Courses of Study and Text-Books by Milton P. Robison

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Apr 1, 1909

Courses of Study and Text-Books

By Milton P. Robison

EVERY one who has taught in our schools has felt the need of text-books which are written from the standpoint of Christian education. How difficult and discouraging it is to both teacher and pupil to leave out certain pages, or to omit such topics, or to reverse the order of subjects in the books we use. We as teachers have also felt the need of unity in the different schools in regard to courses of study and text-books. When a pupil goes from one school to another with books not used in the second school, he is obliged to buy others, and it is difficult to make his future work connect naturally with that of the past.

For these reasons the conferences, the union conferences, and now the General Conference have, at educational conventions, chosen courses of study and selected some text-books. They have also encouraged the writing of other suitable text-books.

These same conditions obtain in the public schools, and so each State has fixed a course of study and selected text-books for its schools. All States have not the same courses nor text-books.

Imagine a teacher from one State securing a position in another. This teacher, upon examining the text-books on geography and grammar used in the State in which he finds himself, is not pleased with them. They do not look interesting; the illustrations are not good; the grammar has no system of diagraming, and is too hard; the geography is too easy. He thinks, “How much better I could teach from the books I used in the State from which I came!” He therefore instructs the pupils to buy a grammar and a geography different from the ones prescribed. Would this do in the public school?—No!

Let us suppose, however, that his plans are discovered by the superintendent, and he tells him that the State laws call for certain text-books. He accepts the prescribed books, but very plainly states to his classes in these subjects, his dislike for them. He keeps before the minds of his pupils the thought that he does not agree with the text-books, and does not see why they were ever adopted. Can he expect good recitations and a lively interest on the part of pupils when he himself can not have an interest as teacher? Remember that book represents the subject to the pupil. It is very evident that such teaching will greatly militate against the best interests of education. How much progress would education make in a State where teachers were allowed to do as I have pictured?

And yet, many teachers have been and are doing just such things in our church-schools every year—and then they ask why it is we do not have better schools and a better system. They also ask why it is that we have so few text-books of our own after so many years of church-schools.

Those who have sufficient experience and ability to write the kind of text-books we need can hardly be expected to have much of a burden to do so, knowing that each individual teacher has the power to use or discard them as it strikes his fancy. How much better it would be to adopt a series of books, and then let each teacher do his best by way of suggestion and helps to make each succeeding edition of the series more nearly perfect. Thus, without the great expense of an entirely new book, we can, in a short time, have books suited to our needs. But in the past if one series of readers has not suited, the cry has been, “Who will write some readers?”

I know that very often there are good and potent reasons why a course of study or a text-book should be changed. Do not misunderstand me; I maintain that such changes should be made; but how? Not by individual teachers, nor by individual conferences if the change affects courses or text-books adopted by a union conference. When it becomes evident that a change of any kind would be beneficial, it should be presented before the ones who first adopted the course or text-book; and there the decision should rest.

Never will our educational work be upon a firm basis until we as teachers, and those in charge of the work in different localities, realize and act upon this principle.

Many times, however, it is not the books that are at fault, but the teacher; this I know from experience. He, at first, thinks that such and such a text-book is very objectionable indeed, then gradually learns to like it better, and at the end of the school year is much pleased with it. A teacher of short experience is hardly fitted to judge that which years of experience and extended study have produced.

I think this subject is important. As we have no State law to help us do our duty, we must know and do it without this help. We must be bound together by a love for souls and a determination that we will do nothing to hinder the work. Let us stop finding fault, and do with our might what our hands find to do; and if changes become necessary, let us have them brought about through proper channels.

MILTON P. ROBISON.