Chapter VII: The Attack on History Textbooks Since 1917 (4)

[813] Letter under date of August 20, 1923, from Judge Wallace McCamant. A letter under date of July 11, 1923, from H. C. Weber, Superintendent of Schools at Nashville, Tennessee, stated that he was not informed regarding the results of a complaint against a textbook used in the Nashville schools which had been presented to the legislature. In Nashville, Tennessee, the High School used James and Sanford’s _American History_ for the past two years according to a statement from the Superintendent of Schools. In Adrian, Michigan, West’s _History of the American People_ was the textbook according to a “Directory of Adrian Public Schools, 1923-1924.” W. F. Weisand, Superintendent of Schools of Nampa, Idaho, informed the author in a letter of November 19, 1923, that for the years 1923 and 1924, Beard and Bagley, _History of the American People_ and Beard, _History of the United States_ were used. Muzzey’s history was still in use in November, 1923, according to the superintendents of schools at Burley, Idaho, and in Idaho Falls, Idaho. This information was obtained in personal letters from the Superintendent of Schools. It does not agree with Captain Conner’s statement.

[814] Letter under date of September 8, 1923, from A. H. Conner.

[815] Letter under date of August 20, 1923, from Judge Wallace McCamant.

[816] _Report of Committee on Patriotic Education_ (S. A. R.), _op. cit._, p. 7.

[817] Report of the Historian of Passaic Valley Chapter, S. A. R., on Muzzey’s _American History_, December 15, 1922. (In manuscript.) Schuyler M. Cady historian. The report was approved by the chapter, February 12, 1923.

[818] _Official Bulletin of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution_, December, 1922.

[819] _Report of Roy F. Britton to St. Louis Society of Sons of Revolution on American History Text-Books Used in St. Louis Schools_, December 16, 1922. (In manuscript.) Major Britton quoted from Charles Edward Russell’s article “Behind the Propaganda Scenes” which appeared in _Columbia_, September, 1922.

[820] _Ibid._

[821] _St. Louis Times_, December 18, 1922.

[822] _St. Louis Daily Globe Democrat_, December 18, 1922.

[823] Quoted in a pamphlet of _The Patriot League for the Preservation of American History_.

[824] Hirshfield, David, _Report on Investigation of Pro-British History Text-Books in Use in the Public Schools of the City of New York_ (N. P.), p. 71.

[825] _Ibid._, p. 72.

[826] _Ibid._

[827] _The New York Times_, September 15, 1921. The “school history” is not named.

[828] _Ibid._, October 1, 1923. The unity of opinion of various patriotic organizations was discussed in the _New York American_, November 4, 1923.

[829] Statement obtained from Charles F. Horne, New York City, December, 1923. See Appendix for complete statement of principles.

[830] _Ibid._

[831] _Ibid._

[832] Horne, Charles F., _The Story of Our American People_ (2 v., New York, 1925), p. 1. The work is not issued for general publication as yet, according to a foreword.

[833] _Ibid._, Chapter I. In connection with this last statement the text-book adds that “some of the convicts sent here were indeed evil-minded rascals; but many were men we would have applauded for their so-called crimes.” _Ibid._, p. 10. Illustrations of a “Divine Purpose” in American events are found elsewhere, for example Burgoyne’s surrender, 1777, “brought to our people a sense of awe, of direct aid from Heaven.” (Vol. I, p. 377.) See also Vol. I, p. 439.

[834] _Ibid._, pp. 365, 371, 390, 394, 396, 404, Vol. II, p. 94.

[835] _Ibid._, Vol. II, pp. 80-118; 348-358; 415-444.

[836] _The New York Times_, July 24, 1925. Professor Van Tyne also said: “I have noticed many manifest errors and dubious statements as I ran hastily over the part devoted to the American Revolution, but the main trouble is in its organization, and its sense of proportion.... One virtue it has which I had not expected. It is not bitterly anti-British.”

[837] Personal correspondence, December, 1925, with Frank C. Cross, National Director of the Americanism Commission, American Legion. Mr. Cross gave this information because of an inquiry as to the extent and manner in which the Legion had become interested in the teaching of American history and the Constitution. See Appendix.

[838] _The Des Moines Register_, February 27, 1923.

[839] _The Christian Science Monitor_, August 31, 1923.

[840] Communication of the Ethical Society to the School Board, Davenport, Iowa, May 24, 1923. (In manuscript.) The communication refers to Charles Grant Miller’s pamphlet _Treason to American Tradition_ for details.

[841] Hirshfield, _Report_, p. 74.

[842] _Report of Special Committee on School Histories and Text Books Adopted by Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias September 20, 1923._ It was also recommended that a copy be sent to the State Board of Education and that the Supreme Representatives be instructed to present the matter before the Supreme Lodge.

[843] “Concerning School Histories,” _The New Age_, March, 1923, pp. 156-157.

[844] This bill is discussed on page 104.

[845] “Patriotic Organizations Appeal for School History Bill,” The New Jersey Unit, The Patriot League (Newark, New Jersey, February 22, 1924), p. 12. This pamphlet sets forth the criticisms commonly raised against the histories.

