Evening star., 1926-11-28
ATTACK ON SCHOOL HISTORIES
RENEWED BY RETIRED OFFICER
Inaccuracies About World War Alleged
By Col. Dickson, Citing Passages
In Several Textbooks.

Lieut.. Col Thomas j. Dickson, re-
tired, 1868 Sixteenth street, chaplain
with the First Division during the
war and now president of the First
Division Society Of Washington, yes
terday launched a fresh attack on
alleged errors in school histories on
the operation of American troops in
France.
He attacked particularly William
B. Guitteau Of Toledo for his text
books: Our United States. and The
History of the United States. Both
are widely used in public schools.
He charges that Guitteau in the
latter book left out quotation by
the American poet. Longfellow, which
was used as the opening lines of the
first, and that he introduced quota
ton from the British poet, Kipling,
some of whose recent utterances, he
says, have not "Set well with the
American people"
Col. Dickson later quotes from
Guitteau the statement: "A division
Of regulars reached France in June,
1917"
On Mexican Border Then.
"In June, 1917" he says, Il was on
the Mexican border, and went to
France with the Sixth Artillery OF
the First Division. If there was a
division of regulars in France before
the First Division, 1 never heard OF
it,"
He questions the fairness of the
statement that in the battle of Belleau
Wood American Marines proved
themselves the equals of the British
at Ypres, the Canadians at Mons or
the French at Verdun." II wonder,
saws Col. Dickson, "how this estimate
was made and what was the opinion
of the Judge concerning elements OF
the Second, Third and Yankee Divl-
sions at Belleau Wood
He says that Guitteau places the
Slst or Wild Cat Division in FLANDERS
around Cambria, Saint-Quent1n ana
Laon with British troops While they
actually were brigaded with French
troops and at the other END OF the
battle line.
In another textbook by Guitteau,
Lieut.. Col. Dickson says, the Buck
eve Division is placed at the town OF
Hindelgem at the time of the Arm1-
stice, There actually is no such town,
he claims, although part of the Buck
eve Division was at a town Wnlcn is
spelled somewhat similarly. The
author does not give due credit, he
claims. to the Buckeye Division for
taking two supposedly impregnable
defenses in the Meuse-Argonne
offensive.
Use of Eagle on Cover.
He charges that Guitteau uses
Mexican eagle instead of an Amerl-
can eagle on the cover OF his book'
the chief distinction being that ones
head is turned to the left and the
other is to the right.
Col. Dickson says: British poem.
vaunted prowess, plea for preparation,
Mexican eagle l absolutely agree
with the statement of DR.. Guitteau
in the first two lines of his book:
American history in our high schools
today is a very different subject from
that taught 20, or even 10 years ago.
He objects to a plea for military
preparedness in the Guitteau book on
the ground that it is not a question
for discussion by school children.
Col. Dickson last week attacked a
number of other history text books
used widely in schools. which he ac-
cuses of errors more or less 1mpor-
tant. He said yesterday:
Extracts from Text Books.
"My other 81 historians seem to be
getting along nicely. l notice several
new backs on the book shelves. If
necessary, 1 will get out another
'Critique.'
"My list is growing so rapidly that
find it hard to keep track of all my
historians. I certainly do not want
them to turn the Congressional Ii
brary and Bureau Of Education into
an aerie for Mexican eagles. So,
Messrs. Horn, Guitteau, Beard, Bag
ley, Gordy, Mowry, Higginson, Fos-
ter, Redway, Montgomery and others,
please look at the bird you use on
your school histories and see
whether it belongs north or south of
the Rio Grande!
IT hate to rob the little school
children of Washington Of this beauti
full story of the faithful doggies. 1t
is almost as bad as numbering Santa
Claus. I certainly believe in Santa
Claus and the story about the cherry
tree.
Beginners American History
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