The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-11
TEXTBOOKS IN SOUTHERN SCHOOLS.

1t is somewhat remarkable that while
Grand Army posts and committees are crit
icising histories used as textbooks in the
schools of the North, Confederate veterans
are doing the same thing relative to those
used in the South. The criticisms are, of
course, from very opposite points of view,
and it must be added that those made by
the Confederate veterans seem to be much
more tinged by sectional and partisan
feeling than those on the other side. The
Northern critics object to erroneous state
ments and historical inaccuracies, while
those in the South want the truth of his
tory suppressed or colored in accordance
with their views. AT n recent meeting OF
the Confederate veterans of Louisiana at
Baton Rogue a committee appointed at the
last annual meeting to examine the school,
books used in Louisiana schools made a
lengthy report condemning a number of
books on the ground that they were unjust
or offensive from a Southern point of view.
One history was condemned because it
failed to show that Massachusetts threat
ened to secede from the Union long before
any Southern State did. and because il
gave a wrong version of the DreG Scott de-
cision: another because it contained such
words as rebellion treason ETC.: an
other because it contained a portrait and
eulogy of Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, and
this woman, who did more than any one
person in the United States to bring on
the war, in which so much Southern blood
was shed. and so much poverty and misery
caused, is prominently placed before our
children, who irabibe the idea that the pic
ture Of Uffcle Torn is-a generai one instead
of an exception" Another book is con-
demned because ii has a frontispiece Of
Abraham Lincoln. followed by his Gettys-
burg address and three selections about
him. rs the South so barren of heroes
from Washington down." says the report.
that they have to draw their inspiration
from Lincoln? Has the South so Few liter
airy productions that they have 10 reproduce
a speech made by a MAI during the war,
p~raising the heroes who helped TO save the
Union. showing that the Southern people
were attempting to destroy the federal gov
eminent and to cause a government of the
people, by the people and for the people to
perish from the face Of the earth?' For
these and similar reasons the mmi
united in c~ondemning the following books
and recommending that they be debarred
from any of the schools of Louisiana, pub
lie or private:
History of the United States Montgom-
cry; Story of the War John Laird Will
son; building the Melton" Charles earle,
ton Coffin; The Children's Third Reader"
CHM & Co.; "Williams's Choice Litera-
ture." Butler. Sheldon & Co., Book .. in
termediate; New Century Fourth Reader"
t Eaea'' Iss oSR I. 3 Rand and MeNaily to 1 Ei'e era
"Brumbaugh's Standard Reader" Chris
topher, Sewer Company; the above used
the United states" Fiske; Grammar
school History of the United Staes.'' Field;
The Beginners American History" Mont
gomery: "A First Book in American His
tory" Eggleston; History of the United
States and It's People" Eggleston; His
tory of the United States =" Barnes; Studies
ton to American Literature" Matthews;
Young's Government Class Book"
Some of these books may be open to far
criticism on particular points. but so sweep
ing a condemnation savors OF partisan bias
and a purpose to exclude all books by
| Northern authors. Some of the schoo
books Of the day, histories and readers, are
hasty and superficial compilations, not
worthy to be introduced in any school. but
the Southern standard must be either very
high or very p~roscriptive to bar all of the
wholesale prescription of Northern books
than an attempt to establish a correct
literary standard.