The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-02-01

THERE is a call in Chicago for new
history of England for use in the pub
lie schools. Mr.. John T. Heating
who is a member of the Chicago Board
of Education, is also president of the
Ancient Order of Hibernians, and has
views about England with which the
school histories now in use in Chicago
are not in harmony. Mr.. Heating
wants school histories which shall
"show the rapacity and tyranny of
England in their true light. He OBJ
jects to books which speak of England
as the mother country, and says that
what is wanted for the schools is a
history of England which shall be lib
era1 enough to allow credit to other
countries.
Mr.. Keating's views and desires are
not unreasonable, nor unnatural in an
American of Irish descent. There is
not much dispute anywhere that Eng
land. as a nation, has earned the
hearty dislike of the Irish, and is en-
titled to harvest the consequence of it.
Moreover, if Mr.. Heating can get a
history which shall do full justice to
English faults as we'll as virtues, there
will a considerable market for it out
side of Chicago. 1t might even meet a
want in England itself, for there is no
nation which subjects itself to such
constant and heart-searching criticisms
as England does. No critics of Eng
land are more candid in and out of
season than English critics. Speech
is free in that country, and the duty of
repentance is constantly pressed home
on it's people by their prophets. That
is one reason why England gets along
and survives so much misbehavior. If
Mr.. Heating is satisfied with the truth
about England, and is willing to accept
the whole truth, which gives credit as
well as blame where it is due, and pre-
serves just proportions, there is no
reason why he should not have what
he wants, provided he can find it.
A supplementary suggestion seems
fit to be made anent this ideal his
tory that Mr.. Heating wants. The
English are people that it is import
ant for our children to understand.
1t is we'll that our school histories
should deal frankly and accurately
P114 Tric Oh a1c n
people who are of very great import
ance to us. Our children should un-
derstand the Irish too. Mr.. Keating's
history ought to deal frankly and &C
curate1y with them also, discovering,
if possible, just what manner of folks
they are, what their history is, what
their virtues are, and what, if any, are
their defects. A school history con-
tanning such a picture of British rapa-
city and tyranny las we'll as of British
enterprise and gumption) as Mr.. Keat-
ing is willing to endorse should also
contain such an estimate of Irish capa-
city as shall be acceptable to some
disinterested person of British descent
by preference an officer of some
Ang1o-American society. There should
be fair play in this matter. If the
president of the Ancient Order of
Hibernians is to be the judge of what
school histories in Chicago say of Eng
land, some competent and unpredju
diced Orangeman should be selected to
pass on such chapters as are devoted
to Ireland and her sons. A history
compiled on this plan would be sure to
be interesting, and would probably be
more edifying than those now in
use.
Meanwhile history that is perfectly
just is hard to find, and seems to be
mighty difficult writing. Observe how
educated men who are 1ookers-on at
the South-African war differ in their
views of it! The opinions of various
Harvard professors on that subject
have lately been reported in the Har-
ward Crimson. Fourteen professors
have been quoted. Five, including
two German professors, side with the
Beers; nine with the English. Profess
sor Ames of the law school says the war,
on the part of the British, is unjustif-
able morally and b1under politically.
Professors Hart and Strobe1, who teach
history and international law, say the
English are doing what we or any
other country would do under like cir
cumstances. The facts of the South
African dispute are within easy reach.
If contemporary observers who know
them differ SO much about the ethics of
this war, doubtless historians who
treat of it will differ also.
PERSONALS
The late Grant Aliens. estate, pro-
hated recently in England amounts