of circulars which freely criticised these Willson
Readers, which were constructed to teach not only
reading but science. After a short time the children
wearied of reading about bugs and beetles they had
never seen and gladly welcomed the books that had
a single aim.
  In the eyes of a publisher a good schoolbook is one
that can be readily introduced and one that will stay
when it is put in use. The officials who adopt a
schoolbook are not the users of the book. They are
adults long past the school age. Cases have been
known when in important adoptions the majority of
the adopting board had not seen the inside of a,
school room for twenty-five years. Of course such
men are far behind the schools. They are governed
by their own past experience. When the teachers
are allowed to have a voice in the way of advice,
the real needs of the pupils obtain more considera-
tion.  But the final real judge of the merits of a
schoolbook is the boy or girl who uses it. If the
book is truly pedagogical, adjusted in every part to
the average mental development of the child, it be-
comes a valuable tool in the school room. If on the
other hand it is a mere collection of novelties such
as catch the eye of inexpert judges and impress
merely the imagination, the books may be intro-
duced; but they won't stay.
The McGuffey Readers had staying qualities.
Teachers ofter became so familiar with their con-
tents that they needed no book in their hands to
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