The National tribune., 1897-05-13
EHCTSCONE ASTRAY.
Patriotism Discounted in New
York School Histories.

,-4 =, GAR. Committee Sets Seal OF
C,,.upatiou on Certain Works-thair
p-omspence Given to Southern soioiefs
and Southern Deeds as Against 'hoso "
the Ns.-th- i'm the Late War-Rec"nne"",
,icv,s far Control of School HISTORIES Wy
tire State
sn innortsnt work in the Interest oil pat
riotissu has been accomplished by the Ne"
yorl nenartmeat Of the GAR Some time
Coa,o,;t.ee on Examination of School
Histories Yves appointed. consistin ng oil ootn
Henrs L. Sanford, Frank Chamberlain anu
Emory Huttsu. They have just made a report
of their work, sud the Department Commander
In orders lust issued congratulates them on
the able and Intelligent manner IN Whien
thsy nerfermed this important duty.
The committee were instructed to repcf.
oson objectionable matter found III schcoi
histories in use in New York State, SO lar rs
relate to the civil war. and 10 make ieooin
mendations in the premisee There are iafsc
number of histories in use in the Schools anu
while the committee were not able to examine
ali thev examined all that arc in use TO any
considerable extent
The committeeman were accompanied by MS
Kate E. Jones' of Ilion, Past Department Presl-
dent. W.RC. who rendered valuable service.
ane - -"ble inaccuracies in relation to
sion io lnnume'~ :" different battles, and
the the Numbers engaged, and to the ,-~. mat al
the histories disagree as to important statsti.
cal facts: but the committee deem 1t sufhcient
to say that as to the statistical records, the
histories are nearly all defective, which debci.
-ency they consider must necessarily exist uhth
sn official report is adopted finally fixing these
disputed questions.
TREASON SHOULD BE MADE oDToUs.
"We have had in mind" say the committee.
men, "that a school history must be brief, and
should contain facts, not conclusions; that 1t
should be truthful and impartial and not ofen-
sive to the Senator or the peasant. the New
Yorker or the South Carolinisn; yet We cannot
avoid the convictions that treason can and
should be made odious. and that loyalty 10 the
flag and honor to the honorable dead should be
cherished, next to Goodness. even in school
! histories. We have also remembered our duty
to the vanquished: yet We believe that 1t IS
not only q lamentable error but that the loyal
people of the Southern States do not desire that
the principles of secession be upheld or taught
70 their children in the public schools.
I'VE open this report with two songs copied
. from the Academy Song Book, which we find
in use in the school system of the City OF
ALBANY, the Capital OF our State; and while the
: book is not history, We deem the historic mat
ter contained in the songs within our duty;
and while the book in other respects is unob-
jectiouabie we consider the songs sufficient to
condemn it, and to warrant our recommends
tion that the book be furled away with the
Confederate flag and deposited where moth and
rust corrupt" The songs are Bonnie Blue
Flag" and Maryland. My Maryland"
"We do not find in amy school history in use
in our State" continue the report. g fair
statement of the cause OF the war. This ques-
tion appears to your committee to be the first
that presents itself to q student wishing to OBJ
/, tain a correct understanding of that great
conflict.
In the opinion of your committee history
Of the war OF the rebellion would be diappoint-
{ ingly. inexcusabiy deficient. which did not
@elearfy. even If briefly. state the alleged and the
real causes which led mp to the conflict; unmis-
tskabiy tho right and wrong side of it; the
principal battles of and the iliustrious partici-
pants in that war and the grand results grow
ing out Of it. Truth, justice patriotism and the
unparalleled cost of life and treasure demand
that this lesson should be deeply and lastingly
impressed upon the minds aud consciences OF
the American youth. True history is phi
losopby teaching By experience and BY ex-
/, ample"
Barnes History is extensively in use in our
schools, but your committee is compelled to say
that it is very unsatisfactory. Although it was
written by q comrade and has been indorsed
by comrades high in rank, We cannot approve
it. AS we read from this history of the battle
between the Kearsarge and the Alabama,
are impressed that Capt.. Semmes Was god of
war. and that Capt Winslow was an accident;
that the event was trivial, for not q generous
word is given for Capt Winslcw or his crew.
sRr" Only once in this book do We find the word
Secession nor do We find the words trail
!. tor treason REBEL patriot. or patriot
= ism,' and only once the word flag. The bat
tie between the Monitor and tho Merrmac
occupies less attention than the elaborate praise
Of Magruder at Yorktown or Jackson at Manas-
sas.
1T is q surprise that Q comrade writing
this history should refer to the poor money of
the North and have no time or space to refer
/, 70 poor Southern money, when Northern
dollar Was worth carload of Southern money.
UNION LEADERS IGNORED.
I'VE do not find in Barnes's History the
names OF Ellsworth texcept in . foot note).
wadsworth, Dix, Sedgwick, Franklin, Meade
Hancock. Lyon, Butterfeld, Kearney, FIRE.
mont, Slocum, or Butler. Your committee
condemns this history for not mentioning these
names these illustrious stars that will shine
forever without which q history of the war
cannot be written.
1t refers to the msrtyred Lincoln as o man
with no schooling, ungainlv. unrefned, all of
which has no place in school history. and as q
fact absolutely false.
I'm Anderson's and Thomas's histories we
uDu no ODleClfOuSUle ukltcf, anu our cfltlClsuS
OF these books that they are incomplete.
They are written in q busiuess-like way, with
no attention to patriotism. and impress the
reader with the idea that Nations are made and
Governments are formed and maintained by
craftsmanship and learning and that valor
and patriotism Unnecessary, except, per-
haps, temporarily now and then. when states-
men get in trouble.
In Scudder's School History we End the
following: Mr.. Seward, Senator from New
York. aud the most conspicuous of Repubi-
cans, was willing to give up Congressional pro.
bibition OF slavery in the Territories, to en-
force the Fugitive Slave Law, and to perpetuate
slavery by a constitutional amendment"
In answer to this the COMMITTEES copy q let
ter from Frederick W. Seward, dated ut Mont
=, rose-on the Hudson, March % 1897 and adj
!. dressed 70 Mr.. Chamberlain. Mr.. Seward says:
: During q long and active public life my
father naturally encountered many misrepre-
sentstions Of his acts and utterances. But the
curious specimen you send me is SO absurd as
70 be ladcroue. OF course, he was not willing
20 give up the Congressional prohibition of
slavery in the Territories or 10 enforce the
Fugitive Slave Law or to 'perpetuate slavery
: by constitutional amendment The record
of his whole life fatty contradicts such state.