G. Propaganda

It has been charged that some textbooks contain propaganda. In reply some have alleged that all who make the charge are persons opposed to friendly relations with Great Britain. The reply cannot be sustained, as appears from the following editorial in “The American Legion Weekly” of October 7, 1921:

“The country has known for some time that school textbooks on American history are being revised on the theory that the elimination or correction of obvious untruths or distorted truths concerning England’s relations with this country, notably during the Revolutionary War, would promote the cause of international friendship.... If the purpose of some of the authors was not to give the lasting impression to the school children of this country that the Revolutionary War was an unjustifiable war, that is likely to be the effect of their work.... It will be regretted if what appeared to be a meritorious undertaking has been exploited with propaganda which every fair-minded American must resent.”...

H. Controversial Topics

As far as possible, the writer of a textbook should avoid controversial topics. The public schools are maintained by the public funds. The taxpayers are of various creeds and political beliefs. Their feelings must be respected....

I. Patriotism

It is objected that some of the textbooks make no attempt to inculcate patriotism by bringing to the attention of pupils the best in the lives, words, and deeds of our patriots; and that in some of the books, too much attention is given to the utterances and achievements of the heroes of other countries.

In reply, it is urged that true patriotism does not require that we magnify our country at the expense of others; that a “narrow-visioned” patriotism means that the Englishman will become more English, the German, more German; and the American, more American.... Patriotism is not “egotism.” To make certain that the pupils in the elementary grades are thoroughly familiar with our own heroes before we introduce them to the heroes of other lands is neither “narrow-visioned” nor evidence of “international hatred.”...

FOOTNOTES:

[919] New York City Board of Education, Report on History Textbooks used in the Public Schools of the City of New York (New York, 1922).