Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-08
British Books Teach
History of America

LONDON, February 28.--Despite the
postwar Americanization of so many
things British there is still little
teaching Of the history Of the United
States in the primary and secondary
schools in this country. The youth Of
the nation is obtaining its knowledge
or ciose-ups of modern America. at
least, largely from the silver screen,
not in the class room.
It knows all the American film stars,
has come to regard jazz as trans
atlantic importation, and hears the
lament Of the elders on the subject Of
the infiltration Of American slang by
way of the talkie. But it hasn't the
foggiest idea of the number of Ameri-
can States, or who have been the Presi-
dents of the United States with the
exception perhaps Of Washington, Lin
coin, Garfield and Woodrow Wilson.
OF course there was a brief period
when Big Bill Thompson of Chicago
got so much publicity that the juve-
niles could not help hearing the elders
talking about the strange man In the
metropolis by the Michigan lakeside
who was accusing King George OF try
ing to influence the education of young
Chicagoans.
There are still no textbooks on
American history in use in English
primary or secondary schools, but teach
ers, it should be emphasized, are being
encouraged more than ever before to
read American history and to study
American literature so that they may
have a solid background of knowledge
of such subjects when the desire to en-
tighten their youthful charges on the
founding and development Of the
American Nation.
London Has Library.
To that end the London County
Council Reference Library is equipped
with steadily expanding American
section. This is the largest education
authority In Great Britain, and its
methods and textbooks are the model
of the lesser educational bodies. The
reference library is free to the 1900 or
more teachers in the London County
Council Schools. Established in 1915.
it has been a remarkable success and
is considered by educational authorities
in this country to be the most compre-
hensive of its kind in the world.
Miss r. Fraser, who has been the
librarian since its inception, explained
its place in the education economy Of
Greater London. Asked what was BE-
ing done to give the English child IN
idea of the history and customs of thu
American people, she said:
I'm the English primary schools
and the same applies practically to the
secondary-the children are taught
principally the history of their own
country, of the Dominions, and of the
colonies of the British Empire. A GER
tain amount of world history is taught
where 1t impinges on British history,
and this is true also of American his
tory. For instance, children are told
about the American War of Independ-
ence, the War of 1912, and America s
part in the Great War. History as
taught In the primary schools must Of
necessity be sketchy and rudimentary,
but teachers are encouraged to keep
their knowledge Of other countries, and
particularly America, up to date by
reading extensively.
Volumes Listed.
"In this library we have such works
on American history as A. B. Harris
American History as Told by Con-
temporaries,' C. A. and NJ. r. Boards
History of the United States Prof. S.
E. Morison's oxford History of the
United States of America Handrik Van
Looms history, A. o. McLaughlin's His
tory of the American People, and his
torical works by Prof. d. S. Muzzey
Prof. William McDougan and others.
In a closely related category we have
Col. Houses and DR.. Walter Pages
letters r. S. and H. M. Lynd's Mid
dletown Study A particular interest
ing work is Our City-New York a
book on city government by the high
school students of New York City.
"As there are no works of fiction in
our library. we have to exclude the
works of the leading American novel;
lists, but we have such books as Van
Doren's The American Novel, w. p.
Trent's History of American Litera-
ture' and Louis Untermeyer'S anthology
of American poetry.
Vulnerable books on American methods
of education-your people are great
northumberland although our teach
ers do not adopt your systems in their
entirety, they obtain many useful hints
from them.
Delivered to Schools.
"The volumes dealing with contem-
porary American life and letters are IN
very good demand, and the young Eng
lish teacher has clear idea OF the life
and customs of the American people.
This is of great value to him In prepar-
ing his class lessons"
From small beginnings the London
County Council Library has steadily
grown until 1t now includes $4,000
volumes, which are added to at the rate
of fully 1000 year. According TO the
libr arian, education authorities from
all over the world write for information
about it. and catalogues are sent to
countries as remote as Japan, Russia
and West Africa.
I'VE have a move! method Of dis
tributing books among our teachers"
she said. They select what books they
want from the catalogue, and we instruct
one of the largest carrying companies
to deliver them at the various schools.
In this way we deliver 600 or more
books a day. They are kept for
month and then returned By the same
company TO us. The popularity OF the
library may be gagged by or December
returns. In that month We had iE,57e
books out on loan among 1900 teach
ers This is not the saturation point,
but it Is very near It
American visitors to some English
schools, even some of the best secondary
ones, need not be surprised If they hear
Massachusetts, pronounced "Ma-satchu-
sets" or the Alleghenies "Allegeneys."
And in the primary schools "Hiawatha"
and 1.-THE Wreck of the HeSperus" will
still be found to be thriving old favor
ties.
tcopyrisht, 1881. py New York Sun Foreign
Service)