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Vol. I. SACRAMENTO: SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 1889. No. 5. Themis: published weekly, by A. J. Johnston & Co. Publication Office, 410 J Street. Subscription—One year, by mail, $3 00; six months, by mail, $1 50; per month, by carrier, 25 cents. (Entered at the Post Office at Sacramento as second-class matter.) Editors: Winfield J. Davis, W. A. Anderson, Geo. A. Blanchard, Elwood Bruner. Recently we called attention to a number of unpardonable errors in the History of the United States and ol this State, compiled and issued by the State Board of Education. We are not calling attention to the faults of our public text books because we oppose the policy of such publications, for the writer, while in the legislature, was an enthusiastic supporter of the enabling and appropriation bills to put into effect the constitutional amendment sanctioning the publication of school books at the state printing office. These appropriations were very liberal; they were made in 1885; the compilers of these books have had ample time and facilities to do their work perfectly. From the very casual examination we have made of the books, aud the criticisms that have been made in our hearing by gentlemen and ladies better qualified to judge of such matters than we are, we have concluded that in very many respects the work of compilation has been performed in a very unsatisfactory manner; it is not at all creditable to the compilers. If it is the work of practical educators, our respect for practical educators has somewhat fallen. The State would have derived more advantage by enlisting a few practical mechanics, farmers, merchants and professional men to compile a series of text books from which our children could receive an education after reasonable study, and without having to wear their brains out in learning abstruse matters which are of no earthly benefit to them now, and never will be, even if they live to be centennarians. We have before us a well-worn grammar, the property of an 11-year-old friend of ours. He has been wearing his brain out on it; it amounts to absolute cruelty to the child. In the introduction of the book it is stated: "Part I of this book is made to be used'in the schools of this state, with pupils of from 11 to 14 years of age." Part I starts out in the first lesson with "Ways of Grouping Words." The lesson is worded in language that no ordinary child between the ages stated can reasonably comprehend. Lesson 3 draws hair-line distinctions between a "sentence," a "clause," and a "phrase;" and on page 9 of the work the precocious pupil is given twenty-seven sentences and asked: To classify them as sentences, clauses or phrases; to select from the list seven clauses which will become sentences when the first word in each is dropped; to select four phrases that form parts of clauses or sentences; and to select five phrases, five clauses, and five sentences from the last lesson read in the Reader. Lesson 5 deals with declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory, affirmative and negative sentences. Lesson 8 treats learnedly on the subject of predicates, and such terms as Word, Grammatical, Verb, Entire, and Logical predicates are explained in a manner that will confuse any adult of fair education. Our space does not admit of us following these lessons up, and pointing out more of their absurdities, but we advise such of our readers as have children studying this book, to examine it, and we will venture that the popular verdict, rendered on a basis of hard common sense, will condemn it as being almost cruelty to inflict such mental torture on children of tender years. The review questions of Part I commence at Page 55- Here are a few of a large number of questions: What is the complement of a verb ? Show the difference between a complete and an incomplete verb ? What kind of verbs take complements ? What kind take object complements ? What is the attribute in a sentence ? What are adjective adjuncts ? Give an example of an infinitive having an adverbial modifier. We will venture that not one out of fifty adults who have received a modern education can answer a majority of these review questions. At best grammar is a difficult study—one of the most perplexing that is encountered in the acquirement of our education. Text books on that subject particularly should be as much simplified as possible, and there is no justification in placing before a child a book which cannot be understood by an adult of ordinary education. As a rule the text books of to-day on the fundamental branches of education are inferior to those used fifty and even twenty-five years ago. Less words were then used, but the matter was presented so logically and simply that the pupil had little difficulty in acquiring, in a comparatively short time, the result that is now gained only after years of study and mental torture. In some of the works of the state series it would almost seem that a studied effort has been made to prepare unsatisfactory books, and it almost indicates that there may be' some truth in the intimation that the fight of the private school book publishers against public text books has not ended. It is to be regretted that the legislature did not look into this matter and institute a thorough investigation. We believe that the power yet remains with the, governor to cause a scrutinizing inquiry into the matter. We think that Governor Waterman is a well-meaning man, and if these things mean an attempt at crippling the