The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-01-03


mind, but it seems to me that the chill
dren can get this mind development
by working out problems which viii
be of some value to them on the farm
The new arithmetics take up some
of the practical farm problems.
The grammars now in use have toe
much technical grammar and not
enough of composition and letter writ
ing The composition and letter writ
ing are of practical value and help
to make fluent, correct and effective
speakers and writer's. We need to
know the technical grammar but we
also need to know how to write good
letters, how to express our thoughts
in correct English, now to interpret
the thoughts of others. All of this
is given in the books we are recon-
mending.
The readers now in use have been
used for the past eight years and in
some cases for a longer time. The
stories are old to the children long be-
fore they are able to read them. The
books are not we'll graded and in many
cases the lessons are too hard for the
grade supposed to read them. The
readers should be changed every five
years. In town schools these books
are changed at least every five years.
In many schools the children in the
lower grades have at least two read
ers of the same kind.
The new spelling book is much bet
ter than the old one-it is probably
the best spelling book on the market
for the first eight grades. 1t gives the
pronunciation and spelling of the
words as they are now used by the
best speakers and writer's, and also
agree with the new 1911 Websters In
ternational Dictionary.
The new physiologies take up the
modern ways of living and show how
many of the common diseases may be
prevented and thus 1000 lives saved
every day. In the new books full eX-
plantations are given, showing how dis
ease is caused and may be prevented
and how the body may be kept strong
and healthy The knowing of anat-
omy and physiology is of little value
to our young people unless it helps
them to practice intelligently in their
daily lives the teachings of hygiene
and sanitation. The new books are
much more readable and interesting
than the old ones and the little cost
should not be considered in making
the change.
Copy books teach drawing much
better than writing. Every child
should have a Palmer Method Man
ual of writing and this should be fol
lowed diligently and carefully by both
the teacher and the pupils. Every
boy or girl who finishes the course
planned for the country schools should
be able to write good readable hand.
and they will be able to if the above
suggestions are followed.
There is no question but what the
textbooks which meet the above sug-
gestions will be a decided improve
ment over the old textbooks now in
use and will be worth the few cents
difference in cost.
With the new textbooks in use it
should be easier for the teachers to
make the work very much more in
teresting The older boys and girls
should enjoy the work as they will
get something up-to-date and of more
practical value.
We had $3.50 pupils in our country
schools last year, and of this number
80 graduated. Too many boys and
girls quit school before graduation.
Few people realize that the time spent
in school of the average boy is worth
more than ten dollars a day to him.
That is, the boy with average ability
who finishes the rural school will
make enough more money in life
time to make every day spent in
school worth ten dollars day to him.
What is true of the boys is true of the
girls, who use their education in
business way.
Boys and girls who graduate from
the rural schools may attend high
school for four years or any part of
it and the township in which they re-
side must pay the tuition.
Many are asking, what will it cost
to change the teXtbooks?" The cost
will vary according to the number of
school children in the township. The
actual cost of taking up the old books
now in use in the ten schools of Otter
Creek township with 165 children en-
rolled and to give them new book
for the one they are now using will be
$166 and the old books. There are