The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-13
GRAND CAMP
HISTORY REPORT
IContinued from First Page)


old jealousy Of Puritan and Cavalier and
the resentment OF the Vrginians against
the New Englanders for failing TO help
them In the Indian war. whence. accord
Ing TO some authorities, the cpithet,
Yankee sprang."
After brief discussion on the practice
~ Northern historians 10 ignore tho cause
Of the war, the report says:
Here in Virginia Our hope IS IN this
Grand Camp. with its allies among the
scolars in the state and I'M the men
upon whom the law has laid tho heavy
responsibility belonging to our State
Board Of Education. We are glad to
know that these are good men and true;
that they have on the whole given the
public schools Of Virginia by far the best
set Of books they have ever had. So VIC
are glad 10 acknowledge the good work
they have done for the state however
strongly We may dissent from and protest
against some OF their conclusions. with
respect 20 the situation abroad. 1t de-
Ecribes II not unfairly If We say that the
reasons for the existence Of our History
Committee are. IN a modified form, the
same that In 1861 brought into existence
and moved 20 action the armies OF the
South"
The report. then. after a most inter-
csting discussion on the writing of his
tories. declares:
LAS the result Of our examination and
such scholarly aid as We have been able
10 secure. We have 10 report the posi-
tive conclusion that no Northern author
has Vet written "a school history IN
which IL is not easy to trace one or more
Of the purposes we have described and
denounced All that we have seen are for
this reason unfit for use IN southern
schools
'.Nor do we hesitate to express the opin-
ION that standing as these people do 10
the truth Of history, conscious that their
section is on trial with respect TO the
sectional war. and we'll aware OF the
growing signs that theirs IL 10 be the
Yott cause at iast-human nature hehs
imperfect-fair history cannot be expect
cd 81 Northern authors unless they pe
of the rarest and boldest. worthy TO rank
with the inspired historians who wrote
The simple truth. If they initiate these
great writer's they conquer self 10 an
extent impossible for simple mortals,
offend their own people. and fail Of their
market They cannot do The irst; rear
20 do the second tho third, their pun
fishers VIII not allow lgnoranty or
knowingly. seeing with tho blinded eyes
Of prejudice or intent that others shah
not sec. they arc constrained 10 falsify
tho record lN lfNA W ~ '.tf''F 'N'''- 49,
they must be silent. They have not been
silent"
pr. Mcclure then takes up Fiske's HIS
tory. which he reviews at length. poini'
ins ont its impcrfections and merits. with
iinpartiality. and from il draws this con-
clusion.
There IS no experienced writer. care
fu of truth and yet I'm the habit OF
Nvelebine his sentences by his ear. who
has not fought many a battle with the
tempfation that lies In striking anithesis
and rounded period. We have few writers
WHO Illustrate this truth more forcibly
than Mr. Fiske. lie has not won all his
battles Possibly 10 one OF his defeats
4, more signal than the utter overthrow
that befel him in that lslst page we have
mentioned No other explanation or the
false picture there presented is al all adj
migsibie IN u scarce TOO much 20 say
that the rounded period makes the unre-
liable historian. Mr. Fiske's history H.
Illustrates AN the virtues and al the vices
that accompany that style OF wrltihs
1T D. not 20 be- supposed that the gem
tlemen who have auhcrizcd the use OF
This book are blind o. It's Objectionable
feature. The expial alton IS doubtless 10
b. found in the fact that they have ad-
vised Us use only for High School class
es This must have been done on the as
sumption that the Public High School
boys are mature enough TO winnow the
wheat from the chaff: already sufficient
~ Instructed 20 recognize error ano be
proof Against rs effect and do not need
Tnnanls tsxtrboeks. Ne venture IA a.