Evening star., 1942-03-13
British Schools Busy
Selling America
To TheirPupi|s
Promotion Of Mutual
Understanding Called
Of VitoI Importance
mo. Four OF d Series.)

Teachers in Britain, whose prob
lens range from carrying on school
In air raids to putting in long hours
on civilian defense duty. have been
given another large ordfr-selling
America to their pupils, according to
Q memorandum issued by the Scot
tish Education Department.
THE promotion of mutual under
standing and sympathy between the
peoples Of Great Britain and the
United States is Of fundamental i'm
portance for the future of the
world" declares the memorandum
released here by the British Press
Service.
Those who can contribute toward
It have no time to lose. For the
present the department will view
sympathetically any variation in ap-
proved schemes of work that will
enable teachers to give more atten-
ton to America"
Correct False Impressions.
Since apparently this was large
order for its school teachers, the
education department went on to
make note of some topics to which
teachers in the United States at
tribute major significance in the
study of their own country. and
which, therefore, illustrate ideas and
ideals which it is very desirable that
We should COMPREHEND
Considering first the movies, the
memorandum suggested that the
"so-called epics of the westward ex-
pansion merit serious attention;
they have a background Of historic
fact, they express national pride OF
achievement, and some at least give
faithful and stirring pictures OF lie,
work and landscape"
Since the movies have had such a
start over the schools in dissemlnat-
ing information about America, the
teachers were advised to consider the
cinema an ally, mot rival" Not
wanting to 60 overheard in their
enthusiasm for Hollywood education,
the memorandum advised the teach
ers that correction Of false impress
sions is necessary, and also encour-
agement to see the better films"
"History Stories" Used.
School clubs to promote discussion
of good books. as well as the inclu-
sion of a small American collection
of books in school libraries, were
recommended.
Primary school teachers were told
that the addition of such men as
Franklin and Edison need not In
volve great disturbances OF the
schemes of work" Washington and
Lincoln, 1t pointed out, are already
being taken care of in history
stories"
Junior secondary schools were ad-
vised to correlate geography and
history courses. since "solatlonlsm'
rugged individualism, democratic
behaviour tin a social sense) and
other features of American life
which we do not easily understand,
can be explained only in terms OF
both history and geography.
Critical Attitude"
Teacherse in the senior secondary
schools were advised to bring out
American references in what Is now
being taught. AS an example, the
memorandum said, "the effects OF
Irish troubles and OF the German
liberal uprising Of 1848 should be
traced in American foreign policy
from 1914 to 1917, and also in the
acute American suspicion OF British
imperialism" which we have in
sufficiently realized"
Dipping into what American
schools teach, the memorandum
pointed out that formal civlcs is
taught to American children, but
added that "it is often a markedly
unpopular subject, and Scottish
children are very unlikely to respond
better to its technicalities.
Teachers were urged to explain
only enough to make plain what
Americans, who have always dreaded
power not subject to checks, have
regarded as the essential safeguards
Of liberty and Justice
The memorandum admitted that
the American way of life involves
In some respects critical attitude
toward Europe" and advised that
for any real understanding OF
Americans 1t was necessary to cor
rect "the rather misleading notion
that they are Anglo-Saxons, very
much like ourselves, and to appre-
ciate their achievement of civiliza-
ton somewhat different from oul
own. though certainly akin to It,"
The suggestions for teachers read
Ing varied from Alexander WOOL.
coot's while Rome Burns" to Johr
steinbeck's Grapes Of Wrath"