The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-17
No CHANGES WANTED
ATTACK OF THE G. A. r. UPON SCHOOL
HISTORIES NOT REliSHED.

School Authorities of New York Say That
the Proposed Revision Would Create
Bittcrness-An Era of Peace That Should
Not Be Disturbed.
The criticism by committee of the
q. A. II. of the histories in use in the
schools of New York because in the
committees opinion they do not fairly
or fully state the cause of the conflict
between the north and the south created
a. stir in educational and military cir
Giles. The general opinion seemed to be
that the committees criticism was un-
reasonable and that the only result OF
its action would be to arouse i'll feeling.
Up to two years ago the books for the
public schools of New York were select.
ed by the committee on course of study
and instruction of the board of educa-
tion. Then by resolution of the board
the selection of the books was turned
over to the board of school superintend-
ents The plan now is for the matter
10 be referred by the board of superin-
tendents TO its committee on school
books, which makes mp list which is
submitted to the board of education q
committee on instruction. This latter
committee adds TO or takes from the list
and then reports it to the full board for
adoption or rejection.
Tho American histories now in use in
the public schools are Anderson S Jun.
ior Glass United States and New Gram
mar School," Barnes brief History of
the United States" Eggleston's First
of the United States" Fiske's History
OF the United States" Higginson s
Young Folks History of the United
States" Hunters Narrative History
OF the United States" Montgomery 8
Beginners American History and
Leading Facts of American History"
Scudder's History and Short History
of the United States" "Studies In
American History" by Mary Sheldon
Barnes" Swinton's First Lessons In
Our Country's History and School His
tory Of the United States" and Thorn
as History of the United States"
1T is impossible to satisfy every
body" said Superintendent Jasper re-
Gently. ''If these critics don't like the
histories in use, why don't they pre-
pare one themselves"
Assistant Superintendent Edward d.
Farrell, who is one of the committee on
schoolbooks Of the board of superintend-
cuts, said that he did not consider the
q. a. Il. criticism wise or in keeping
with the sentiment of the times, "Let
us have peace. No good was to be
gained by introducing the words
traitor, treason" and "rcbeI' into
our histories. Years ago histories of the
war were noted for their bitterness. AS
time elapsed this bitterness gave way
10 kindly feeling, and it was Oh the
Recommendation of brave Union officers
themselves that the word secession"
was dropped from the histories and the
title Confederate was substituted for
rebel" and "traitor. |"
Another great change was brought
about by the publication of Green's
History of the English People. which
attached more importance TO the masses
than to princes and kings. This work
had a decided influence on American
writers, and histories OF our own people
were constructed on similar lines. 1t
was time that the old war feeling was
allowed TO die out. How would it do to
20 to one Of the public schools and refer
10 the southern people as rebels and to
see the tears start III some child's eyes
and to learn that his father had lost his
life fighting on the Confederate side?
''The G. 4. IL. committee, said G..
B. Rouss, who fought in the Twelfth
Virginia cavalry, "secms 10 think that
the school histories are incomplete and
in error because they do not make the
Confederate side sufficiently odious
and because they 40 not define the
southern man both as rebel and traitor.
IL that committee would carry its in
yestigations further or To the bottom, it
would find the reason why these histo-
them To contain. Lincoln and Grant.
the committee would find, granted such
liberal terms to the south because they
had learned from the highest judicial
authorities, including Mr.. Chase, that
upon constitutional grounds the south
was right aud that in their estimation
there was no place for treason, gibbet
or guillotine.
These critics would also find that
Grants magnanimity came of an assur-
xnce upon his part that justice demand
ed il, and that he knew full well from
his own dearly bought experience that
southern valor entitled the Confederates
70 the mort generous treatment. The fu-
ture historian who will go into an elab-
crate discussion of the late war will
surprise prejudiced enthusiasts of this
sort"
1t is said also that propositions for
like -revisions i'm the textbooks of other
states have been met by objections sub
stantially the same as those enumer
sted sboye. New York journal.
ABOllT WOMEN