The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-09-07
HISTORIES
HISTORY TEXTS NOW IN SCHOOLS NOT
ENTIRELY SATISFACTORY. IT,

HISTORY TEXTS Nc
ENTIRELY So
The Sons Of the American Revolu-
ton and the Veterans Of Foreign
Wars, as one of their contributions
for the benefit of our people and
country, have engaged in the work
of scanning the present-day histories
of the United States, used in many
of the schools, other organizations
are taking some action in this respect
and one called The Patriot League
for the Preservation Of American
History, of which Charles Grant NIL.
ler, Rosebank, New York City, is d.
rector, is devoting its endeavors to
this particular and very important
work.
Mr.. Miller, who has made a study
of modern United States histories
gives the following information
which is of great interest to Masons
because those mentioned, we believe
without exception, have been mem
bers Of the Masonic Fraternity. Oh
course, and perhaps rightly so, then
Masonic connections should not have
been mentioned in the United States
histories any more than their church
affiliation, but it is rather strange
that so many of them have not beer
mentioned at all, or else slightly men.
toned, with some slurring or critical
alIusion.
Slurs Injected to Discredit Great
Americans
West, in his "History of the Amer.
lean People," said to be widely used in
high schools, teaches:
George Washington as a youth hac
been refused a coveted commission
in the British Army. Sam Adams
father had been ruined by the wise
British veto of a proposed Massa.
chusetts "Land Bank" The Older
Otis had failed to secure an appoint.
ment on the Massachusetts bench
Alexander Hamilton was a penniless
and briefess law student, with nc
chance for special advancement un'
less by fishing in troubled waters.
All these distinguished patriots
were Masons, yet note the slur-not
one of them given any credit for pa
triotism, but the insinuation is that
disappointment or opportunity was the
reason of their taking the stant
against Great Britain.
Prof. Hart, in his "School History
of the United States, Revised" call:
Samuel Adams "a political boss,"' ant
both Hart and Mclaughlin and Var
Tyne in their History of the United
States for Schools, Revised" attribute
to Alexander Hamilton the sentiment
'The people are a great beast"
Everett Barnes "Short History
Part II, page 8, says: "John Hanock
a rich merchant of Boston, who al
later day was President of thu
Continental Congress and the frs
signer of the Declaration of indie
pendence was smuggler; so had beer
his father" This is the only men
ton of Hancock in the Barnes schoo
history. Whether he was malignet
because he was conspicuous patriot
or because he was also a conspicuous
Mason, who knows?
Many Great Americans Not Mentioned
DR.. Joseph Warren, who was
Provincial Grand Master, leader Of
the Sons of Liberty, and the first
patriot of distinction to lay down his
life in the Revolution, is not men
toned in any one of the ten modern
lied school histories.
Paul Revere, who was Grand Mas.
ter of Massachusetts, Grand Lodge
got scant mention from any of them
for his notable services to the pa.
triot cause.
Gen. Richard Montgomery, whom
Washington placed in chief com.
mand of the Northern Army; Gen
Harry Lenox, who was the head Oh
Washington's artillery; Gen. DAME
Morgan, the leader of his infantry;
Gen. Edward Hand, his adjutant gen.
eral, Gen. Joseph Reed, his secretary;
and the distinguished Generals John
Sullivan, Anthony Wayne, Johr
Stark-every one a Mason-all fare
sadly at the vandal hands of these
revisionists.
Hart gives to Benedict Arnold sole
credit for the attack on Quebec, with
no mention whatever of Genera
Montgomery, who commanded, lee
the attack and lost his life there.
General Knox's outstanding serv.
ices throughout the Revolution are
ignored by every one of the modern
revisionists, and the only mention Of
him and by any of them is passing
note Of his being Secretary Of Wa,
in Washington's cabinet.
Like neglect is accorded to General
Sullivan, who was Washington's
right-hand man in the victory al
Trenton, won at Quaker Hill what
Lafayette pronounced "the best con,
tested battle of the war;" served with
great distinction on Long Island, or
Staten Island, in West Chester, at
Brandywine and at Germantown, and
even when breaking in health led