The Daily Cincinnati Republican, And Commercial Register

FOR THE CINCINNATI REPUBLICAN

Whereas, frequent application has been made to the "College of Professional Teachers," by various absent members, for a definite expression of opinion on the subject of Class Books for Schools: therefore, Resolved, "That the following Report be adopted as the sentiment of this College; and that the same be ordered to be published in the newspapers of the city."

REPORT.

The Committee of the Convention of last year, to whom was referred the consideration of Class Books, &c. beg leave to Report That they regard the excessive multiplication of School Books, on all subjects, as an evil, in a great measure unavoidable, in the present state of professional qualifications, among the great body of Teachers.

Teachers thoroughly versed in the sciences which they teach, and adepts in the art of communicating them, require nothing more of a school book than that it fully exhibit the facts which are necessary to be known to the Student. The mode and order of communicating these, skilful Teachers will constantly adapt to the new circumstances in which their classes and pupils appear. The inflexible mechanism of our system of communicating knowledge, does not, therefore, suit them; and, consequently, in their eyes, that class book will always be the best one, which presents the naked facts, unincumbered with system. The case, however, is different, where a Teacher is either distrustful of his own powers, or is really deficient in his attainments. He prefers a book, not for the plain and succinct statement of facts which it contains, but for the system of teaching which it offers him, ready made.

In this way, books have been multiplied to suit the different capacities of Teachers, quite as much as to accommodate their pupils.

For this evil, then, so far as it exists, your Committee see no other remedy, than this very general one--to wit: to elevate the standard of intellectual qualifications among Teachers themselves-an object which this College, on other accounts also, is so desirous to effect. When this end shall have been attained, the correction of the evil alluded to, will follow as a necessary result. Each Teacher, in the well-grounded confidence of his own talents and capacities, will adopt and follow such plans of instruction as he finds, for the time, to be most successful; and such school books only will be acceptable, as contain perspicuous arrangements of facts, divested of all the peculiarities of any exclusive system of teaching whatever. When this desirable epoch shall have arrived, your Committee will then be prepared to recommend a set of school books; and, in the mean time, would trust to the natural competition of book-making talent, to have them forthcoming.

For the present, they would beg leave to offer only one suggestion on this subject-that the works which are to be put into the hands of children to be read, should, as much as possible, be the productions of men of taste and genius-for works of this kind, alone possess that character of essential simplicity, which is so agreeable and pleasing to the minds of children, as well as men. They deprecate the general introduction of that nursery style of composition, which has appeared in some late works of elementary instruction, which they believe to be as remote from usefulness, as it is foreign to all true taste.

Your Committee are of opinion, that a child sustains no loss whatever by being accustomed to a style of diction somewhat above its comprehension; it reminds him that he has to rise to a superior degree of intelligence, instead of resting where he is, and he can always interpret enough of the author's meaning, thoroughly to interest him.

All which is respectfully submitted.

THOS. J. MATTHEWS
B. O. PEERS.
A. KINMONT,
Committee.

Cincinnati, Sept. 14, 1833.