CHANGING SCHOOL BOOKS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8118, 24 May 1906, Page 2

CHANGING SCHOOL BOOKS.

The fiahotu School Committee recently circularised the various committees in the Taranaki Education District, asking support of its resolution calling attention to tho oxpenso caused by the frequent cliuiigeH of I books in tho schools. This prompted several committees to communicate direct with the Hoard on tho matter,

tlioir views coinciding in the main wit: those expressed in tlie following lctte from Mr A. Weller, Secretary to tli Fitzroy Committee: —" I am desire: by the Fitzroy School Committee t urge on the attention of your Boar the imperative nocd for putting an en< to the excessive changes made in sohoo books. Both storekeepers who stoc! and parents who buy tho books, ar oppressed with the burden that has o late been inflicted on them througl these constant changes, which canno be defended upon any ground but tha of caprice. My committee consider that the time has long since arrive: when those who are responsiblo fo selecting the test books for tho variou standards of a school should be iu position to decide which books shoul be used, and to adhere to tho choice si that children of any family may us such books in succession, no matter a which school they may attend. Th evil is one that oalls for an eifeetua and prompt remedy, and my committee therefore, strongly urges the Board ti take tho matter in hand and put an em to these constant, vexatious, and expen siye changes. The responsibility is no one that the Board can or should shif on to the shoulders of their inspectors What is asked for is a definite selec tiori of books which shall, as far a possible, remain in use for some years That the request is reasonable canno be disnuted, and therefore, should b complied with." The chairman supposed tho whol agitation commenced at Fitzroy. Mr W. E. bpencer, Chief Inspectoi said he knew there was always troubl ibout school books and their cost, '..a lie thought the parents in this distric roceived every consideration, teacher being specially instructed not to chang from old books except after matur lonsideration which would lead then ;o believe the change was in every wa; lesirable. Teachers were also speci illy instructed to put parent :o the least possible expense Booksellers and storekeepers alway ■eceived ample notice of impendini changes, so as to save them any eon iiderable loss. Since 1891 there ha< inly been two changes in this district .n 1900 a second reading-book wa; ntroduced, for the simple reason tha jupils learned by heart everything ir ■heir single reader; that was nol 1 reading," or at any rate, intellectual eading. Copybooks had been changed nit this entailed no extra expense ,s no pupil bought a new one ill his old one was filled, year there had been changes in rder to conform to the requirements f the new syllabus, but this only leant discarding one of' tho readers nd replacing it with two—historical ■nd geographical books which made sarning easier by stripping tho subjects f unnecessary tablos of dates, sequence f sovereigns, and so forth. The In-

speotor concluded by stating that without the new syllabus there would have been practically one material change in twelyo years, aud iii many schools he had not insisted on changes at all whore the results were satisfactory. Messrs Adlam and Faull both complained that teachers had not used their discretion in the right direction. Mr Trimble was of opinion that the principal grievance was felt by people who changed from district to district, anl found different systems in vogue. The Chairman was of opinion that tho Education Department should insist on uniformity throughout the Colouy.

Mr Maunder said there was no need for this outcry. Money spent in children's school booKs was money well spent. He was glad to see that thoro were new readers introduced.

Mr Morton considered these agitar tors ipjnt more on books of amusement in on; year than on school books in five years.

The complaining committees will be informod of tho Inspector's roport.