The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-11-07
or PYTHIAs
DENOUNCE TREASON
ABLE SCHOOLDoOKS

BRIDGETON, N. J.-Condemnation
Of British and other foreign efforts to
belittle the part played by American
patriots in freeing this country from
the tyrannical yoke Of Britain and ex-
cuse the treason Of Benedict Arnold,
through the spreading Of sinister pro-
paganda in public-school textbooks,
was made in a resolution passed at
the recent convention of the Knights
of Pythias, Grand Lodge Of New Jer-
sey.
Every Lodge in the state was COM
manded, by Grand Chancellor Elmer J.
Carl, of this city, to stamp out for
eign propaganda and condemn the
use of the Objectionable textbooks.
Textbooks Condemned
A long list Of textbooks coming un-
der the official ban of the lodge was
included in the resolution. The text
books denounced as unfit for Ameri-
can school children are:
-"School History of the U. ST." by
Albert Bushnell Hart; "School His
tory of the U. S." (1919), by John P.
O'Hara; "Burk's Speeches on Concil-
liation with America" (1919), by C.
H. Ward; american History" re-
vised (1920), by D. S. Muzzey;
Builders of Democracy" by Edwin
Greenlaw; sour United States"
1919, by William Backus Guitteau;
Mclaughlin & VanTyne's History Of
the United States for Schools" re-
vised 1919; History of the American
People," for high school use Q91S),
by Willis Mason West; "Short Amer
lean History by Grades" and later
condensed into one volume; and
american History for Grammar
Grades" (1920), by Everett Barnes.
Text OF Resolution .
: The resolution in part follows:
Resolved by the Grand Lodge,
Knights of Pythias of New Jersey, in
convention assembled, that
eve would be unworthy sons OF
such fathers if we have not the spirit
and strength to retain in ink what
they wrote in blood. ST..
1--WE would be unworthy of our
birthright and untrue to our princi-
Piles as great American fraternity
did we not condemn theu Sc of his
tories and textbooks in our schools
that teach: .s.-- s... -. ..... p
"That Washington and his fellow
Colonists were proud that they were
Englishmen; that patriots were
drawn into the Continental army by
money, bounties and promises of land;
that the Boston tea party was a law
less destruction of property; that the
Revolution was a contest between Ger
man tyranny and English freedom;
that the Declaration of Independence
was plagiarized from an Englishman
and our Constitution copied after
that of the Britains; that John Han
cock was a smuggler, Jefferson de-
served a halter, and Patrick Henry
was gay, unprosperous county law
yer; that Hamilton's conception Of the
people was "a great beast; that the
great victory of John Paul Jones was
an accident; that Lawrence did not
say Don't give up the ship; that be-
Titles the achievements Of the pa
triots and teaches that Benedict
Arnold was treated unfairly; that be-
cause they and the Tories censure the
patriots, belittle the accomplishments,
and impune the motives of those her
oes who by the sacrifice Of their pre-
cious blood won US our national free
dom, won us the use in our public
schools of such textbooks" ......
After naming the Objectionable
textbooks the resolution concluded
with a pledge to support the Patriot
League for the Preservation of Amer
lean History in its plan to drive from
our schools all reasonable texts and
an order to Grand Chancellor CARL to
send copies to every lodge in the state
asking they join the fight.