will ot the people as expressed by the passage of a constitutional amendment, he, of all other of our citizens, will be the one most anxious to expose it. The people have by popular vote demanded the publication by the state of school books for their children; they have lavished a great amount of money to accomplish this end. Very many members of the legislature of 1885 are satisfied that had it been possible to defeat the will of the people, parties interested in that direction would not have scrupled to resort to any means to accomplish that end. We know that the gentlemen under whose supervision the text books have been compiled have acted in the very best of faith, but we do say that with the time they have had and the money they have had at their command, their work, so far as we have observed it and so far as we have heard public expression concerning it, merits but little praise. There is an element among the American people who find fault with everything just for the sake of being contrary and unreasonable. It is utterly impossible for anyone to say at this time what President Harrison will do, or what power or influence will be exercised by Secretary Blaine. As Chief Executive of the greatest nation on earth, President Harrison .and his chief minister of state should receive the respectful treatment and consideration ot all true Americans. Mr. Harrison is not the President of any party, but of the whole people. He has scarcely assumed the functions of his great office, and has not done anything that could be possibly construed into an offensive act by any person, before the most rabid and vituperative assaults are made upon him in print and by caricatures which picture him and his cabinet as the vilest of creatures, bent upon theft, arson, murder and everything that is bad. Seeing these things, what could those who are unfamiliar with our form and system of government think? It would strike the foreigners in the most unfavorable light and lead them to conclude that we are a nation of vagabonds and thieves. Pick up any of the leading Democratic papers in the United States and the first object that strikes the eye is a large caricature either of the President or the Secretary of State in the attitude of perpetrating some great fraud or in the commission of some lawless act. This is all wrong. While the papers which indulge in this line of action may attract the eye of some, it will serve to repel others, and of a better class of people. No true lover of America or American institutions can find it in his heart to approve these libels upon our fair name and fame. It is not a question of partisanship now—that question has been settled by the arbitrament of the ballot. The principle which actuates all Americans has been settled and we should bow to the will of the majority. It is not right to keep up this running fire at this time when no possible cause exists. No matter of what political faith our President may be, he is the Executive of the great American nation, and must be respected as such. Stanley Matthews, one of the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, died on Friday last, at Washington, after a lingering illness. His death was not unexpected Judge Matthews was one of the brainiest men of the nation. Coupled with his brains was that broad, common sense consideration of all questions, which should characterize a judicial mind. It is these liberal-minded men we need upon the bench, from the ordinary Superior Judge to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Federal Court. Some attorneys when they are so fortunate as to be elevated to the bench forget the fact that they are only advocates after all. Some lose sight of the fact that they once appeared as counsel for clients who are appealing for justice. Some think it necessary to display their legal lore, or rather want of it, by hair drawn conceptions and what they are pleased to call nice distinctions of points of law, disregarding the open and broad question of justice between man and man. . ".* * * * Vor Justice, All place a temple, and all season summer." A judge should be a priest of Justice ; a court of Justice a temple from which Justice itself should never be expelled. We need more such judicial minds as that possessed by Justice Stanley Matthews. Literature might be compared to the formation of the earth's surface—the alluvium, the gravel or other hard substance, and the granite upon which the others rest. In literature we have the light and superficial, the literature of fashion, which serves the purpose of a day and then passes from mind, except where immoral lessons are taught, and these always remain. This class comprises the cheap romance and later day sensational novels, coarse rhyme and coarser wit. Then we have a more enduring class of literary work, but still not for all time, such as magazines, and many productions of romance and fiction; but these pass from memory and are sunk in the cemetery of forgotten lore. But there is a granite' formation of literature as firmly established as the pillars of the universe—the old Greek and Latin classics—the modern classics, such as Shakespeare, Milton and Dante. There are also other particular works that are destined to be perpetuated in the minds of men, such as Dickens, Thackeray, Scott, Swift, Lamb, Goldsmith, Cervantes, Balzac, and which are, so to speak, written upon tablets as enduring as marble. Many bright gems have emanated from the minds of Holmes, Aldrich, Harte and Hay. It often occurs in the literary world that some apparently in-'
