New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-01-03
BEFORE THE STATE
BOARD OF EDUCATION

Against Certain Statements Pnbiish
ed in Roberts "A History and Civics'
Now in Use in the Public Schools
of New Mexico.
| Mr.. Chairman and Members of tn
State Board of Education:
Having said all that I have deemed
necessary with reference to the his
tory of the preparation and presenta
ton of my school History, and tina
Of Gov. Prince, I beg to be permit
ted, with a view of suggesting ar
investigation to ascertain the truth
to lodge a formal protest against thu
further use, unless corrected, in oui
public schools and State Institutions
of that part of Roberts "A History
and Civics of New Mexico" referring
to the History of New Mexico, where
in reference is made to the grea'
Indian revolt in 1880, ETC., on the
grounds following:
1. Although it is claimed that said
book was adopted by a former Board
under a contract for six years the
said contract was not, as far as
have been able to ascertain. execut'
ed, or at least it cannot be found.
2. The sad book contains, among
other errors, the following old and
much exploded fa~lsehoods: (a) That
Panfilo de Navarez explored the
country O527-8). after arriving al
the coasts of Florida. (b) That Fr.
Marcos de Mia was the initiator. OF
the expedition bv him made into
New Mexico (153o). (c) That Coro-
nado arrived in Zuni in May 154O
(d) 1t fails to mention Espejo's dis
covery of mines in New Mexico
Ns82-3). 1t states that there is no
record of Espejo's efforts to make a
second expedition to New Mexico q
have that record) after his first
Journey to New Mexico. ~ 1t gives
the wrong date of Onate's journey
to New Mexico 1888. (g) 1t makes
also an unjustifiable statement. which
amounts to Islander, against the
Catholic Church where it says that
the plot which brought about the
great Indian revolt (l6sO) against the
Spaniards was revealed to the gov
ernor (Otermin-B. M. Read) by
some priests who heard of it in the
CONFESSIONAL.
II is, principally, to this last state
ment that | as historian, and as a
Catholic, desire to make the most
emphatic protest, for. while the 9TH
er r%eferred-to errors are. at the
present time. and since 1911. when
what was lacking of the first sources
was made public in New Mexico, un-
tenab1e and inexcusable, some argu-
ment may be advanced for their pub
LEGATION by saying that other authors
mot reliable, though) have stated
the same thing;. hut there is not a
shadow of an excuse, in the world,
for the slanderous statement. which,
in a way, was originated IN Ban
croft's wandering imagination, re-
ferring to the Confessional. To teach
such falsehood in u schools would
be equivalent to poisoning the hearts
of our youths thousands of whom
are catholics) against that Church.
1t has been taught in our schools
for more than two years; it ought
to, forthwith, be eliminated, or the
author of the book should be asked,
in justice to historical truth; in jus
tice to the Catholic Church; in JUS
tice to hiaaself and<for the good name
of the State Of New Mexico. to pres
ent the authority upon which he may
claim justification for using the
word Confessional, in lieu of the
word confession" as used by Ban
croft.
Public discussion of this protest
on.
Respectfully submitted,
Benjamin M. Read.
Santa Fe. New Mexico, December
1918.