The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-10-22
Reviews.

school. HISTORY OF SoUTH CAROLINA. BY Jas.
Wood Davidson, A. NJ. Columbia, 8. C.
Dulic j. Chapman. New York f. J., Halo
& Son.
Mr.. Davidson, in the preface to his School
History of South Carolina, says that sshis aim
''has been to give In plain language an ac-
count OF, such points" in the history of the
State "as schoolboy may understand" and
that In the portion that is subsequent to oil
the written historics-from 1859 to lS69-'sthc
"effort has been to present the events of this
''eventful decade Of years In narrative as little
''as possible tinged with sectional feelings
''to state mere facts, free from all argument
''and comment This purpose is well carried
out, and the result is-the most convcnics!
and compact school history of tie Slate ySSi
published. -,
The material of Davidson's history Is found
In the usual authorilies-Rivers, Jamsay,
Drayton, Logan, and the rcst-and the author
Inns taken great care 10 hold evenly the scales
of conflicting opinions. It formed mo part Of
the plan Of tho book TO deal with the. philusO-
ply. Of history but every important fact is
givon In plain words npd with condolences n
statement ncw porsfe tch claptcrisac,am
ne lev ,iis.oey arhtt ni ;N;S 6Si sou .omewe,
rough. ~ lone .i:' !.cA is un.ytcpt!oual,y
Ihc narrative Of the t,,l!ca,.on rxtircnents,
U' Cue late wlr. amt ~ the progress and com.
plcton' Of Southern reconstruction, Is wholly
unexceptionable. 1t is free from bitterness OF
expression, but ut the SHINE time there is no
hiding of the truth The Southerncr will find
his political position and doctrines tersely
stated, but stated In such a way that It Will not
offend the people of another section. AS well
ns we can Judge, Mr.. Davidson, In all his state
mcnts, is truthful, accurate and Just.
Mr. Davidson has executed his task with
singular discretion and good taste. What Ia
wanted in schools (and sometimes out of them, !
Is skeleton history which may be rubbed into
the memory until every main fi,ct is precisely
and positively known. These main iacts are
the rallyins points of the student. Around
them he may gather the information of q life
time, with the certainty that there will be no
waste, and that each new particle of knowI-
edge will add to and strengthen the enlargne
unity of his historical Information. 1t is use
less to begin with extended histories of par
tlcuar event or limited period In this way
there Will be much general information, pcr-
haps, but nothing positive and sure. What Is
wanted Is q good foundation upon which to
build. There are many men who have care
fully read the ponderous tones of NIL our old
historians who have less effective historical In.
formation about this State than theycoud obtain
from Davldson's history In an hour They began
at tho wrong end. tthe beginning, MacauIay,
or Hume and Smollct, OF Gibbons Decline and
Fall, Is far less useful than the short chapters
In catechetical history, -(Plnnock,s for In
stance,) covering the same ground: but when
the chief facts ore fixed in tho mind the stu
dent r can read mp any or every period with
certain profit ana advantage.
The little book Is neatly printed, and Is sold