The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-13
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.

About History in Schools, and Other Things.
To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
There is nothing so unusual in expurgating
our national history by the school authorities as
to justify half the fuss that is made about it. 1t
is only another application of that namby-
Panty sentiment which induces very good
women to carry flowers and other delicacies,
with kind words and no other sort, to a wife
murderer while he is awaiting sentence under
the cruel law which proposes to hang him for
nothing in the world but little domestic UNI
pleasantness which resulted unfavorably to the
wife, while they listen alphabetically
to his assurance that he is fully
prepared to cross over and be joyfully
received on the golden shore by the partner of
his bosom. This amiable sentiment crops out IN
another form in the beg-your pardon manner
with which we are expected to look at the short
leg of a cripple especially if the lameness was
caused by some careless shot while engaged in
some act of felony. There is no improperly in
gazing at a one-legged soldier and talking to him
about how it happened; but if the leg was lost in
drunken fray You are expected never to men
ton it, or to even look at it inqusitvely. That
may hurt feelings. just so we are expected to
look at and talk about the late war, or rather not
to look at it or talk about it at all.
OF course, nobody expects the South to go
around begging pardon for any part
she has played these twenty-five years,
for that is the very thing she
proposes not to do, but on the contrary she
teaches hes children to hate the North and that
the North ~as wholly to blame for the war, and
she teaches it diligently to them, in the family
and IN the school, and in the pulpit, and by the
press, when sitting in the house or walking by
the way, lying down or rising up. There is no
beg-your pardon air about their methods while
we are so tender of their feelings that we even
take into our schools books written in the South,
~ fo,- T.NOly ~
richs History, one of our Xt-books, written by
Virgnian, which justifes the South because
Kansas was admitted free State, and says of
the election of Mr.. Lincoln: ''Of course the war
could not be far off" and who dis
misses Mr.. Lincoln by simply saying,
He died during the night" while he speaks
of the death of Stonewall jackson as "a brave
soldier crossing the river of death and resting in
the paradise of God under the shadow of the
Tree of Life" We really do not suppose that
that way of dsposing of these men makes much
difference as to the men, for Mr.. Lincoln will
get his share of the shadow in spite of the school
book, but it shows the animus of the book we
use in our schools.
But this manipulating history so as not to be
offensive to the South or their Northern sy1npa-
taizers is not the only humiliation the people of
this city have been subjected to. Ten years ago
we were using a textbook on physiology that
never had a superior in the market, judging
foom its extensive use till this day in this
State, and most of the Western States but it
of alcohol, as seen in the furious or insensible
state of drunkenness, does not differ in kind
from the exhilaration produced by a single glass
of wine, and young meh should understand that
the danger lies in taking the poison, and not as
they suppose, in taking too much" One might
suppose that such doctrine was good to be
taught our young people, but it gave offense to
that class of our citizens who control those who
control the SCHOOLS, as well the State, and the
book was turned out of the schools and Hutchi-
sons Physiology was introduced in its place
Instead of words that might warn young men
against drinking, it contains the following, at
page II: 'The list of beverages that
are consumed for the sake of the alcohol they
contain is very long one, and as general rule
tho nations that stand the highest in civilization
have the greatest varieties of these beverages
at the same time using them most iRtelligently
and wisely Is it any wonder that so many
young men from religious families, brought up
in Sunday schools, are at an early age made
drunkaryis2 They are taught in our public schools
that the higher the civilization the more alcohol
is expected to be used. Our school authorities
no more dare to offend the liquor sellers than to
offend the late Shareholders.
The truth is, Mr.. Editor, this whole thing,
disguise it as we may, belongs TO the same fam
lily of denominations as that so justly and so
sharply rebuked a few weeks ago, by Elder
Walk, of this city: Give your children over to
the devil until they are old enough to choose for
themselves, and then take your chances at res
cuing them from him. Teach your little boy
that the use Of alcoholic beverages is mark of
a high civilization, and that the North brought
on the war by her aggressions, and you are lay
ing the foundation for a race Of drunkards and a
race of doughfaees while the South are taking
no such risks, but educating her youth so
that these Northern Miss Nancys shall become
their willing subjects, ready for all time to kiss
very ground their masters walk on.
Omit the history of the last twenty years. There
is more in it than in the hundred preceding The
abolition of slavery and the enfranehisement of
the negro are the very least Of the achievements
of this period, and the war only one of the agen-
cies that have produced these grand results. We
are nation now, not an aggregation of little in
dependent States. We have currency now
that is not limited by State boundaries. or con-
fingent upon the honesty of men unknown to us
1t is good everywhere, and good forever We
have established national credit so that we
can command hundreds Of millions at per cent.
instead of paying IL, as Buchanan did. If we
had to impose heavy taxes for war times we
have reduced them from time to time
and yet have surplus and we go on reducing
and all this and more, too. over the persistent
opposition at every stage of the men whose feel
ings are afraid to hurt, and their faithful
allies in war and in peace. Give us this chapter
Make it plain and enforce it by living examples
and then Danish from the schools the textbook
that makes the use of intoxicants measure of
civilization, and our schools will yet prosper
U. L. SEE.