Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-02
The schooI-IIf.tory Question.


It'd. petersburg lnueN-ApptdIl
The movement inaugurated by the
Confederate veterans to secure the use III
the public schools of textbooks whlcn
shall correctly represent the causes ana
incidents of the war between the sections
is the ou,grOwth OF a natural ana pro
per sentiment. and. II properly conducted
can lead To none but beneficial results
The danger Is that in seeking 10 avoid
one evil another no less to oe deplored
may be incurred. To relegate the selec-
tiCn OF text on this subject 10 the vote
Of the local camps Is not, We think. the
best method Of securing a calm or intel
ligcnt judgment. For apart from the
fact that large bodies of men are almost
always averse to patient Investigation.
there is always the risk that the genuine
feeling which pervades them may be made
the unconscious viCtim Of parties com
mercially interested In procuring d GER
tain result.
The first and main thing to be desired
IS that our children shall bs taught
care should be taken lest our zeal and
sympathieS should be misled into placing
I'm the hands OF our children. mere
pleas for sectional hatred Instead OF a
calm relation of facts as they occurred.
i book written from national stand
point and dealing impartialiy with the
faults and virtues OF both sections. WOULD
be the ideal text. but perhaps az this time
such d version would be- tolerated by
neither side. In fact, efforts to attain
this degree OF judicial fairness have so
far evoked the wrath of Grand Army posts
and Confederate camps in about equai
proportion.
A case In point is the Barnes History Of
the United States, which IS just nov UNI
der lively fire from the veterans OF both
blue and gray, and which Is the imme-
] diatr cause of the recent demand by the
! Confederate veterans in Richmond for a
! change of textbooks. OF this particular
| publication We know nothing beyond the
| fact that ii has been in general use IN
t,,f. and ole 8 "a n -
many years. and In that time has been
| taught without protest by teachers. many
! OF whom were ex-Confederates. and all Of
| whom were southern In proclVity ana
| sympathy The book was complained o!
! by Rev. j. William Jones in 1875 and was
then investigated by a committee Of the
| Legislature. OF which Hon. w: y. Ander-
| son, Of ROckbridge. was chairman. and
approved as fair and accurate Hon. \.
! NJ Kelley also wrote a strong letter en-
! dorsing its tone and temper.
| stu. be this as 1t may, there is no rea-
! son why a southern author may not write
! a text equally reliable and teachable.
| which will be more acceptable 10 south
! ern patrons of the public schools; and. II
| so, we see no reason why the desire IN
| any Virginia community for such book
should not be gratifed 1t is not neces-
/ sary 10 that end 10 prove or TO charge
that the text now in use was lmproHi-
/ teachings IL Is sufficient that the people
! who pay. and whose children are the
| pupils prefer n distinctiVcly southern
! work.
/ In the case In point. there seems 10 be
! no practical difficulty In enectnE Z
! change and no necessity for any heated
controversy. The state school Boa,
! gives to the local boards I'm Virginia me
choice between four histories. OF these
three are by southern authors Holmes
/ Hanscl. and Shnn. The Grand camp
/ of Confederate veterans recommended iof
endorsement by the local camps d long
! list Of histories of the United states, an
| singularly enough OF this wide field OF se-
| lection the two books given the prefer =
| entail prominence OF being IrSt hd!!leI
| are Uansel and Shnn. Hansel Tts
| written by Professor Chambers, south
! ern educator of distinction. and Professor
| Shinn Is superintendent OF Schools or the
! state OF Arkansas, ana enjoys an en-
| Vlable reputation ~ a teacher ana dutnOT.
| II would seem, therefore. that the VIZ
| ginia board had provided ample latltuie
| OF choice in the exact direction polhtrt !
| out by the Grand Camp; and that Shouli
| the Richmond School Board see reason 10
| make a change. the substitution of either
! Shinn or Hansel or Holmes would an
| swer the declared purpose win which Ia"
opened this question. a continued clamor
! for enlargement OF the state list when
! that already includes three southern MS
/ tories bearing the highest stamp or ap-
| prevail from the Grand camp Would sem
| 10 indicate some motive Tor agitation
/ other than that openly declared. ana me
| encendrring OF 4 doubt on this point
| would be very disastrous 10 the com
| mendable objects really III view py the
| Confederate veterans. especially as re-
| cent occurrences in this state, where UNI
scrupulous commercial rivalry credttd
such a scandaous disturbance In the
mask OF a care for the interests Of the
.sThe book that was the subject -
,aoisiative investigation WAS the Eclectic
History in lS3-'si. and not Barnes's.l