Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-02-22
Irnorance Ahnnt ,ns RebeIIlo a.. ..
frciedo Commercial Telegram

'Toicuo Commercial Telegram
The recent erccfian of rtstue TO In
disoss great war governor, Morton, in
Indianapolis, hss, curiously enough,
brought TO public attention tile fnct that
for eleven years all that p,rt Of the history
Of the United States from 1860 10 the
present time bas been suppressed in the
public schools Of that city. Much indig.
nation Ia expressed, sharp search is going
on to find who Ia responslble for the rule.
aud the school board, whose members pro-
fess ignorance that such n regulation was in
existence, are called on TO revoke II at once.
A lady teacher in the schools, who IL pre-
,umSbly graduate Of the high school, IN
conversation or tile matter, showed aston.
ishing ignorance of the civil war. She
thought that Stonewsll jackson was the
rebel commander.ln chief, and that Nc.
Clellan was confederate officer in the
early part Of the war. She did not know
who General Halleck and Genrnl Hooker
we're abe never heard Of Hood, and said
that General Butler commanded the rebel
forces at New Orleans, and had a great
deal Of trouble there she could not re-
member Of having heard OF Buell., Rose-
Grams or Mcpherson. She had heard OF
Mcdowell, Hancock and Thomas, but did
not know their rank nor what battles they
were in. She had no idea how many sol
diers Indiana had furnished, and was OF
the opinion that Governor Morton COM
manded all Of the Indiana soldiers. She
coniesssd that she "wns young during the
war, and while she had heard a great deal
about the war, she felt no special interest
In the matter aud did not charge her mind
with It,"
And now we wonder how many in Ohio,
| OF the generation that have come to mans
the civil war, have any well defined idea
of the magnitude Of the conflict, and Of the
psrts played in it by any oil the leaders on
either side. excepting Grant, Sherman and
Lee7 We fancy they are comparatively
few. A year ago the writer was on a train
on the Cincinnati Southern, as il was en-
tering Chattanooga, and chatting with a
party OF tourists. One of them, 4 bright,
vivacious little OHIO lady, tagged twenty
fve), and who possesses very fair edmca-
,ion, glanced out ef the windows at Look
out Mountain, and asked its name. On
being told, she carelessly inquired, "Was
not there battle fought near here?" Such
an instance Of ignorance seems exception
al, but we fear that many similar ones may
be found. II is probable that the school
histories are to blame for much OF this.
Publishers OF school books endenvor 10 find
sale for them all over the Union, and they
know that the "late unpleass ntness" must
be handled very gingerly il the book is to
ind market anywhere south OF the Ohio
river. One widely-used school histsry
was unfortunate in calling the war the
''Great Rebellion. The publishers soon
discovered that this prevented its sale in
the south, and the plate, were corrected,
the phrase "Great Civil War" being sub
s,iluted. We do not know Of a scheol
history Of the Uniled States that defines
slavery; il is assumed that children know
all about the peculiar institution" Nor
do we know of one that speaks II the war
asa rebellion, or that says anything con-
cerning treason in connection Herewith
There may be such among histories intend
ed for use in the common schools, hut we
have never seen one. We do not believe
IN striving TO perpetunte sectional aniinos-
ity, but we do believe that every American
child should be taught 10 honor patriotism
and detest treason-and also that the facts
of history should not be dwnrfed nor
twisted in order that publishers may have
n wider circulation for their school books