[846] _The Des Moines Register_, April 24, 1923.

[847] _The Christian Science Monitor_, June 27, 1923.

[848] _The New York Times_, December 3, 1921. Charles Grant Miller at this time is reported by the _Times_ to have said that Hart’s history contained nothing objectionable to Americans, but that the preface was bad.

[849] _Ibid._, December 10, 1921. In this section not all the places in which history investigations have been carried on have been mentioned. Only typical and outstanding cases are given. See pages 253, 259, 265, 273.

[850] _Report on History Text-Books used in the Public Schools of the City of New York_, p. 6. An abbreviated form of this report was published in _The Historical Outlook_, Vol. XIII (October, 1922), pp. 250-255.

[851] _Report_, _op. cit._, p. 14. The “General Principles” are set forth in more detail in the Appendix of this study.

[852] _Ibid._, p. 20.

[853] _Ibid._, p. 25.

[854] _Ibid._, p. 25.

[855] _Ibid._, p. 26.

[856] _Ibid._, p. 23.

[857] _Ibid._, p. 170. Willis Mason West is mentioned. _Ibid._, p. 160.

[858] _The New York Times_, December 7, 1921. Hirshfield, _op. cit._, p. 7.

[859] _Ibid._, p. 8.

[860] _The New York Times_, December 11, 1921.

[861] _Ibid._, December 8, 1921. Mr. Hirshfield is alleged to have said that the investigation had been planned for several months but had been “postponed to forestall the cry that it was to get Irish votes.” _Ibid._

[862] Hirshfield, _op. cit._

[863] Joseph T. Griffin, the author of _American History Must It be Rewritten to Preserve Our Foreign Friendships?_ Cited in the discussion of the Knights of Columbus movement.

[864] Haym Salomon, mentioned in the diary of Robert Morris as “my little Jew friend on Front Street,” is credited with lending $400,000 to the colonists, becoming bankrupt. Aser Levi, a Dutch Jew, was not permitted by Peter Stuyvesant to serve in the militia, but by an appeal to Holland finally, was able to do so. _The New York Times_, February 4, 1922.

[865] _Ibid._; also _The Standard Union_ [Brooklyn, New York], February 3, 1922. The negro killed in the Boston riot was Crispus Attucks. Among others who appeared at the hearings were Charles Grant Miller, Charles Edward Russell, Warren B. Fisher of the United American War Veterans, Thomas P. Tuite of the Vanderbilt Post G. A. R. and of the Star Spangled Banner Association, Judge Wallace McCamant, Mrs. Marie J. Stuart of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and Major David Banks of the Military Order of Foreign Wars.

[866] Hirshfield, _op. cit._, p. 9.

[867] _Ibid._, p. 10.

[868] Ward’s edition of Burke’s _Speech on Conciliation with America_ was also examined. The latest editions of the textbooks were reviewed.

[869] _Ibid._

[870] _Ibid._, p. 67. Mr. Hirshfield charged certain financial leaders of the country like George E. Roberts and Frank A. Vanderlip with abetting movements for Anglo-American concord. The National Security League in its program for “‘the special training of school teachers to interpret the United States Constitution in the public schools’” and to “secure legislation in the various states which will make this teaching compulsory throughout the country” was described as another agency under pro-British influence.

[871] Hirshfield, _op. cit._, pp. 38-40.

[872] _Ibid._, pp. 18-19.

[873] _Ibid._, p. 20.

[874] _Ibid._, p. 44. Guitteau’s history was criticized for his discussion of the League of Nations in addition to other points objectionable to Mr. Hirshfield. It was held that such discussions are inappropriate, inasmuch as it is still an “unsettled political question” which will be “an issue in some form or other in the coming presidential campaign.” _Ibid._, p. 47.

[875] _Ibid._, pp. 57-58.

[876] This is entitled “Propaganda seeks to Distort American History. British Workers are Being Backed by a Heavily Financed Machine. Purpose of the Changes in Textbooks Range All the Way from Cultivation of ‘More Friendly Relations’ to the Fulfillment of the Carnegie Prophecy of the Reunited States, the British-American Union and the Cecil Rhodes Design.” The articles in the Chicago _Herald and Examiner_ in which the McLaughlin and Van Tyne history was criticized appeared July 24, 1921, and January 14, 1923. The Hirshfield report adopts the same phraseology. Guitteau’s textbook was attacked in an article of November 20, 1921, and the Barnes histories in an article of July 17, 1921.

[877] _New York Tribune_, November 5, 1923. The _Tribune_ published this statement from Miller: “The printed Hirshfield report is substantially as I wrote it except for illiteracies and pictures.” The _Tribune_ asserted that it had possession of fac-similes of special pay roll vouchers signed “David Hirshfield, Commissioner of Accounts” for Charles Grant Miller and Joseph Devlin, for expert work.

[878] _Ibid._

[879] _Ibid._

[880] _Ibid._, November 6, 1923.

