Evening star., 1926-04-11

Han q century ago Washington was
much aroused by the frequent changes
An Angel e He tscs schools SSSks 81 in thu the pub
of Light which. inasmuch as the
pupils had to provide
their own, imposed a grievous bur-
den upon the parents. The Star was
tice. The following, printed in the
issue Of April 8. 1876, AFFORDS an anus
Ing sidelight upon the situation:
while we were occupied today
overlooking the reports from 20 or 80
OF the investigating committees now
in session, a parsonage of benign
aspect entered and introduced himself
pleasantly as one OF the school book
fiends,' denounced lately by The Star.
Now, we had never seen a school book
fiend. though we had often heard of
them, and. busy as we were, we turn.
ed to look at him. He was a man, or
perhaps we should say a being, Of
stately proportions, q noble brow of
the Poe amplitude, and q face in
which sensibility, benevolence and dig
nifty seemed to struggle for mastery,
or rather to combine to make a per-
feet whole. His dress was in keeping.
The coat, hat and gloves were black.
which. with certain wistful pensive-
ness OF countenance, seemed to indi.
cate state Of mourning over the
fallen condition Of the world under
the influence Of bad school books
, while at the same time his vest and
pants were of more cheerful hue,
as If to inspire hope that through the
introduction Of his superior elect series
Of books light might be thrown into
all the dark corners of the earth and
sin and besotted ignorance banished
under the glorious influence OF his
spoilers and Biographies.
He handed US his card, 'ThaddeuS
Burkett, Eclectic Educational Series,
Wilson, Hinckle & Co., publishers 1t,
too, was In keeping-black lettering,
indicating grief; pink paper and red
lined border, suggesting hope. Then
he spoke. What fitness in the voice!
A tenor of surprising sweetness that
had q Sankey-like effectiveness, swell.
ing with a wailing pathos as he di.
lated upon the awful condition Of the
lost ones who never knew the Eclectic
Series. and changing to an ecstatic
peal Of triumph as he described the
bliss Of q world redeemed from the
Cornell Geography, the Franklin
Reader, Davies Arithmetic and the
Worcester Speller.
Prejudice and increGulity melted
like snow under that winning voice.
| He demonstrated not only the I'M
measurable superiority Of the Eclectic
Series (Wilson, Hinckle & Co., pub
lishers) over all other school books.
present or possible, but he established
by q process Of reasoning, which
seemed conclusive at the time, but
which we now find ourselves rather
at q loss to explain, that not only
would the change to the Eclectic Se-
ries be effected without cost to the
parents, but that 1t would absolutely
put money in their pockets. 1t was
something like this-you assume in
the first place that school books are
never used more than one year, par
entS being always flush Of money will
not condescend to allow their children
to use secondhand books, and conse-
quently every year the books on hand
are thrown away and new ones pur-
chased. This being the case. when
these new ones are bought all you
! have to do Is to slip in the Eclectic
Series at the reduced introduction
price in the place Of those now au-
thortzed, and there you are! The in.
uuiry came up to the mind whether
the school books are all thrown away
and new books purchased every school
year: whether as q matter Of fact in
these hard times, and in any other
times, q good many parents do not
find It necessary to practice economy
and to require their children to keep
their books in good condition, so that
they may be used in turn by the
Younger ones, and thus do good serv-
ice for years. That there is a brisk
trade In secondhand school books
would seem to indicate, too, that they
are not thrown away after one years
use.
"Then again the unregenerate spirit
Of skepticism would insist upon
prompting the suggestion that IL there
is such a gain by getting the new So
ries Of books at introduction prices
which low prices last for three months
only--whether the argument would
not hold good in favor Of changing
school books every quarter. in which
case the Eclectic Series, If introduced,
would have to make It's exit In 80
days for somebody else's cheap in
PRODUCTION price series.
"Other inquiries Of the same absurd,
Of course) nature presented themselves
to the mind, but died on the tongue
under the influence of that Irresistible
voice and that ineffable smile. As
he went on hour after hour, telling
of the merits of his books and how
communities had arisen and pros