The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-04
John Brown and
AsheviIle Schools
Baskerville CitiZen.)

ne hdlelSn news ana observer, IN
Sundays issue, has an attack in its edi-
torial columns upon the schools of Ashe-
vile. The schools of this city are made
a subject for condemnation because of the
fact that in the outline for the guidance
of the teacher in the study of history and
civics there appears the following para
graph:
Use freely stories from lives of great
men and women-as Washington, Franklin
Jackson Lincoln, Grant, John Brown, Lee.
Jackson tStonewalD, Edison. Audubon,
Garrison, Longfellow, AgassiZ, Clara Bar
ton and others"
The News and Observer calls attention
to What is an Objectionable classification
of John Brown among great men, of the
country. 1t says, ct would be almost
impossible TO find a historian of today
that values his reputation for fairness
and common sense VINO would approve
John Browns course and enroll him with
Washington, Andrew Jackson. Lincoln
Grant, Lee and Stonewall Jackson
a Citizen reporter today asked Mr.
Tighe for an explanation. He said
I'm the first place the editor of the
News and Observer evidently misunder-
stands the method and spirit of the his
tory course as it is laid down. And
again it is often possible in quoting to
make such selections from the whole as
will appear to have an entirely different
meaning from that intended by the au-
thor or from what would be understood
were it read in it's entirety. l do not
however, wish to attribute any such in
tent to the editor of the News and OBJ
server. On the contrary | am inclined to
think that his position in this matter is
due rather to his lack of knowledge of
the purpose and intent of this part of the
course of study
LET me explain: This particular part
great historical movements, social and
industrial, OF the nineteenth century. To
illustrate, l will quote the following:
For United States take a rapid view
of the growth of the nation, as to terri
tory; picturesque national events and
places, as Fanuil hall, independence hall,
American Flag, Continental money, Ma
tional Capitols. War 1912, Slavery, John
Brown and Uncle srom's Cabin. Our ma
tional hymns, settlement OF our frontiers,
the New South, rapid view of the great
achievements as Franklin and printing
press, Eli Whitney and cotton gin, Ameri-
can canals, the railway, telegraph, ocean
cables, electrical inventions, labor saw
ing machinery, friction matches, military
inventions, rapid transit, schools and
American school system, changed social
conditions, including study of home life
at various periods, the observation of
holidays, early frontier sediments, dress
and manners Of different periods, means
of travel, tools, amusements, modes of
heating and lighting, newspapers and books
for 200 years, FARMS and farm life, cities,
their distribution and growth. streets,
lighting and government; the census
Nov, it is essential and necessary that,
in the consideration of each OF these
topics the men and women who have been
most vitality connected with them be stu
died. Especially is this true with young
children. The most successful history
teacher draws largely upon biography as
means of fixing events and national
movements So, in our study of the
causes or forces which produced the civil
war it is necessary to make study of
John Brown and his raid, just as it is
necessary to take account of the infu
ence which Uncle Toms Cabin had in
the same connection.
THUS it will be seen that the stories
of the men and women mentioned in the
part quoted by the News and Observer,
and others, names not mentioned, will
be studied, not on account OF their
greatness but because they are typical
of the periods or movements in which
they took part. Lee and Jackson are
types of the Southern hero, Edison typi
fies the American inventor, Audubon and
Agassiz stand for nature study, and John
Brown is type of the extreme abolition
ist--a fanatic without doubt, but still
history maker. and as such to be studied
in this connection. 1t is not the inten-
ton here to hold up the acts of John
Brown as worthy of emulation, but rath-
err to e;vo tho pupil an idea of the aboli-
ZIONIST and his influence on this period
of history
again, the list of names given was not
intended for galaxy of heroes and great
men to be studied as such. And the
names are written not in chronological
order nor yet with regard to any order of
precedence as the News and Observer
would have us believe. Neither do they
include all to be studied. The list is