Year: 1878

AS usual upon tho assembling of the
Legislature, various measures looking TO
either a change in our school system, or
n change in the text books used are intro
duced. We have, at the present time
both TO consider. The firm of Bancroft
& Co. are irrepressible. They own
large prin ting and book establishment in
San Francisco, and through the medium
of that business are constantly at work
destroying the legitimate printing bust
ness Of the State. Whenever an oppor-
tuni!y offer to rob local establishment Of
few dollars or cents by undertaking on
various kinds of public work, Bancroft &
Co. come to the front, and unless those
with whom they have to deal are inhuenc-
ed by that feeling of economy which tells
them that home industry should be en-
titled to receive the first offer Of patronage,
they succeed in what they aim to accom-
plish. When they once imagine they
have got things their oua way the cloven
foot shows itself and it is found that they
do not work for next to nothing on all oc-
casions. A few years ago, Messrs Ban
croft & Co. extended their operations a
little. Having got foothold in the State
and county public business it was next
deemed advisable to reach a little farther
and put their hands directly into the
pockets of the people. To do this the
more effectually, they compiled a series
Of readers and their aim ever since has
been to procure the introduction Of these
readers into the public schools. AS this
move would result in transferring n few
hundred thousands of dollars from the
pockets of parents and guardians into the
pockets of Bancroft & Co., it is not sur
prising that the attempt should be repeat
ed again and again, as often as occasion
offered. Thus far the Legislature, hav-
ing the good of the people more at heart
than that of Bancroft g. Co., have check
mated their little schemes, but the prize
is one worth contending for and Bancroft
81 Co. are on hand again.


With regard to a change Of text books
in the public schools there is but one
question. In seeking to promote the ed
ucationsl interests Of the rising generation
the question of cost should be one Of sec
ondary consideration, yet it is one which
we cannot afford to ignore. With the
adoption of a new series of text books
comes q direct drain upon every parent
who sends his children to school, and this
without regard to his ability to meet
such an expense. If it is to be needless
outlay it should by all means be avoided.
And, if we are to Judge by the preponder-
ance Of sentiment, the new books will be
no improvement upon the old ones. II
such be the case their substitution for the
ones now in use, merely because they are
published by firm on this coast would be
direct robbery. If the new books are an


improvement on the old ones, or if their
gradual substitution will eventually result
supplying the schools with rs good books
at reduced rate is the only thing to be
looked mt.


Itis also proposed TO effect radical
change in the studies required to be pur-
sued. Mr.. Barstow is the author Of a bill
for this purpose. 1t is contended by the
friends Of this bill that we have too many
branches Of study that arc more ornamen-
tai than useful, and we think the reason
holds good Mr.. Barstow's bill limits the
number of studies in the schools TO seven,
OF which reading, writing, spelling ard
arithmetic are preferred studies. We
think this measure has merit, though we
by no means wish to be understood as
opposed to the higher branches Of study.
1t is of the first importance that children
should be thoroughly educated in the rn-
dmentary branches, and that they should
not be required to prosecute other studies
until these are mastered. Where too much
"cramming" is done, the child does not
receive and retain in after lto the lessons
learned with so much labor. What is
taught should be taught thoroughly, and
when the most necessary branches Of ed
ucation are mastered it will be full time
to attempt the higher ones.