Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-03-13

Many conscientious and patriotic teach
ers will welcome the project Of a south
ern publishing house, inasmuch as it
would not only keep a profitable industry
at home but might be the means Of fur
nishing a class of books long needed not
only in the south but the north.
Hitherto nearly all text books have been
written and published at the north. The
reasons for this are obvious. The public
school system had it's incipiency with the
states in this section; 1t is the oldest and
best established of it's institutions. In
some states the school funds are almost
unlimited, and with ample means at their
DISPOSAL the teachers have long been able
to avail themselves of the best educa-
tional methods. From such conditions
naturally has arisen the successful writer
of text books
Many of these books, excellent in all
other respects, are tinged with an unin-
territorial sectionalism.
Unconsciously the writers have tncor-
porated in them the traditions of their
own environment. They have appealed to
only part of the people in our common
country.
1t is not the histories alone which are
unacceptable. The readers, too, need re-
vision, and many series, otherwise COM
mendable from an educational point OF
view, would be improved by the elimina-
ton of sundry fragments Of political
speeches or bits of abolitionist poetry.
II is equally obvious that the south, with
her public school system yet in its in
fancy and struggling against many con-
tingencies which have never confronted
northern states, should have produced but
few text books writers.
and with our rapidly increasing educa-
tional facilities there is no reason why
text books, sound in educational principle
and beyond question as to literary merit.
should not be written and published in
the south.
But that we should write and foster
books partisan in principle would be de-
plorable~fact, and may this never be said
to the shame of the south.
No books should be published or placed
in the hands of any child in the United
States which could not be fifty studied by
every other child residing therein. That
this has been far from true in the past
goes without saying. The children Of Bos-
ton and Atlanta, New York and New Or
leans are equal factors in the life Of a
great nation and are equally entitled to
the truth of history.
They should study the same books and
it is blot upon our civilization as a ma
ton that, through sectional hatred and
jealousy, we have permitted two manner
of text books to be used in our schools.
"Of making many books there is no
end" vet it remains true that as yet this
generation has produced no history which
merits universal adoption throughout the
country.
Pick up a history, no matter where pub
,lished, and read its imposing preface"
The invariable assurance will always be
found that the author has sought to avoid
ali sectional and partisan statements.
Yet it takes but few moments scanning
of the pages to tell on which side Of Ma
son and Dixon's line said author lived.
What rs a sectional history? In the
south it is one biased in favor Of the north,
in the north il is one when states too
alphabetically the position of the south.
According to the above, nearly all exist
ing texts must be relegated to the class
of sectional histories.
That history perfectly just to all Sec
tions of our land and truthfully depicting
conditions there cannot be written we are
not ready TO conccde. Surely some one
will appear with untiring genius, the true
historic instinct and a soul so great that
he can write the history of our common
country in the light of philosophical in
quiry as to cause and effect, placing his
work above all petty strife and sectional
ism.
Just as a man has arisen to meet every
crisis of the worlds history, so one will
come to minister 10 this vital need. And
even as the pen is mightier than the
sword" so he who places the same his
tory in the hands of every American child.
will merit more lasting honor and unfad-