The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-22

the history of the Southern colonies: the
part they performed in establishing free
dom of thought. OF the press. and OF con-
science for themselves and posterity: thclr
wisdom I'm council. yalor In the held, ana
their patriotism everywhere
And Mir. President, wish TO see this
literature nut into the intermediate de-
partment OF our schools. say inter-
mediate department. because there are
about twice as many children In TINS oe-
partment as there are In the hign schoois,
and the greatest number possible shouid
have this literature taught them. chill
dren In the sixth and seventh grades can
easily comprehend all the authors 1 nave
named This literature, which Is but
reflection of the people IT attempts TO de-
scribe. Is full Of sincerity, justice, pa
triotism, and conservatism.
ANOTHER REASON.
Another reason for teaching this liter
ature TO small children is. that II Is 80
fun Of parental love and hlial DEVOTION
themes that delight them. IL magnihes
the home. where mother Is queen ana
sister sacred II delights in the portrayal
OF farm scenes. OF waving fields yellow
with grain. or white with cotton, OF green
nastures made more cheerful by frolicking
lambs of the perfect order and system
Of farm work, Of the merry, contented
slaves as they went to their work IN the
morning with songs on their hps, or as
they made their quarters livery at night
with the banjo and that double shuihe
which only a negro can dance 10 per
lection. Permit me TO digress Just mere
to say that Southern literature gives the
best history that can be FOUND Oh slavery
4, rebearses the almost forgotten fact
~ m
with the South I'm introducing and pro-
ftine bv the slave trade; that the South
orn colonies repeatedly protested and
went on, record I'm their legislative assem-
hliea against the slave trade; that when
tho first vote was taken in the Federal
Congress TO prohibit further importa-
,icr ~ slaves Virginia voted in the at
0rrnatlye. and New Hamushire, Massa-
chusettg. and Connecticut In the neg
alive. Slavery as an institution can not
lac defended. but ] want its true history
taught to the children oil our nresiues'
I want them TO know that the negro
slave. as a rule, was well fed, well clothed.
veil nursed when sick that he had
the Gospel preached to him and became
civilized for the first time since the dawn
OF his creation.
The South is thinking reading, ana IN
vestigafing more and keeping octter
,.,,, % rocords than ever before in her
history Hawthorne and Lemon say. I'VE
have been hearing more from the South
of late. and are likely 10 near more YET
i'm the future indeed, II Is more than pos
sible that another generation may ma Us
receiving our best literature iioni '""'
part Of our country. .
~ q true history for we have been most
grievouslv misrepresented. and unless we
seq 10 our vindication, we shall be judged
nc charged. ! hope you will pardon me
for saving that most OF us are crlmihaly
negligent I'm studying and teaching the
literature Of the South.
Most Of the public schools that attempt
10 teach literature at all, go through the
form Of teaching Shakespeare or Milton'
10 children whose minds are not sum
GENTLY mature 10 comprehend tnese au.
thors. The proper place 10 teach tha'
class of literature IL the college or UNI
vereitv "Nlghts with Uncle Remus' Is
better suited and NOR" entertaining W
fifteen year old boys and girls than IS
Itatnlet. and for the same grade OF pu-
nils "Marse Chan" or "Meh Lady, py
Page is far better than The over soul
or "Compensation" by Emerson.
POE WAS NOT APPRECIATED.
We have always neglected home talent.
Pho received only ten dollars Tor me
Raven" The Sot7th threw him OIL TO
starve. He IS very popular IN France
while England regards him as the great
est American poet. and j. heiu III his
esteem as a prose writer, as is shown py
,ha foct mat thIrtv-seven thousand copies
Of his tales were sold in England IN 1851
,rhe sweet. gentle spirit OF Lanier Fought
against poverty till death relieved the
moor sufferer. Though he has been dead
only a few years. his fame is growing so
bright that we shall soon be puhd'hs
monuments TO his memory 80,
o,Hara wrote &" BiVOuac of the DEAD
to celebrate Southern heroes. II has been
selected by the North as the most III
poem 10 celebrate their sleeping dead
and may be seen IN the National cemetery
at Washington. .,.. -,
DR. w. r. Harris said last winter at
Galveston that Southern poets had writ
ten poems that the nations cohiu hot iVi
get. and our prose writers had WHICH
things as great az ever written by Browh-
ing.
The South is rich in material for rlch
and rare fiction. The negro. with his
darkey WAYS. the creole, with his pecul-
lar life and mongrel language, the noun
taineer. with isolated home and simple
wants. are characters worthy OF the pen
OF a Scott or Dickens. The mountain
scenery Of Virginia. North Carolina ana
Tennessee: the balmy breeze from the
gulf: the captivating beauty or oiahse
groves dense forests. musical with feath-
cry songsters; skies. rivaiing those OF
Italy. must inspire tho poet ana SUNNI
late the novelist
In conclusion, l beg you TO ma place
in your course of study for Southern
literature ASK your boards OF trustees
to make it a permanent feature OF thelr
schools. Encourage your pupils 10 read
our best authors, and the biographies OF
Lee and Stonewal Jackson.
This is a duty we owe TO ~" oid
South" whose glory win yet emerge
from the sadows of an unfortunate war.
IL is a duty we owe TO ourselves and the
rising generation who will Judge us ana
the generation now passing away, ana
will accurately write our history
In doing this work let us have as our
guiding star the motto of Abraham LIN
coln, with malice toward none, with
.l,.rttv Tor ali -