[881] _Ibid._

[882] _Ibid._, November 11, 1923. The O’Hara history was criticized in an article by Charles Grant Miller in the Chicago _Herald and Examiner_, July 3, 1921. See page 210.

[883] _Ibid._ These histories, according to the _Tribune_, were not on the authorized list for use in the New York City schools.

[884] _Ibid._, November 5, 1923.

[885] _Ibid._, November 23, 1923.

[886] _Ibid._, November 5, 1923. Devlin was paid $2000 for his work, and Miller received $562.50 for his work from February to May, 1923, as a “special expert in history text-book investigation,” according to the _Tribune_.

[887] _The New York Times_, November 6, 1923.

[888] _Ibid._, June 5, 1923. _An American History_ by David S. Muzzey was the eighth history in the Hirshfield list. At the time of the investigation under the auspices of the schools there had been no complaint against this book according to Superintendent Ettinger.

[889] _The Atlanta Journal_, June 27, 1923.

[890] _Ibid._

[891] _Ibid._ The _Baltimore Sun_ is also quoted by _The Atlanta Journal_.

[892] _The News Sentinel_, June 6, 1923. Editorial.

[893] _The Milwaukee Journal_, June 9, 1923. Editorial.

[894] _Dubuque Telegraph-Herald_, June 14, 1923.

[895] Adams, James Truslow, “History and the Lower Criticism,” _The Atlantic Monthly_, Vol. CXXXII (September, 1923), pp. 308-317.

[896] _City of Boston, Proceedings of School Committee_, December 18, 1922, p. 180.

[897] _Ibid._

[898] _Ibid._

[899] _Ibid._

[900] _Ibid._

[901] _Ibid._

[902] _Ibid._, p. 181. Signed by David D. Scannell and Frances G. Curtis.

[903] _Ibid._ Signed by Richard J. Lane.

[904] _Ibid._, p. 191. The Report is given in part in the Appendix.

[905] Letter from S. G. Reinertson, Superintendent of Schools, Jackson, Minnesota, and formerly Superintendent at Alta, Iowa, under date of March 25, 1923.

[906] Chicago _Herald and Examiner_, March 5, 1922.

[907] _The New York Times_, May 1, 1923. Also _The Survey_, Vol. L (April 15, 1923), p. 68.

[908] _The New York Times_, September 12, 1921.

[909] The [New York] _Evening Globe_, February 22, 1922.

[910] _The Dearborn Independent_, October 20, 1923.

[911] Adopted May 5, 1923. Columbia University, New York.

[912] Adopted October 25, 1925.

[913] _The American Historical Review_, Vol. XXIX (April, 1924), p. 428.

[914] Giddings, Franklin, “Are we getting better text-books?” _The Independent_, Vol. I (June 3, 1922), pp. 5-9.

[915] _Ibid._ The following comment on the attitude of historians and educators toward the censorship of histories appeared in the _New York American_, November 4, 1923: “It has been insolently asserted by speakers for foreign propaganda agencies and by some college professors and school men that the interpretation of American patriotism should be left to ‘higher historical scholarship’ and that ‘ignorant’ and narrowly nationalistic American patriotic organizations should keep their hands off. We contend, on the contrary, that we who have followed the flag for American ideals know what these ideals are; we cherish them for what they are and will maintain them in our schools as zealously as we have maintained them in battle-line.”

[916] Dr. Payson Smith in an address on “Schools should be Uninfluenced,” _The Christian Science Monitor_, November 2, 1921.

Doubtless it is pertinent to call attention to the work of peace organizations in the analyses of history textbooks by which it has been shown that heroes and achievements of war have received much more space than heroes and achievements of peace. See _War and Peace in United States History Text-Books_ by the National Council for Prevention of War, Washington, D. C., and _An Analysis of the Emphasis upon War in Our Elementary School Histories_, by the Association for Peace Education, Chicago.

APPENDICES

A. The Lusk Laws of New York regarding Instruction in Patriotism and Citizenship, the Flag, Text-Books, and Qualifications for Teachers.

B. _Report of Committee of Five on American History Textbooks Now in Use in California High Schools._

C. New York City--Board of Education, _Report of the Committee to Investigate ... History Textbooks in Use in the Public Schools of the City of New York_....

D. City of Boston, Proceedings of School Committee, _Report of and Review on Certain Text Books in History Used in the Schools, and Order Relating Thereto_.

E. _Report of the Proceedings of the Convention of the American Federation of Labor_, Cincinnati, June, 1922, “Investigation of Text Books.”

F. Wisconsin Law of 1923 affecting History Textbooks.

G. (Statement regarding Principles) _The American Legion School History_.

H. _Report of the American Bar Association_, Vol. XXIX (1924), _Committee on American Citizenship_, “Our Citizenship Creed.”

_A._ THE LUSK LAWS OF NEW YORK REGARDING INSTRUCTION IN PATRIOTISM AND CITIZENSHIP, THE FLAG, TEXTBOOKS, AND QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS[917]

4. PATRIOTISM

_Article 26-C_

_Instruction in Patriotism and Citizenship_