Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-14
TIME WILL PROVE.
Swearingen Is Willing to Wait For
Vindication In Facts.

State Superintendent of Education
Swearingen, says the Columbia Rec
ord, returned to Columbia Tuesday
night from Rock Hill, where he had
gone Friday to attend the conference
Of county superintendents of education.
He declared that he had no intention
or desire to prolong the controversy
regarding the recent text book adop-
tions made by the state board Of edu-
cation. IF the people of South Caro-
lima are willing to believe" he said,
that they can now exchange old text
books for new ones at an additional
cost Of only 42-3 cents per child each
year, they will be undeceived when the
time comes to buy new books.
II have not counted the words In the
primer or in any other book, but the
new basal second reader contains 159
pages and sells for 35c. The new
basal fifth reader contains 1858 pages
and sells for 35c. This difference Is
interesting.
"Of the old basal first reader 131, 900
copies were sold from 1906 to 1911,
and this book has been displaced. 49,
900 copies of the physical geography
were sold, and this book has been re-
tanned. AS far as the titles on the list
are concerned these two books are
irons of the state are concerned there
is a difference of nearly II to 1, or
more than 1000 per cent. Illustrations
might be multiplied indefinitely, for
readers, arithmetics and Biographies
form the most important part of text
book adoption, and these three series
show that rs per cent of the mere titles
even were thrown out.
IF the members had made up their
minds as to the best and most desira-
BILE books, I am at a loss to under
stand why they were unwilling to point
out the poor books now in use. 1t is
claimed that ample preliminary dis
cussion and comparison at the board
meetings led me to suppose and hope
for this condition. They, therefore,
seem to admit the fact that the real
discussion Of text books was had in
the Jerome hotel. do not presume to
set my opinion against the opinion Of
seven distinguished educators, but be-
ing the secretary of the board and a
member directly responsible to the
people, l thought there should be a
frank, full and open discussion in the
meetings of the board itself. This ad-
mission proves that the adoption was
decided on before the state superin-
tendent of education was given a
CIdIlCe W SHpISSS all OpllilOI. IL HiuoS
not be forgotten also that my request
for a record of these changes was
promptly refused. l was prepared to
recommend several changes and to
support these recommendations with
argument. The board made sweeping
changes, but declined to indicate the
necessity for these changes by point
ing out the inferior and undesirable
books now in use. The assertion that
better books have been adopted does
not suffice, but should be supported
by evidence Every change of text
books is unnecessary unless logical
reason can be assigned therefor.
Il have not questioned the integrity
or impugned the motives of a major
ity of the board, because positive proof
of improper influences can not be ad-
duced The private character of every
man belongs to himself alone. But his
public acts belong to his constituents.
The new policies of the board were
expensive, unexplained, and without
record, and against these three char
acteristics | protested.
There are other points inviting in
teresting comment, but | leave them
to be made by others. The determi-
nation of the issue rests with the peo-
pie