Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-04-22

the Schools Not Regarded as Salts
factory.
Chicago:-Prof. J. B. McMast t.
ers, of the University Of Penn>
sylvania, held a conference here
the other day with Judge A. O.
Marsh, of Winchester, Ind, and
Rev DR.. Duncan G. Miner, OF
Chicago, members Ola committee
appointed at the last encamp-
ment of the Grand Army of the
Republic to secure a revision in
American school history. Judge
Marsh outlined the work of the
committee as follows;
"Our committee was appointed
soon after the annual encamp~
ment of the Grand Army at St.
Paul. We were instructed tc
look over the histories employed
in the public schools and con-
demn those which magnitied the
heroism of Southern soldiers and
placed them on the same footing
with the soldiers of the North.
In fact, it was the sense of the
army that no history used in
public schools should treat OF
the Southern soldiers as other
than insurrectiOnists, who sought
to destroy this government.
1--WE Investigated a number of
books used in the public schools,
and those which. we did not cons
demn directly we rejected as
unsatis factory We met at
Cleveland, and there decd d
what kind of history the school
children ought TO have in order
to get the right view of the
issues involved in the civil war.
Professor McMasters has under
taken to write such a work. We
have met him here in order to
see if his work meets our views,
but | am not in a position to say
whether or not it will be accep :
ted until I have communicated
with the whole committee
If favorable consideration is
given the work, the army will
take every step Lecessary at its
next encampmen1. Its influence
is such as to warrant the adop
ton Of such a history in most OF
tie schools. Thele are some
States which are unable to ac-
cept it. Indiana, for example, has
a contract which binds it for
four years to the Nontgome1y
history. We secured revision of
that during ,ur last meeting in
Cleveland. Professor McMasters
is endeavoring to have his his
tory correspond with our views
Professor McMasters ex-
planned the scope of his work by
saying that unlike most schoo
histories it dwelIs but briefly on
colonial or revolutionary events
and treats at length of the civi
war, Il want it understood be-
yOnd doubt that in this history
the great Southern generals ir
| the civil war are not condOned,
he said. General Lee, for ex-
ample, was man Of education
and came from West Point. This
military school is established tl
make soldiers who will stand bJ
| the government. II General Lee
wished to destroy the govern,
ment he had no business in Wes
Point. l admit all the good things
said of him personally, bu
he must be regarded as mar
who sought to disrupt the govs
ernment and countenance States
in Withdrawing from the Union
No matter how great his gen
eralship or his heroism. they
should not blind the historian tc
the facts. The treatm ent of the
questions which preceded anG
brought about the civil war /:
sustained in the same manner
The history is brought up to the
inaug uratior of President Nc
Kinley. | simply relate the facts
and refrain from any com ment
knowing the danger Of CRITICS.
ing any administration Of re,
cent years
Judge Marsh ard DIR. Milnel
constitute a subcommittee, EN-,
powered to look over Professor
McMasters' manuscript and re
port back whether or not the
new history is what the army
wants for the pupils of thi:
country, The Other members O.
the full committee are M. n
Dickinson, of Warrensburg, N
Y; Thomas j. Sample of Ale
gheny, Pa. and William M