Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1922-03-03
REVISING UNITED STATES HIS,
TORY

eidiouS propaganda to denaturiZc ana
AllgliciZe the teaching of American his
tory seems worthy of publication. IN
ringing terms he upheld the traditional
American reverence for Washington,
Lincoln. and the heroes associated with
them in the two vital struggles OF our
history Plainly and strenuouSly he
denounced the present day effort 10 re-
g siSe our school histories so as TO teach
tte American youth that the Revoiu-
tfonfry fathers really hadn't much to
complain Of, and were bunch OF
rou9lnecks who were unduly violent i'll
theil treatment of IA patient mother
ounGry.
This portion of his address strikes
Il. here in Ladysmith for the his
les used in our school are in the
which he denounced. Perhaps
are not as bad as some of the more
pnt-our histories date back 10 1913,
.e the Great War--hut their teach
lgs arc greatly at variance with the
tandard American histories.
In the eighth grade, the history used
nd Ebert Jay Benton Here are
aw samples of the way in which It
arbles the hitherto accepted version
f our history.
1t suggests n doubt rs to the pro
I'pty Of calling the Revolutionary
lthcrs patriots. as we have hitherto
in the following language: All
sided with Great Britain were
I'd loyalistS or Tories. Their OPP
ncnts called themselves patriots. and
uerican historians have usually given
ncm this name. The English leaders
ma other names for them dema-
.3Cues and rebels" From the tone OF
his a child would naturally conclude
nat the English leaders were probably
lghr
In to the beginning Of this anti
merican propaganda. historians uni
}rmly stated that the battle of Lex
agt0u BEGAN with the firing OF the Eng
ah troops on the Americans. Not only
ave American historians asserted this,
at Iecky. in his American Revolution,
avs: They refused when summoned
0 dispcrSe. and the English att once
red n volley." H. G. Wells. the great
.nclish writer. IN his Outline OF His
Dry. one Of the greatest historical
corks. admits that the English ilfed
trst.
In spite of this unanimity. Lady
NTH children are taught that it is just
likely that the Americans were to
ame. as follows: In the confusion
shot was fired, and soon the firing
1ecamc general.
An extract from the London Gazette
given. telling of the atrocities OF the
Americans in scalping and cutting OH
he ears of the wounded. No comment
: made on this, and to the youthful
mind it naturally appears to he Il state
ncnt of absolute fact.
Speaking of the Declaration OF In
dependence, this history which our
children are compelled to study. says
Perhaps some of the charges were not
flir.".s 1t doesn't attempt to point 0ut
my unfair charges. but by suggestion
nstils the insinuating thought that per-
haps there is nothing to the document
that we have revered as not only a
statement of fundamental principles
If government but as a statement OF
he case for the ColOniStS III then
struggle for freedom.
Tha War of 1912 is treated as Il need
ess quarrel which we might have KEEP
mt f. The impreSsment Of Amerlcai
;anmnn is treated III an otfhand way "a
;imp V q custom the English had. ol
he ether hand, we are told that Amer
cans were also to blame American
;hiplwuc offered higher wages thai
The English. and thus attracted Eng
ish sailors Think Of it The audac
" of Americans in Offering sailor
$24 per month. when the great ah'
rood aristocratS paid only IS. Ah'
mr. children are taught that this pay
npnt of decent wages was an lnJuStic
oward Great Britain. y page OF thl
history is dcvotcd to an attempt [
rove that we should have kept our O
ne War of 1872.
The trcachery of Benedict Arnold
it off with ten lines, not a word PEN
mid about the British general. Clinton
naying entered into Il conspiracy VII
,rnold to have the latter turn over III
ortifications Of West Point to the Bll
sh.
The burning Of the federal building
# Washington by the British, one
he worst acts Of vandalism OF mstor
/; treated as slight incident, IN I
aliation for the burning OF York
This excuse doesn't seem to have bee
iscovcrcd by the British themseiVe
AMY of whom have expressed regf
nd shame for the act. York w;
merely a frontier outpost i'll Canad
,ith little but troop barracks to bur
While this retaliation" was the bur
ug of public buildings and records, Il
ohiyes that were priceless and abs
,utely impossible to replace. Even tn
\ngliciZed history of ours doest
7oem the burning Of York worthy
nention until ii needs it as an eXci,
Tor the burning of Washington. Ell