Year: 1861

is well so for as it gOes-the schools IN
neighborhoods all around-each acting IN
dependently of all others, have other and
entirely different books. So that when
patrons move from one district to another
or paIronize a different school, they are
compelled to buy new books before their
children can enter the regular classes.
Now, if all the schools use The same kind
of books, patrons would be saved this
needless expense.


Again, teachers prefer TO use such
books as they are acquainted with such
as they have been accustomed to use
Hence, when they enter new district,
and find different books in use, they fre-
quently persuade the people to buy new
ones. Now if there was a standard uni
formity of books in all our schools, as the
teacher went from one district to another
they would find such books as they had
been accustomed to use, and would not
desireaan change. Here, again, the
people would be saved a heavy expense by
the adoption of a standard uniform series
of books; while it is granted that the
immediate adoption Of standard uniform
series of books in the schools Of Nebras-
ka, will entail some present expense, yet
from the examples cited, and many more
which might be named, it is manifest that
in the end it would be a great saving Of
expense and productive of great good in
our schools.


Having shown that no well arranged
classification can be had without unifor-
nifty Of books, that the expense for books
would be far less with a uniformity than
with diversity; and believing, as 1 do,
that with the advantages Of such classif-
fication our pupils could secure as high
attainments at the age of fourteen years.
as they would without it at the age Of six
teeen or eighteen, the wisdom and econ
omy of at once adopting uniformity of
books is APPARENT.


In view Of these facts / have felt that
the adoption of a uniformity Of books
in our schools is of the first importance,
and to this end, | have recommended in
my last annual report to the Legislative
Assembly, list of books as such stan
dard uniformity. In making the selec-
tion, the sole aim was, to secure the best
books extant, and to do this, called to
my aid good practical teachers, and edu-
Gators, where years Of experience in the
practical duties of the school room, well
qualified them to decide upon so impOr-
tant question, and to them I submitted
all the various Text Books before the
public that had been able to obtain, af-
ter careful examination and COMPARE
son of the merits of the several works
submitted to them, the recommended books
selected as the best for the purposes de.
signed, and / earnestly request that the
Officers of Schools, Teachers and patrons
will cooperate in securing the adoption
and permanent use of the books recon-
mended.


It has been suggested that after the
books have been adopted, some other Sc
ries of books will be recommended, and
another change urged. This / consider
groundless fear. The necessity and
advantage of a change would no longer
exist. With a uniformity of the most
approved books in use, no School Com
missioner would find any ground on which
to urge the necessity Of a change. Pu-
pills and Teachers who would be familiar
with these books, would not desire any
change; and the people who would have
the expense to lose and nothing to gain
would not readily second such move.


If, in the course Of time, new books
should be issued which should prove after
thorough test, to be enough better than
those now selected to warrant the trouble
and expense of a change, then, and not
till then would l favor a deviation from
the standard uniform series. Il is to be
expected that some teachers viii have
their preferences for some other books
such as they chance to be familiar with,
but 1 trust they will cheerfully waive all
personal preferences for the general
good, and use their best endeavors TO se-
cure the early adoption, and permanent
use of the standard uniform series rec
commended.