Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-04-27
200 Mistakes
In American
History Book
Ass NELL BATTLE LEWIS, veteran r
M teacher and newspaper columnst, claims to
~ discovered more than 200 mistakes in a

NH teacher and newspaper columnst claims to have
" discovered than 200 mistakes in history
textbook for fifth graders recently adopted by the North
Carolina Board of Education.
Authored by julie B Warren, secretary of the North
Carolina Education Association and member of the State
School Commission the first printing of 100000
copies cost citizens $4,000.
Warren's book earlier failed to get the approval of
members of the Elementary Textbook Commission That
body. composed of educators aegedly twice rejected it
and recommended instead text prepared and submitted
by DR.. A B. NeWsome and DR. Hugh Letter of the Unver
sty OF North Carolina
Il haven't trace of personal feeling against Mr.
Warren says Miss Lewis whose fathers services to the
State earned him place in the assaied book II have
made this solely in order to inform the people of
Carolina whom the public schools belong of the
degree to which the members of the State Board of Educa
ton have played politics at the expense of the school
children of the State"
Armed the hilt with specific quotations the Raleigh
staged single-handed crusade against the
incidentally" column which appears regularly
in Sunday issues of the News and Observer AS result
various organizations including ParentTeachers groups
and United Daughters of the Conederacy have officially
voted condemnation of the volume.
I'm not historian, much of teacher"
modestly admits Miss Lewis ;but reading of this book
has shown me that contains many gorgeous errors
and many important COMMISSIONS aside from all ques-
tons of Interpretation that should not be taught in
public schools
Mr. Warren has Edward Moseley demanding liberty
% before he bornno nconsderabe feat Giving
Moseleys birthdate 174e says that he demanded
liberty years Declaration independence
He says that Governor Reid appointed Calvin Wiley
the first State Superintendent of Schools whereas the
dying in 1775, yet hero of the Battle of Kings Mountain,
which fought in 1850. Mr. Warren makes Willie p.
Mangum president of the u S Senate at the age of 10
He writes Willie p Mangum: born in Orange County,
1927; died 1881 President United States Senate 1912
to 1s46'
Dates of the administration of North Carolina by the
Lords Proprietors given 15eo-172s The correct
dates 1663172s On page 70 he prints pictures of
of the Tax Stamps used in North Carolina colony
whereas tax stamps sold in the colonies fact
upon which the colonists prided themselves.
Merging the first James Irede with his by the
name, Mr.. Warren says, James Iredel of
first North Caronians appointed office in the
National Government. He a lawyer who became first
member OF the State Legislature and then Governor of
the State After his term Governor Iredel was
Judge of the United States Supreme Court by President
Washington The first James Iredell who appointed
the u S Supreme Court Governor of North
Carolina. His James Iredel Governor; but this
James member of the u. s. Supreme Court"
The following appears pages 1898: In the Albe
marie section the Episcopal Church had been named
the State Church. to be supported by taxes In other
places where Quakers Bapsts Presbyterians. other
churches had members of these called the
State Church. It certainly news to me that uakers
Baptsts PTesbyterians In North Carolina ever
called the State Church Actually, of the estab
ished church in this colony the Anglican not the
Episcopal which then not in existence.
Giving the birth and death dates of David Caldwell
1925 and 1912 respectively, Mr.. Warren thus has
Caldwell living for 1T years Only little longer how
ever than William CASTOR who he says born 177S
and died in 1884; hence 106
Especially do mistakes abound in the 16s biographical
sketches at the end of the boo-among which curousy
enough are none of Willie Jones' Cornea Phillips Spencer
Joseph Caldwell d. A. Tompkns, Robert Howe. AL
though in his preface Mr. Warren writes short
tory not merely matter Of dates places rather
the moving story of a people" he gives than 700
dates in his textbook for fifth graders many Of these
wrong. Especially remarkable his in the
dates Of the administrations of Governors Craig Glenn
Kitchin. and Mclean
Thus does Nell Battle Lewis speak her piece about
North Carolina Yesterday and Today" She is currently
the central figure in a mighty educational turmoil
More than 100 members of the United Daughters of
the Confederacy from Raleigh Durham Henderson
Dzfor hffofI
Gently went record at their Eighth District meeting
opposing Of the in State schools