Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-08
FRANCE N hi A

IN = recent issue we printed on
this page a synopsis Of the re-
port made by an investigator for
''Our World" on the subject OF
what German children were being
taught in school text books about
the causes Of the war and its effects
on Germany. The report in effect
was that they were being taught
nothing at all because the beliefs
of their parents were so contradict
DRY that no agreement could be
reached on the subject and no text
book written that would satisfy
even a majority of them. Mr.. Shep-
herd, who made the investigation,
extended his inquiries to France and
there found precisely similar condi-
tions. He says he went to Paris
and sought out the minister OF
public instruction, who, though too
cautious to make a statement, him.
self, detailed a subordinate to talk:
. "When peace came" said this Of
ficial, "the school-teachers every
where in France felt free to ignore
the old military regulations and to
tell their pupils in the class-rooms
just what had happened during the
previous four years. There were
not tex books with which the
teachers could work; SO many OF
them began giving little lectures to
their pupils.
"But the department of education
found itself in trouble Immediately.
Parents deluged us with complaints.
They said their children were be-
ing taught lies about the war. So
cialist workmen said their children
were being instructed in imperial
ism. Caillaux's followers said that
teachers were lying about the origin
and purpose of the war. Parents
of the upper classes said their chill
dren were being taught socialism
in their study of the war. 1t was
a trying time for US. W. saw that
something must be done; so we
issued orders that teachers were
not to try to teach their pupils
about the war until proper text
books had been issued.
Ever since then we have been
looking for text books. But we
can not find them. The text book
writer's tell as many different
stories as the teachers used to tell.
"You see," he continued, the
whole difficulty lies in the fact
that we have even influential par
ties in France.
"It was necessary for US to find
text books that would contain ver-
sions of the war that would satisfy
members of all these parties. Well,
that is impossible. We can not do
it. Parents belong to one or an
Their of these parties, and they
raise so much trouble when their
own version of the war is not told
to their children that we have final
ly decided that the fathers and
mothers of France must be the
modern history teachers Of France
until the wal has become more dis
tant and party feelings lie down."
He explained how text books are
selected in France. A superior
council of the ministry of education
passes on all books which are sub
mitted by text book writers. The
books which are approved are put
on a list which is sent to all the
schools of France. From this list
the school officials in the various
districts of France may choose the
books which they consider best
adapted for the local schools.
"At first" continued the official,
the text book writers deluged the
superior council with books about
the war. The members of the coun-
Gil found themselves disagreeing
about the facts stated in these
books. Very soon the complaints
of the parents began to pour in on
US, and we decided that, if the coun-
Gil itself could not agree, neither
could teachers or parents"
when do you think you will be
able to begin studying the history
of the war in your schools?" MI.
Shepherd asked.
Not until this generation dies"
he answered. "You see everybody
is in politics or has some political
leaning. No text book writer or
school teacher is free of political
bias: He sees everything through
the eyes of his own politics and be-
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