The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1848-03-21
From Neal's Satr,aay Gazette.
REFORM IN SCHOOL BOOKS.

In nothing, perhaps, is relorrH more need
cd than in school books. True, we have
many good ones, but we have more IN which
old errors are perpelrated, and new discove-
ries are totally disregarded. II is not ten
years since school book in quite ordinary
use proclaimed that the camcle opard was fab
,ulous, though this singular. animal, which
had been lost sight Of since the Roman en-
pre, had been known in Europe for fifty
years. But the most glaring instances oI
bad school books are "Goldsmilh's History
Of Rome,n and others of a similar type, (which
which we're written before Nchbur's great
discoveries, and are full of The old jargon
about Roman liberty and Roma.l civilization.
We hear in such histories Of The freedom Of
the ciiizens? But what was this boasted
Roman citizen? In the provinces, it is true,
he enjoyed superior privileges, but a, home
he was little better than slave. Within
the walls of the city Of Rome, the pebeian-
freeman though he called himselt-~cowered,
like whipt hound, before tho anger Of the
patrician. Tie father Of Virginia saved her
fiom violation only 5y stabbing her to the
, heart. This was in the most virluous days
Of the so called Republic! Under the en-
.perors, Of course, things became worse
Even the name Of freedom was now lost f;
and .Ae people acknowledged 10 themselves
iLeir real condition. Never was there true
liberty in Zone! From the FIST, the soil
was monopolized by the few. and where
Ibis happens, the maay cannot practically be
| free!
What was the result in Rome? The
same rs in Ireland, miserable, starving, un-
happy Ireland now! AT first the distribution
Of wealth, though by no means equal, was
moi so unfair as it afterwards became; and,
perhaps, the majority Of the population had
small farms and were a rural people. But,
in time, this state Of things disappeared.-
Gradually wealth began 10 concentrate in
few hands, and the condition of tho mass
TO sink lower and lower. In the days of
the republic each rich man had a hundred,
sometimes thousand Of his poor fellow cit
liens for clients or clansmen, whom he pro-
tected from outrage, and often aided 10 sup
portland who, in requita, were his ready
instruments of wrong. Under the emperors,
when the great patrician houses were broken
down, andt the system Of ciontship gradually
disappeared, the common people degenera-
ted into an idle, Ignorant, and vicious mob,
living principally upon the corn dealed out
from the public granary, and ever ready for
for tumult or nsurrection. 1t was this mob
that cheered as at theatre, when the ar
mics Of Vitellius and Vespasian fought, in
the streets of Rome, for the imperial purple.
1t was this mob which crowded to The Colos-
scum, as men now throng 10 horse-race,
TO sec the unhappy Christians :orn limb
from limb. The Romans a free people! -
Heaven help us from such misapplicaiion Of
terms!
Nor was the Roman population, as such, a
civilized population. That they had splen-
did temples, magnificent acqueducts, superb
roads, and other things pertaining 10 high
state of civilization, we do not deny. Blu;
all these belonged 10 the aristocracy. II
happened in Rome just as it does in Russia
now; there were two distinct classes in tile
state, one rich, few in numbers, and highly
civilized; the other poor, numerous, and in
state Of comparative degradation. Indeed,
costly public ediices are, to a certain ex-
tent, proof Of the abject condition OF the
people. Such works as the pyramids can
only be built by the treasures Of dcspoi,
and in country where human labor is chea