Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-18
TEXT BOOKS DISCUSSED
QUESTION AGAIN BEFORE BOARD
OF EDUCATION.
Gen. BOyntOn Answers the Publishers
of Fiske's History-Business
Matters Considered.

The board of education at its meeting
last evening resumed consideration of the
alleged inaccuracy of some of the text
books on history. Houghton, Miffilin & Co.
of New York. publishers of Fiske's history
of the United States, recently wrote to the
board protesting against the attack on
their text books by the board and defend
ing the general accuracy of the history.
Gen. Boynton's reply to their communica-
ton was made public last night. 1t was, in
part. as follows:
You express regret that my criticisms
of Mr.. Fiske are based on an old edition
of the book and that four editions at
least eech containing revisions, have been
published since the one to which l refer.
1t seems strange that four editions, each
now admitted to contain errors sufficient
to call for q revised edition, should have
been published by your firm without any
notice to our board that the edition in
their hands had been revised. 1t was more
surprising, after reading your letter, to
find that with one exception, namely, the
statement of losses at Gettysburg, the mat
tiers which L criticised remain not only not
corrected in your last edition, but in the
same shape as in the old edition, which we
have in hand in our schools
The one correction which you note, and
inform me that Mr.. Fiske changed a long
time ago. is in the figures of confederate
losses at Gettysburg. His revisions have
scarcely improved this matter, although
you enormously say these figures now
agree pretty nearly with mine Your state
ment places these losses at '2S, 0OO besides
5000 prisoners The total loss of killed,
wounded captured or missing were 20 451.
The killed and wounded were 1901 and
the captured or missing were ), $50
You note that my recomm endation to
the board was not voted on by the board,
and ask to be informed how the matter
stands The situation is this: The chap
tiers on the civil war are not being taught.
In the proposals for next years supplies
bids for Fiske's histories are only to be
received if corrected to date There can
be no further purchases of any of the his
tories involved until | sign the requisitions
which. of course, l shall not do until such
corrections are made, as / am responsible
both to the Commissioners of the District
and to Congress, which makes the appro-
priation for the purchase of these three
text books.
Desires to Inspect.
The board has received a letter from D.
l. Murphy, secretary of the Central Union
of Catholic Churches of the District ask
ing that he be furnished with copies of
the histories and readers used in the public
schools, as the union desired to examine
them. The board instructed the secretary
to inform MIR. Murphy that the board had
no authority to issue text books, except
to pupils of the schools. Although Mr.
as to the object of the proposed examina-
ton, the members of the board understood
that the societies he represents desire to
ascertain whether any Objectionable secta-
Ran doctrines are to be found in the
books. While the books cannot be given
away, it was said the committee will be
privileged to examine them by calling at
the office of the superintendent
a communication was received from Mr.
F. w. Smith inviting the teachers of the
at the Halls of the Ancients, Wednesdays
and Saturdays until May g.