The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-03
Attention, Text Book Committees u.
ID. CT


The Historian of the North Carolina
Division u. ID. c.. has just received
through the kindness of the chairman
Carolina the following list of school
histories which are declared objec-
tionable for use in Southern schools by
DR.. j. William Jones. of Richmond,
Va, a man who helped to make his
tory as they are not impartial history,
and are unfair to the South in their
treatment of her part in American af-
fairs. This is the list as declared
Taboo:
Swinton, the Eclectic History, Egg
gleston, Barnes, Fiske, Willard, Will
sons, Allan G. Thomas, MoWry,
Goodrich, McMaster's, and Harris
"Epochs of American History in
three volumes. much used in our col
leges and high schools is very objec-
tionable. Our Country" published
by CHM & Co., has been condemned
by the History Committee of the
Grand Camp of Virginia, u. c. ", and
added to this list is Montgomery's
School Histories.
There is nothing more ineffaceabIe
than early impressions. The Jesuit
Fathers, these masters in knowledge
of the human mind are said to say:
Give us a child until he is seven
years old and then take him and do
what you will with him. He is ours,
and no matter how far he may seem
to stray, sooner or later he will re-
turn to mother church."
Evidently they hold that the for
native, impossible period of the hui
man mind; that period in which the
impressions made are indelible and
will color the whole future life lie be-
tween the first and eighth year. Shall
he f,1f,1 10, II
soldiers and historians of the South
to receive their lifelong bias through
falsehood and Misrepresentation Of
their native land? 1t is not fair to
the children themselves. They have
the right of the born inheritor to the
truth as regards the part taken by
their ancestors in the affairs Of
America from the hour when the first
white foot denied the sands Of
the sword drawn in defense of States
Rights and personal liberty was
sheathed at AppomattoX.
Nor even then did the hand of the
South fall from the heln1-when the
mist of passion clear and the poeas
is adjusted by gentle lapse of time,
men will measure justly and so
measuring will bow in honor to the
men of the South who guided the work
try is today.
1t is the right of the children of
those men to know the truth, and do
reverence to their fathers; than whom
God never made a nobler generation
of men.
Let then every teacher in every
school in the State carefully read the
histories used by his or her scholars
and see that nothing false is taught
therein.
Let the parents read the histories
that their children study, and if un-
fair to the South refuse to let the
child study them.
Let all school boards appoint a
committee to read the histories and
condemn those that are partizan.
And chiefly let every chapter of the
L. ID. G. take up the text book work
in earnest and see to it that any work
in which there is an unfair sentence
even, is condemned. The Superintend-
ent of Public instruction is heartily in
sympathy with this branch of our
work and his influence will be with
us i'm leaving any books dropped from
the list of text books used in the State
and public schools that we condemn.
Call upon the veterans to aid you,
and get to work at once. Too much
time has been lost too much false
hood has been allowed to go unchal-
lenged, but we can check any future
errors of the kind if we will, and
urgently request you, each one, to
give your best thought and effort to
this matter and see that justice is
done to those men whose lives were
given for us and our liberties.
REBECCA CAMERON.
Historian, N. c. Div. u. d. C.
HillSborOugh N. e. July 9 1904