The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-03-23

Capt Lewis Glon's Protest -Stat'
Board Declares 1t Had no Intentio,
to Gftcnd Veterans
In the imcs- Democrat Of March Y
there is published a dcnrpc,a,,on ol
Brunlbaugh Readers
Much Indignation is felt by members
Of the various Confederate organizations
over the action Of the State Board oi
Education in the adoption Of the Brur,-
f'aughs series OF readers III several oi
the primary grades Of the public schools
of the State on account of the text ri
| some Of the lessons contained in them
It is stated that this objection is based
upon the tendency uf the author to mag
nifty the idea that the men of the Con
tedcr3tc States were traitors and rebels.
| That such idea should not be mculcated
III the minds Of the children Of the
State IS the position which has been
| rga,nzatlons. and it is expected that
| trencI,ant resolutions against the adop-
tion Of the books will be passed by the
Veterans throughout the State.
Capt Lewis Guion. chairman Of the
History Committee of the u G. v.
prefers to take 4 more charitable view
IF the situation. however. and says that
he is fully persuaded that the members
If the State Board Of Education had no
idea what they were doing when they
adopted the books. This he said was
| especially true as regards the second
section of the Brulnbaugh Fifth Reader
which makes use of the word rebellion"
wherever there Is an allusion to the civil
war. and contains but one work by a
Southern author The main reason why
Capt G,ilon holds this opinion is that the
scltsame book was unfavorably reviewed
by him in IcoI and 1905 on the score of
ITS unfair statement of facts concerning
the war between the States. and rejected
at those times on that very account
Capt. Guion said Il have not vet
made up my mind as to what action
will take regarding the action Of the
state Board of Education. ! would
much prefer to have the members them
selves act upon the suggestion made by
the press if Louisiana ! feel confident
they. themselves will be the first to want
10 rectlfy their error and express their
condemnation Of the books. | know the
members Of the State Board too wefl to
fear that they will not do this. for |
have written opinions Of several mem
lers upon this very point
II know the character Of the men
who compose that board. and know
they do not believe in any such business
! know they would not willingly Or con
sclously vote for series Of books which,
contains matters which are historically
objectionable. | have the letter of Judge
lawrason, one Of the members Of the
tate Board, i'll which he says he will
not favor the introduction of any school
hook which would lead the children of
tins State to believe that their fathers
were rebels or traitors. On this account
| feel perfectly certain that when the
attention of the members of the State
Board is called to the error there will be
no necessity for the Confederate organ
zations to take any action
1.-The public of New Orleans knows
what has been my position have uni
lormly condemned the use of any book
III the public schools of this State which
teaches the children of the south that
their fathers were insurgents. rebels or
traitors. Such books are not fit for the
children of the North to be taught be
cause as the years go on it will be
shown that the South and its leaders
were historically and legally right when
they seeded The decent men Of the
North have quit calling us rebels and
traitors and in their writings they no
longer refer to the soldiers of our States
as rebels. but as Confcderates.
notwithstanding this. and in the face
Of the fact that in two other years un-
favorably criticised this book, the State
Board of Education has adopted for the
use of the children of Louisiana the sec
ond part Of the fifth reader of the Brum-
baugh series. | say it is not fair to the
South and not fair to our school children
that such a book should be placed in the
hands Of the child. The childs mind is
Ill formative state and it does not com
prehend that these conditions might
have been misrepresented And another
thing, from the reading Of this book the
child would have no idea that there is
any Southern literature. Only one
Southern author has a place within its
pages. and he, unlike all the rest, has
not had his biography placed at the head
Of the selection.
Henry Gradys The Southern Sol
der IS the only work by Southern
man in the book. and at the head Of the