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Text | Vol. I. SACRAMENTO: SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 1889. No. 5. Themis: published weekly, by A. J. Johnston & Co. Publication Office, 410 J Street. Subscription—One year, by mail, $3 00; six months, by mail, $1 50; per month, by carrier, 25 cents. (Entered at the Post Office at Sacramento as second-class matter.) Editors: Winfield J. Davis, W. A. Anderson, Geo. A. Blanchard, Elwood Bruner. Recently we called attention to a number of unpardonable errors in the History of the United States and ol this State, compiled and issued by the State Board of Education. We are not calling attention to the faults of our public text books because we oppose the policy of such publications, for the writer, while in the legislature, was an enthusiastic supporter of the enabling and appropriation bills to put into effect the constitutional amendment sanctioning the publication of school books at the state printing office. These appropriations were very liberal; they were made in 1885; the compilers of these books have had ample time and facilities to do their work perfectly. From the very casual examination we have made of the books, aud the criticisms that have been made in our hearing by gentlemen and ladies better qualified to judge of such matters than we are, we have concluded that in very many respects the work of compilation has been performed in a very unsatisfactory manner; it is not at all creditable to the compilers. If it is the work of practical educators, our respect for practical educators has somewhat fallen. The State would have derived more advantage by enlisting a few practical mechanics, farmers, merchants and professional men to compile a series of text books from which our children could receive an education after reasonable study, and without having to wear their brains out in learning abstruse matters which are of no earthly benefit to them now, and never will be, even if they live to be centennarians. We have before us a well-worn grammar, the property of an 11-year-old friend of ours. He has been wearing his brain out on it; it amounts to absolute cruelty to the child. In the introduction of the book it is stated: "Part I of this book is made to be used'in the schools of this state, with pupils of from 11 to 14 years of age." Part I starts out in the first lesson with "Ways of Grouping Words." The lesson is worded in language that no ordinary child between the ages stated can reasonably comprehend. Lesson 3 draws hair-line distinctions between a "sentence," a "clause," and a "phrase;" and on page 9 of the work the precocious pupil is given twenty-seven sentences and asked: To classify them as sentences, clauses or phrases; to select from the list seven clauses which will become sentences when the first word in each is dropped; to select four phrases that form parts of clauses or sentences; and to select five phrases, five clauses, and five sentences from the last lesson read in the Reader. Lesson 5 deals with declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory, affirmative and negative sentences. Lesson 8 treats learnedly on the subject of predicates, and such terms as Word, Grammatical, Verb, Entire, and Logical predicates are explained in a manner that will confuse any adult of fair education. Our space does not admit of us following these lessons up, and pointing out more of their absurdities, but we advise such of our readers as have children studying this book, to examine it, and we will venture that the popular verdict, rendered on a basis of hard common sense, will condemn it as being almost cruelty to inflict such mental torture on children of tender years. The review questions of Part I commence at Page 55- Here are a few of a large number of questions: What is the complement of a verb ? Show the difference between a complete and an incomplete verb ? What kind of verbs take complements ? What kind take object complements ? What is the attribute in a sentence ? What are adjective adjuncts ? Give an example of an infinitive having an adverbial modifier. We will venture that not one out of fifty adults who have received a modern education can answer a majority of these review questions. At best grammar is a difficult study—one of the most perplexing that is encountered in the acquirement of our education. Text books on that subject particularly should be as much simplified as possible, and there is no justification in placing before a child a book which cannot be understood by an adult of ordinary education. As a rule the text books of to-day on the fundamental branches of education are inferior to those used fifty and even twenty-five years ago. Less words were then used, but the matter was presented so logically and simply that the pupil had little difficulty in acquiring, in a comparatively short time, the result that is now gained only after years of study and mental torture. In some of the works of the state series it would almost seem that a studied effort has been made to prepare unsatisfactory books, and it almost indicates that there may be' some truth in the intimation that the fight of the private school book publishers against public text books has not ended. It is to be regretted that the legislature did not look into this matter and institute a thorough investigation. We believe that the power yet remains with the, governor to cause a scrutinizing inquiry into the matter. We think that Governor Waterman is a well-meaning man, and if these things mean an attempt at crippling the