The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-03
HUN PROPAGANDA IN SCHOOL BOOKS IS NOW CHARGED Textbook of Sixth Grade in Montgomery Causes
 Big Stir STATEMENT IS MADE BY SPRIGHT DOWELL Claims Textbook Commission Has Absolutely No Knowledge of the
 Book Which Caused
 the Trouble

Montgomery. October 2.-(Special) Sensational charges, connecting the state textbook commission with Ger man propaganda as a result of the ap- pearance of "The Story of Europe and Young America" to be studied by the sixth grade pupils of a Montgomery school, were answered in a long and detailed statement by the commission. through Spright Dowell. Wednesday afternoon.
 The charges were contained in a story in a Montgomery morning paper ' Wednesday, and immediately there came protests against the use of the nro-German books. The commission, composed of Governor Henderson and Q representatives of the teaching pro- fcssion in the state, stated emphati- cally the fault does not fall upon the shoulders of the state body, but prob ably upon the Montgomery school of ficials
 "Old Europe and Young America" written probably before the United States declared war against Germany, pays a most beautiful tribute to the German people and the German na- tor.
 Ar excerpt from the book says: Eastward over the Rhine stretches the mighty German empire. the dear fatherland of thousands who are now Americans, No wonder her people love her, for Germany is the land of great scholars, of splendid music, of harm less gayety and beautiful indeed she is with her quaint old towns and her bold, wooded hills From the bus tie of her cities and the smoke of her factories it is easy to see that Ger many has a great future.'
 The statement follows:
 sFhe implication that the members of the state textbook commission, in eluding Governor Henderson and the 10 prominent representatives of the teaching profession in Alabama, ap- pointed by him, were either ignorant of the contents of the books they had adopted or were knowingly endeayor- ing to put German propaganda into the minds of the school children of the state Is not true. The facts in the case are:
 l. The state textbook commission had no knowledge that "The Story of Old Europe and Young America" was to be used in any public school of the state.
 2 "The Story of Old Europe and Young America" was not presented to the state textbook commission for adoption and was not officially com , sidered by said commission.
 }. If "The Story of Old Europe and Young America' has been prescribed for use8in any public school in Mont gonery. this could only have been due to the school officials of Montgomery themselves. and they would not have legal right to do so except as supple mentary to the regular text adopted h hn lot nA1Z fec;
 {. The texts in history adopted by the state textbook commission for the sixth and seventh gradeS(are Thomp- sons United States history and Du- boses history of Alabama,
 'The books retired to in section of the above paragraph are the iden- tical ones that have been in use in the schools of Alabama for five years already and are merely readoptions.
 'The concluding part of the second sentence of the newspaper article in question which stated that this com plaint came with more vigor than did the kick of the patrons over the ever and eternal change of the textbooks of the schools Is also unfair Gov ernor Henderson, chairman of the state textbook commission, in appointing the associate members who are rep- resentative schoolmen of Alabama, spe- officially requested that the books al- ready in the public schools be readopt- ed as war measure, provided satis- factory prices could be obtained
 50 thoroughly was the commission in sympathy with the ideas of the governor and so well was his sugges- tioE carried out that despite the iil- creased cost of material and labor, Alabama children are today buying their textbooks, with two exceptions, at exactly the same prices they have been paying for the past five years and that privilege will continue to be exercised at the option of the text book commission for the five-year period now beginning. Only two books in the entire elementary school course were changed, namely, spelling and geography, and these changes were made because the publisher would not continue to furnish their books at the same prices as heretofore To protect the interest of the schools. therefore, the commission adopted new text books in spelling and geography only"
 Following disclosures that German propaganda was being studied by the sixth grade pupils in the Montgomery school the pupils were asked to re- turn the books. but instead bonfires were made with them Tn a statement issued following one from the text book commission, w. R. Harrison. su- perintendent of city schools, exonorated state officials of blame in permitting the books to be circulated as part of the school programme.