Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-06-13
RLEAsE ON SCHOOL BOOKS.
Wants Southern Books by Southern
Authors For Schools.

"Will you please tell me If you have
reached a determination in the state
board of education matter" Governor
Blease was asked today, says Column
bia letter to the Greenville News. He
replied: "Since my entrance into poll
tics l have been advocating southern
books by southern authors for south
ern children and to be taught by
southern teachers. That Is still my
plan and l propose wherever l can
consistently, to vote for and request
the adoption of books by southern au-
thors, and for this reason, so far as
have been able to make an examina-
ton, propose to request the present
state board of education to stand py
South Carolinians where they nave
books that are equally as good as oth-
er authorities.
so far as my own investigation has
gone DR.. Whites history of South Car
olina comes nearer being what l want
than any history 1 can find, and pro-
pose to do what can to have 1t
adopted for our children. In the list
l find other South Carolina authori-
ties, DR.. Kinard of Winthrop; DR..
Settler of Newberry, and DR.. Wallace
of Wofford. l propose In these books
to stand by my platform
There will be no change made In
the personnel of the state board OF
education prior to the 18th instant. In
my opinion, books are too expensive
and the parents Of this country are
suffering from having to buy so many
books. / am in favor of having the
schools of the state adopt a general
system that will allow the children to
hand their books down from one TO
the other, that is, If man has several
children one in the eighth, one in the
seventh and one in the sixth, ETC.. that
when the children Of the sixth or fifth
advance to the seventh or sixth, that
il be allowed to study the same books
that it's brother or sister studied In the
upper grade. To allow this would
save the parents much money In the
purchase of books for their various
children.
I'm Whites history we find these
words: Referring to Sherman's army,
they tore up railroad tracks and burn
ed all the bridges. The pathway Of the
northern soldier was marked by the
blackened chimneys which they left
standing behind them Later we find
the following: "On the morning Of
February 18th, General Hampton anG
General NJ. c. Butler led their caval-
ry out of the city of Columbia. AS
they rode away they saw that all was
safe and quiet. Then the invading
army entered Columbia. Sherman's $
fierce soldiers set fire to house after
house and thus destroyed nearly every
part Of the beautiful capital Of South
Carolina
This is the way l love to see his
tory written; tell the truth, make IL
plain and apologize to no living man;
and If proof is needed furnish not the
words of the Yankees but the words
of southern soldiers and southerners
who are living today and can bear
witness to the fact.
I'm my opinion, the purchase OF
books Is the most important matter
that can possibly arise in my adminis-
tration, for we are laying the founda-
ton for the education OF the children
of this country, the direction Of their
minds and other impressions as are
made upon them will be everlasting
and will be handed down by them to
their children and, therefore 1t Is or
the utmost Importance that we should
have the best books and lay this foun-
dation so strong that no matter what
may be the storms Of the future. 1t
will be as strong as the rock Of Gil
braltar, and stand for truth, righteous
ness and justice"