advances are on
a par with, or ahead of, improvements
along other lines; and books that were
relatively good four or five years age
may be relatively poor today. Surely
the country children are entitled to as
good books as the town children are
This advantage the board was fully
determined they should have, without
regard to criticism.
Increase i'm Prices.
Most Of those who have made com
parsons between particular books OF
the old and the new adoption have fa1-
len into serious and misleading er-
tor.
Primer and Reader: In the case OF
the primer, although the one adopted
costs 13 cents more than the old cne,
it contains $500 words of reading mat
ter, whereas the old book contains on
ly 1900. Thus the old primer, PASTE
board bound, cheaply made, poorly il
lustrated, gave only ITO words Of read
ing matter for one cent, while the new
primer, clotf! bound, fully and beauti-
fully illustrated, gives 225 words of
reading mater for one cent. The
Judgment Of the school world upon this
new book may be inferred from the
fact that it has been adopted in elev-
en- States. So, also, are the readers
adopted superior to those discarded.
Reading is the most important sub
ject taught in the school, because the
child's progress in all other studies
depends upon his ability to read. That
series of readers which enables the
child to gain this power in the short
est possible time, is in the end the
best and the, cheapest. Such series
the undersigned members of the board
claim to have adopted.
Biographies: In comparison be-
tween the old and the adopted primary
biographies, the following is the fact:
The book thrown out was confessedly
unsuitable and was not supported by
a single member of the board. The
board was finally limited to choice
between the new Primary Frye at 40
D,,s, J.