The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-27
How Text Books are Sc
lected by School Board.
REPLY TO CAPT. ASHE
Prof. Hugh Msrson, Prncil pal OF High
School, Says He Will Not Rest
Quietly Under The lmpulation
Conveyed by Capt.
Ashe.

INSERT 7S90$ g 7S90$.. &c. 6
To the Editor: l desire to reply to
the inquiries in your issue of Satur-
day. made by Capt. S. A. Ashe in re-
gard to the introduction of Fiske's
History of the United States in the
course of the Raleigh High School.
Had not the criticism come from
high an authority on historical sub
iects. | DO not know that l would re-
ply At all. for it is to be expected that,
with the almost numberless text
books now issued in every subject, OBJ
jeCtions will be raised to any par
ticular one and that it is impossible to
select a book which will meet the de-
mands of all.
The requirements for entrance to the
High School, fixed by the City School
Committee, are as follows: "Arith-
metic through percentage. the compile
ton of elementary Grammar, elemen-
taTy History of North Carolina, the
United States and the World, manual
of Geography and Fifth Reader. In
the High School the course will begin
with higher Arithmetic. Algebra, Latin.
higher English Communicates are
essentials
II has been no easy task to settle
exactly the courses TO, be pursued, with
suitable textbooks for the same
Especially has this been the case in
the first and second years classes
which are large. and l. together with
the other teachers associated with
me. have given much time and labor
10 the settlement of these important
and puZzling questions.
To no subject has so much attention
been given as to the selection of a
textbook i'm United States History, and
Yla fn, ctr in -
school curriculum. l have found upon
a close examination of many high
school courses of other cities that this
subject is generally assigned to the
last, or fourth years course-the
logical order for history study being.
Ancient. Medieval, European and last
~ Observation-Disclosures, of course.
We concluded, however, after much
reflection. to place American History
in our second year course, as being
best suited to the peculiar conditions
with which we are confronted, and de-
cided that the, proper book TO intro
duce as following the Elementary one
prescribed for entrance by the COM
mittee should be, not what is gener-
ally known as a Grammar School His
tory. which is more or less elemen-
tary, but one written for and adapted
to the use of secondary schools, or
even colleges. There are over $50
DuDllS III the SCnOOl, HedIIy eNSly OIlC
OF whom has completed Eggleston's
Part H. i'm the Graded Schools, or
Hanselrs Part II. at the Male Acade
my.
/ did not. therefore. consider it adj
visabie to introduce either of these,
though l thought Hansell's book of
about suitable grade, and as 1t is by
"A Southern author and has been used
by me ever since it's publication, my
preference was for it. and it was ruled
out because of the fact that so many
OF the pupils had already completed
1t.
There were only three other South
ern histories that thought might be
considered with view to Introduction,
viz: Lees. Bruce's and White's-the
last-named being the one so highly
spoken of by Capt. Ashe, whose re-
commentator l most heartily en-
dorse But the same objection men
toned above applied to all three OF
these. as they seemed no more ad-
vanced than those already studied by
the pupils. Besides, if | may DE par
doned for personal allusion. the au-
thors of Bruce's and Whites are, the
one a relative and the other connec-
ton by marriage of my own, which
fact was to me second reason Tor
rejecting them. Then, too. both books
being bv Virginia authors. | could not
a scrutiny l might give, DR.. A, Prof.
b.. or Col g., critically provided with
what Sam Weller called "A double
million magnifying glass microscope,
might discover therein some maSnl-
ficent Virginian," arrayed in tattered
garb but with FURNISHED arms, charg-
ing two or three yards in advance OF
a gallant Tar Heel equally dilapidat-
ed and equipped with even more eff
fulgent weapons up some blood-staln-
ed. cannon-crowne slope of the civil
war.
Numerous other books were eX-
amined, for l wish it distinctly I'M
derstood that / have always tried 10
Introduce textbooks on their merits,
and not merely because they were by
a Southern author. though when they
met all the requirements, | have CIV
en- such the preference.
SO IL may be seen that the selection
seemed TO narrow down to one of the
Higher or Secondary School Histories
and F1Ske's was chosen after careful
examination and comparison. because
we found that. though it contained,
as Capt. Ashe has pointed out, many
faults of omission in regard to our
history there We're fewer of commits
sion that We could detect than in any
book of similar grade examined its
author being certainly recognized as
w
ton.
Not much space is given to North
Carolina history, it is true, but i can
not see how any general American his
tory can be expected to devote much
space TO the separate States without
being made too voluminous for school
use. Our purpose is to enlarge and
expand the text by parallel reading
and study and the teachers have al
ready planned to use the North Caro-
lima Booklet for special work in the
history of our State in connection with
the study of American history
1t may be added that Fishes is
used i'm the Norfolk High School.
though there are four histories by
Virginia authors to select from, and
Prof r. ID. w. Common recently in
formed me. and authorized me to
state. that he introduced and used
Fisles while Principal of the Will
mington High School with most salts