Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-01-06
What Shall Sii.: Sii.: Childrer,
StuIyEo

Is "a question which all pru dent
parents consider; but they by no
means so seTiodsly MS its importance
requires reflect upon that other
question What books shall they
study it in?" And yet education IS
intended fully rs much for tho tor-
nation Of character and principle
as for the acquisition Of knowledge;
and though the Geography be nc
clrate. tho History grammatical,
and the Readers stocked with cx.
tracts from fuvoritc authors, it is
very far from following that they
form an admirable, or evpn II proper
series neither does it follow that
because they are we'll suited to the
youth Of one section or latitude,
they arc therefore Ms well adapted
to those Of another.
Every one, who has examined the
text books prepared ut the North,
must have noticed how great Il
prominence is given to the local
history Of their own section, the eX
ploits of their own WORTHLESS, and
the productions of their own au-
thor-, so that II yonth studying
them gets posscsae'l with tic idea
that scarcely anything cf impor-
tab :, happSrhn!cd, or anything, cScel
lont or nlc,norablo was dqht, said
or written, South Of Mison's line.
Now VIC are very far from blaming
this spirit; the youth should bc
taught 10 honor the worthy deeds
of his ancestors, and to Oe proud OF
his ancestors, and to be proud ofhis
own people; and if tho patriotism
be i littlG exaggerated, it is fault
on the right size. which experience
will correct. So fair are We from
disappearing this, that we would
urge upon our own people to lean
lesson from the North and adopt
this ttiy course, 70 have their chill
drcn taught from Books that will
lead them to honor and be proud
of their own States, their own pco-
pie, and their ow ancestors
But how if,.ns is too frcduchtly
the case, the books prepared at the
North do not merely subordinate
and Obscure tho South, but actually
misreprcscnt and v.lify ii? Arc we
to put these books in our chrildren r
hands? Even granting that the
writer's ART Nthe9, shall II $ sutfer
our youth to &c taught that IN all
the sectional antagonisms the South
was in the wrong and on tho side
of Injustice, and the right at all
times and only on the part or the
North?-that their ancestors were
lurking traitors in the councils OF
ths country, and their filthcrs and
brothers armed traitors whd. died
dishonored in u dWickcd rebellIpn?"
fhe fact is, the Sot!! hits all al bng
been most culpably careless in this
matter. She never cared to foster
her own literature, and left her best
authors to seek Northern publish
ers, or be content with obscurity,
she never cared to speak for herself,
but let Northern writers speak for
her at home aud ab DAD, and the
case has always g5ne against her
By default-as she found to her sor-
rrooWS when she looked abroad for
friends, and found herself already
Judged and condemned without
hearing. ;,
But we have somewhat ramblcd
from our design, which was to speak
of the University Publis shing Com
pany's publications. Here VIC have
a series of school books prepitred
: by writers and stHSfars dfour oAn--
men whose cmincncc in the several
departments is unqucstioned, and
which, while they are unsectional
in avoiding invidious comparisons,
rccriminations, or any thing ton
ding to stir up strife or bittoyncss,
or 10 prevent The return OF Bitter
feelings, are yet so far sectional as
TO give proper prominence to the
history and literature of our own
people, and faithfully re6ctl their
best thoughts and feelings. IN their
preparation il liits been bothc in
mind that our boys and gi.l5 arc 10
grow up not merely men AID wo-
men. but Southern men and South
ern women; and, we confess, 80
warmly are our feelings stirred in
this matter, that ,we look upon such
a series as this, tfGddecd by the