will ot the people as expressed by the passage of a constitutional amendment, he, of all other of our citizens, will be the one most anxious to expose it. The people have by popular vote demanded the publication by the state of school books for their children; they have lavished a great amount of money to accomplish this end. Very many members of the legislature of 1885 are satisfied that had it been possible to defeat the will of the people, parties interested in that direction would not have scrupled to resort to any means to accomplish that end. We know that the gentlemen under whose supervision the text books have been compiled have acted in the very best of faith, but we do say that with the time they have had and the money they have had at their command, their work, so far as we have observed it and so far as we have heard public expression concerning it, merits but little praise. There is an element among the American people who find fault with everything just for the sake of being contrary and unreasonable. It is utterly impossible for anyone to say at this time what President Harrison will do, or what power or influence will be exercised by Secretary Blaine. As Chief Executive of the greatest nation on earth, President Harrison .and his chief minister of state should receive the respectful treatment and consideration ot all true Americans. Mr. Harrison is not the President of any party, but of the whole people. He has scarcely assumed the functions of his great office, and has not done anything that could be possibly construed into an offensive act by any person, before the most rabid and vituperative assaults are made upon him in print and by caricatures which picture him and his cabinet as the vilest of creatures, bent upon theft, arson, murder and everything that is bad. Seeing these things, what could those who are unfamiliar with our form and system of government think? It would strike the foreigners in the most unfavorable light and lead them to conclude that we are a nation of vagabonds and thieves. Pick up any of the leading Democratic papers in the United States and the first object that strikes the eye is a large caricature either of the President or the Secretary of State in the attitude of perpetrating some great fraud or in the commission of some lawless act. This is all wrong. While the papers which indulge in this line of action may attract the eye of some, it will serve to repel others, and of a better class of people. No true lover of America or American institutions can find it in his heart to approve these libels upon our fair name and fame. It is not a question of partisanship now—that question has been settled by the arbitrament of the ballot. The principle which actuates all Americans has been settled and we should bow to the will of the majority. It is not right to keep up this running fire at this time when no possible cause exists. No matter of what political faith our President may be, he is the Executive of the great American nation, and must be respected as such. Stanley Matthews, one of the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, died on Friday last, at Washington, after a lingering illness. His death was not unexpected Judge Matthews was one of the brainiest men of the nation. Coupled with his brains was that broad, common sense consideration of all questions, which should characterize a judicial mind. It is these liberal-minded men we need upon the bench, from the ordinary Superior Judge to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Federal Court. Some attorneys when they are so fortunate as to be elevated to the bench forget the fact that they are only advocates after all. Some lose sight of the fact that they once appeared as counsel for clients who are appealing for justice. Some think it necessary to display their legal lore, or rather want of it, by hair drawn conceptions and what they are pleased to call nice distinctions of points of law, disregarding the open and broad question of justice between man and man. . ".* * * * Vor Justice, All place a temple, and all season summer." A judge should be a priest of Justice ; a court of Justice a temple from which Justice itself should never be expelled. We need more such judicial minds as that possessed by Justice Stanley Matthews. Literature might be compared to the formation of the earth's surface—the alluvium, the gravel or other hard substance, and the granite upon which the others rest. In literature we have the light and superficial, the literature of fashion, which serves the purpose of a day and then passes from mind, except where immoral lessons are taught, and these always remain. This class comprises the cheap romance and later day sensational novels, coarse rhyme and coarser wit. Then we have a more enduring class of literary work, but still not for all time, such as magazines, and many productions of romance and fiction; but these pass from memory and are sunk in the cemetery of forgotten lore. But there is a granite' formation of literature as firmly established as the pillars of the universe—the old Greek and Latin classics—the modern classics, such as Shakespeare, Milton and Dante. There are also other particular works that are destined to be perpetuated in the minds of men, such as Dickens, Thackeray, Scott, Swift, Lamb, Goldsmith, Cervantes, Balzac, and which are, so to speak, written upon tablets as enduring as marble. Many bright gems have emanated from the minds of Holmes, Aldrich, Harte and Hay. It often occurs in the literary world that some apparently in-' |