Knowing More About U.S.A.- England's Effort

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 175, 27 July 1942, Page 2

Knowing More About U.S.A.England's Effort

Interest in American history and

present-day conditions is increasing in Britain. The movement to teach these subjects began before this war, and the pace has accelerated since the United States became completely our Ally. According to a correspondent of the Christian Science Monitor, when the present American Ambassador, Mr. Winant, arrived in Britain he found there was no short school history of his country, so he had one written by the Harmsworth Professor of American History at Oxford.

By Cyrano

The Ministry of Information, cooperating with th£ Board of Education, is now campaigning in the schools for a better knowledge of America. As far back as last summer, before the United States became a belligerent, 12,000 teachers took vacation courses so that they would be better able to teach American themes in their schools. Indifference and Ignorance

The value of such a movement is so clear that it hardly needs to be stressed. The two peoples need to understand each other, not only to win the war, but to win the peace. We should do well to realise, however, how much ignorance, prejudice and indifference there has been on both sides. After the last war the people of America made the "grand refusal" partly because they did not understand the importance of Britain and Europe to themselves. The disappointment and disillusionment among the peoples of Europe arose partly from the fact that they did not understand American, politics. They believed President Wilson possessed full powers, whereas he was subject to overrule by Congress. . British people used to take little interest in American history. They knew about the War of Independence, for which they were prepared (erroneously) to take all or nearly all the blame. A regrettable business, they said to themselves, but, after all, did it matter much? The American colonies would have left the Empire in any case sooner or later. They knew little about American history between that war and the Civil War, or between the Civil War and the war with Spain at the end of the century. It was possible for the wife of an English public man, during the last war, to ask the American Ambassador the name of the President of the United States, and Cecil Rhodes, with all his dream of Anglo-American co-operation, was so ignorant of the growth of the United States that when he drew uo the scheme for Rhodes Scholarships he thought there were still only 13 States, the number at the time of secession. New Zealand, Too On the American side there was more interest, but also more misinformation. It is now well known that for generations biased school books gave American youth a false picture of the struggle for independence. A great deal has been done in the last 30 years to correct this bias, and to put British history in the last 150 years in a truer light, for the American people generally, but a vast amount of educating is still needed. There is an admirable summary of the whole question in a book by a well-known American writer, Owen Wister, "The Straight Deal," written shortly after the last war.

The lesson for us in New Zealand should be plain enough. Our need to study American history and the American scene to-day is just as great as the Englishman's. We have come under American protection. Our future is bound up with that of the United States. We shall see much more of Americans than ever before. It behoves us, then, to learn as much as we can about the American people—their racial make-up, their political, economic and social life, their literature and art- We think it funny, or perhaps we are irritated, if an American confuses Australia with New Zealand, believes we are a coloured people, or takes us for a colony governed from London. Let us ask ourselves how much we know about America, Could we name all the States? Could we locate approximately Maryland, Georgia, Idaho, Arkansas, Minnesota and Rhode Island? Could we distinguish between the political status of Alaska and California, and state the fundamental differences between the Cabinet systems of Britain and the United States? So Much to Learn But all this raises another question. How are we going to find time to teach all these things? I mentioned this point in a recent article on changes in education in England —the ever-increasing pressure on th° curriculum, and the impossibility of teaching much about all subjects in the school period of life. The scientist clamours for more science teaching. Is not this a scientific age, and does not science hold the key to the future? "Yes and no," replies the 'humanist.' "It is a scientific age, but it is already abundantly plain where science directed by conscienceless man may lead us. Science must be accompanied by the 'humanities.' The scientist needs them for the good of his soul and the community's." Or, take history. We must know something about the history of our own country, of Britain and of the Empire. But the world is now one collection of inter-related societies, and nearly all of it is at war. We must know something about these other countries. China used to be a curiosity. Now she is a matter of vital interest to us. Japan used to be quaintness wrapped up in a kimono, but now—. But we can't understand the present without understanding the past, so we have to study the history of the countries of the world, as Mr. H. G. Wells urges, as well as their present dispositions. A big order, isn't it? But, of course, this isn't all. There is our own language and literature, a worid in itself, and how can a man be considered decently educated if he can't write and speak his own language reasonably well? There are foreign languages. There are physical training, knowledge of the laws of health, music and art and drama, and civics. Every time I see litter in the streets I wish they would teach public tidiness in the schools, but I reflect: "Poor teachers! They'll sink under the load some day!" A Job for the Adult What are we going to do about it? I don't exactly know. But two things seem to stand out clearly. One is that it is quite impossible to learn all these things in a school period beginning at six and ending at 18 or earlier. Education must go on into adult life. This, I think, is one of the lessons that the war is driving home. And the best teacher Is he or she who makes us want to go with our. education. Meanwhile, let us squeeze some tune to study America. f