The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-04
NEW SOUTHERN HISTORY
OF USrTED STATES or AMERICA.
X. r. Howison's Work Reviewed-The Col
onization-The Revolution-slaverJ'
Secession and Reconstruction.


of the late war between the States SINKS
into insignifcance, beside the great ques-
ton Of teaching the youth OF the South
how their fathers thorsht and felt with
regard to those great interests for winch
they sacrificed everything that this world
had for them-saye honor. This difficulty
absolutely vanishss In face of the fact
they are actually learning partisan his
tories without knowing II, for While tne
North Is turning out history by the reahi'
the South Is comparatively silent
Neither magazine nor publishing Bouse
of any power or importance is open "
us, and what our children read, "neh
they read at all, is dead against US
First. then we need a history, not
child's history of the United States, Due
a copious and an interesting history lV5
students of q larger growth ~ sh0u'u
not DO too large 10 suit the neeoS Oh au
ordinary reader, nor yet CONDENSED "
the capacity and adapted TO the lc'ei u
a child's Intelligence.
Secondly, we need a change IN the &C
ccuted method Of teaching history by
our present method, the first book usually
placed in child's hand is the ms'oI! VI
his own country, patriomc 'nc"'ulo
year-old student does rot really know
who he Is nor where be came from, nor
can be made 10 understand the ulnl-
culties encountered by the trainers
Of our Constitution, nor tne cl
rors which have borne bitter frnlt' nor
the wisdom which made unavaliing el-
forts 10 save their descendants from eNli.
History is the only book OF winch we
read the last volume first our Secol''ii
need is TO put the history OF the Dhilsu
States in the graduating and not IN llt
infant classes The student shouin ht ~
have mastered the histories OF ths
xrorId's infancy in Greece and Rome, and
should then have been well grounded IN
our own early youth and manhood III
Old English. He will then have tohoWe"
tho stream from its source, ana eau cohl-
prehend the political questions that form
so important part OF our maler!"i H!c'
It IL true that a few Southern histories
have been compiled from the larger
works of our own great men. put tieSe
alas have the worst fault possible TO susn
n work; in the effort TO condcnSe me
subject for very young students ana To
odeyt il To their intelligence, the Interest
has been lost. and that study when
should he the most delightful IN the
world to American children is rendered
dry and barren.
GRATIFYING TO THE SOUTH.
croco,s History Of the United States,
slrendy most agreeably commented upon
in vo,ir paper. is certainly not open To
This criticism. and it is receiving more
and more attention from our people We
hone soon TO see 1t in cheaper and more
nortsble form. In style and interest IL
leaves nothing to be desired, and 1t Is
Deculiarly gratifying to the Southern
heart. being the voice of an unexpected
ard powerful yindici tor; nevertheless
II is pot adapted for class use. IL lacks
the detail and the form necessary TO
textbook. Written, as the author ae-
clares, for the information OF his brltsh
countrymen, who begin to feel thelr IL
poranca upon q great event In modern
times the Young people of America
were not in his view, and he has made
a book to be read with great delight by
thel elders
The object of this communication IS
to call attention 80 work which more
nearly satisfies our present need than any
thing which has yet appeared. 1t IS
written in Richmond, by gentleman III
whose heart the Southern blood beats
warm. and published by a Richmond frm
In excellent style, with the following
title:
"A History Of the United States of
America. Intended for Students III
Schools. Academies, Universities and at
Home and for General Readers by
Robert Reid Howison. Published by
Everett Waddey Company, Richmond,
Va.
That this work needs some alteration
before It can he perfectly adapted TO IT'S
purpose is only what may be said OF
all human productions: but 1t contains
so much OF value and interest that 1t
would be well to examine its merits be
fore looking further for Il Southern Has
In size it is no larger than the STU,
dents Hume" a book successfully used
IN many schools, and surely an American
should be willing to give as much time to
the History of America as to that OF
England.
The first point to be looked at in n
work Of this kind is the distribution or
the subject. A common fault in our
textbooks is the disproporti6nate space
allotted to the discovery and colonization
of America and to the war of the Revo-
luton compared with that devoted TO
its later and yet more important history.
The usual arrangement is something IKE
this: About one-third is taken up with
the discovery and colonization of Amer
lea; one-third more is allotted to the Reyo-
lutionary war; and the remainder rs di-
vided between the history OF our country
from 1881 to 1S60-the period which 1t
Is most important to us to understand
and to explain--and the story OF the war
with its results. A glance at these frac-
lions will show that with one exception,
which will presently be noticed, Mr.
Howison has better sense of perspec-
tive. The settlement Of America by
white people occupies but lSS pages,
against 312 devoted to the colonial pc
Rod. including the Revolution, and 2IO
TO the subsequent history OF the States
to 1860.
The first of these periods Is treated
with a yiyacity of style and Judiclous
selection of the most important incidents,
which greatly enlivens the least interest
Ing protion OF our national life. Into TINS
narrative are interpolated two admira-
BILE chapters upon the state OF pubilc OPEN
ION In Europe with regard to vital ques-
lions In our Colonial system. In them the
history of witchcraft and of slavery are
carefully reviewed, and they form an
admirable vindication OF our foretathers.
The line Of argument may be drawn
from the following extract;
wIToHoRAFT xxKoUrIoSs,
eight years before Columbus sailed
from Palos Pope Innocent VIII. issued
a bull denouncing death without mercy
against all who should be convicted of
witchcraft or of dealing with satan.
Alexander and even Leo X. lent their
aid by successive bulls The result was
horrible About the year 1915, In three
months In Geneva, 500 persons We're exc
cuted for the alleged crime of witchcraft.
In the diocese Of Como a thousand were
nut to death. Ger
many was a fruitful soil for such works