The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-02
MI MPHIS DAILY APPEAL.
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY ., 1890
YnE SCROOL NLS1ORY QUENIIOM

The Amlioln will Inform TW MrurHis ArrIAI
that Il knows very well that Mr. rhclnn's school
History" oi Tennessee has not yet been published,
but his History Of Tennessee hns aud the school
history Is simply the latter put In suitable form
for the use of school4 ne .mrrun see. uo
particular objection 10 the adoption by the
state oi Mr. phcnn's school history unless, indeed
there Is objection tn the teaching Of the history OF
Tennessee at all In the public schools. u g. true
also. that thcrr f. ot rather was PasHh1llE school
History IT tennessee hut this book Il now almost
out at use aud Nr phcluns work IL later nut
we nr not anxious o. have Mr. rhcan's book
adopted as text book ipr public schools I'M
le.s IL l. the Nrry bet That can ho had.
II therr 4 any other which would prove
morc suitable and answer the purpoo bet.
ter hy an means adopt that other This ia matter
which The committee a. whom the bill Is referred
and the General Assembly may take Into cunsid
cratlon aud II n better book than Mt Phelan's can
he had let the bin M amended The adoption oi
this particular book "a text book Tor public
schools aud the adoption Of uniform system oi
text books arr two vcry dinrrcnt things. aud IL
rcqulrcs avery cNhnusiing effort 10 see the points
Of similarity. Mr. rhrlln's school history 1, pm.
Tancd 10, Tennessee aud Tor the schools oi roucs.
pee alone Il hn, no competitors ~ text book.
and thcrriurr H. adoption would not be- the giving
Of a monopoly 3d. Ghf Ndshr q im0iouL
The dmoicdn is evidently suffering from
lack Of information. Its statement that
Mr.. Phclan's School History is simply his
"Ilistory Of Tennessee" put in suitable
form Tor the use Of the schools Is incorrect.
II The AmuicaH had read Mr. Phelan's pub
lishcd work las rur ArrrAL has and
with great plcasurcl II would know that
itdocs not purporl TO be- a history Of the
State, but an historic essay upon "The
Making Of a State Mr. phclan has not
attempted thorough history; Il he had
there would have been much In
the book about Andrew Jackson aud
Andrew Johnson. Ills school history,
10 be acceptable, must be- written
from another standpoint altogether
and the historian would have TO begin
4, morn. But TnE AIrrAL objects 10 the
whole proposition Of the Oilum bu bc-
cause Il ia absolutely unconstitutional.
Mr. Phclans forthcoming school history
may be- the best that has ever hrrn ~ that
will ever be. but the Constitution iofbid-
special legislation, aud the Odlum bill Is
special legislation because IL limits the
consideration Of the Legislature 10 one
book by one person, and therefore
10 that person, aud requires that
that book, aud that book alone. shall
he studied. ~. lm1iauu SAYS III thrc
l. any other which would prove morc suit.
able and answer the purpose better. by all
means adopt that other" How arc YOU
90 discover any other under the .spccinc
Limitations OF the Odlum bill' II some
member should move 10 strike out
"Phclan' and insert Smith" Tua Ar.
Pal would oppose Il just the same The
change Of the name oi the beneficiary
would not make tie measure con.
siiiuiionnl. Even u itvcrc constitutional.
the passage Of this bill would be- 10 csinb.
lish a precedent which would prove iull Ut
uhominauon. The next thing We would
perceive would BE- tho introduction Of a
u.l making the exclusive study Of Prof
J"uys's Arithmetic obligatory. or Prof
Browns Grammar, or rui. Rohinson's
Render, the one because 10 WIS adaptcl
10 the trading methods in vogue In
Tennessee, the other because il took into
account Tennessee linguislics, and the
other because H. selections wcrc from the
writings oi Tennessee authors. Aud this
would boz to dwarf public education and
provncializc the rising generation. Chill
drcn should study tho history Of the
United states, aud therefore al tho
States, and In this they will be- given quite
enough 10 do.