Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-16
SCORES THE BOARD,
Grand Camp History Committee
Critcises the Books Chosen,
MR. BRENT'S REPLY THERETO.
Works Of RiSke and Cooper, EStill &
Lemon Denounced.
THE BROOKs-sUMNER INCIDENT
This the Subject for Severe Criti-
cism by the Committee-Mr. Brent,
However, Takes Issue on This

The Executive Committee Of the His
tory Committee of the Grand Camp, Con-
federate Veterans, of Virginia, mek at the
Mechanics Institute at noon yesterday
and adopted a report, which is to be sub
mtted to the Grand Camp at the forth
coming meeting to be held at Culpeper on
October 4th.
There were present at the meeting
Messrs. William l.. Royal, chairman; X.
=. Brock, NJ. W. Hazlewood, all of Rich
mond, and John Mann, of Nottoway.
The report had been prepared by the
chairman. and was unanimously approved
after several minor changes had been
made.
1t contains a more or less severe ar
raignment of the State Board of Educa-
ton for their selection of histories, and a
strong condemnation OF the works of
John Fiske and Cooper, Estill & Lemon
as being inaccurate and altogether unfit
to be put into the hands OF the children
of this State.
MIR. BRENT REPLIES.
This report is reproduced here. with a
trenchant reply TO the criticisms con-
tanned therein from Mr. +. =. Brent,
Secretary OF the State Board, who was in
some degree instrumental in the selection
of the histories. Mr.. Brent answers the
objections urged by Mr.. Royal and quotes
from records of the Grand Camp to show
that ope of the histories about which Mr..
Royal complains was included i'm the list
Of school-books because. among other rea-
sons. the veterans asked that it should
be placed there.
Mr.. Brent takes Mr.. Royal severely to
task on the Sumner-Butler feature of
Fiske's history-upon which the latter
dwelt at considerable length in his re-
portland makes a strong defence of Mr..
Fiske's works and his attitude towards
the Old Dominion.
THE REPORT.
The full text of the committees report
follows:
To the Grand Camp, Confederate Vet
erans, Department of Virginia:
Your Committee on History begs leave
TO submit the following report:
The former chairman having resigned
at the beginning of March. 1898. the
Grand Commander appointed the pres
ent chairman. He Immediately called a
meeting of the committee, which was
held in Richmond city, on March s, 1895
The time when the School Board of the
State was 10 meet and prescribe school
books for some time 10 come being neaI
at hand, it was deemed expedent that
the committee should use its best en-
deavors TO have the Objectionable histo-
ries omitted from the lists and TO place
upon them those which would teach the
children of Virginia Il correct version OF
our great civil war and the causes that
led up to 1t.
At that meeting the following resolu-
tions were adopted, to wit:
Resolved That in the opinion of this
committee it expresses the sentiment OF
all the Confederate veterans and Sons Of
| Veterans in this State, and of the over
| whelming majority of the people of the
State, when it respectfully requests tn,
| Board of Education, as it now does, tC
| use every measure under its control e
| drive Barnes's History out of use in tn,
| schools OF this State; and,
Second, That the Board of Education
| confine the public schools TO the use Of
| Jones's and Lees histories of the UniteC
| States, for the present, at least.
Third Whereas, it has been credibly
| represented to this committee. as ii be
| Heves. that the book company obtaining
the contract to furnish histories of tn
TO cob nlC will
| take up all of Barnes's histories now in tn
hands of the scholars upon most reason
! able terms, the Board Of Education il
respe ectfully urged to require this of tn
| company TO which 1t awards the contract
| But whether this is done or not, it Il
| urged TO forbid the further use o
| Barnes's History in the schools, and {,
require the use of Jones's or Lees, as
| is the sense of this committee that III,
children of the State had better be taugh
no history than such pretended histor.
| as Barness.
FAIRNESS HISTORY DROPPED.
Upon a subsequent day your committee
| accompanied by large body of LEADING
| citizens of Virginia, met the Board o
| Education and presented these resolu
| tions TO them. The chairman of the com
| rnittee. other members of IL, and som
! of the citizens who had accompanied tn
| committee. addressed the board, urgin
IN, purport of the resolutions upon IL
ana the committee is happy to report Il
| the Grand Camp that the Board of Edu
| cation has dropped Barnes's Histor
from the school lists and has placed IN
| histories OF Mrs. Lee and DIR. Jones upo
| them.
| but the board also placed upon tn
| school lists the History of the Unite
| states by John Fiske.
| your committee is of opinion that thi
hook is not one proper 10 be placed 4
| the hands of the children of Virginia.
s a very admirable work in everythin
| except what pertains to the war and IN
| carses of the war. but II is written by
| northern man. who sympathized inten
| selv with the northern side of ou
onsrrel and while he has written wit
an evident desire TO be as fair as he ca
| ha his account OF the war and Its cause
is inevitably colored by his preferences.
The result is. he has written a boo
| ,bot will cause a Virginia child VIII
learns nothing of the war but what Ia
roads I'm that book TO think that III
southern people who seeded from tn