The Hindu : dated July 07,1953: History and Human Understanding

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 07, 2003

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Miscellaneous - This Day That Age

dated July 07,1953: History and Human Understanding

The United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organisation had brought out an interesting book, "History Text Books and International Understanding" written by Mr. J. A. Lauwerys, Professor of Comparative Education at the London University Institute of Education. The book contained a salutary warning to history teachers and writers addressing children that if they were not careful they could create quite undesirable attitudes in young minds. Such lack of care in teaching, the author said had already led to French children bitterly blaming the English for burning Joan of Arc, Christian children developing a strong prejudice against Jews holding them responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus, and Irish boys and girls blaming the English for Oliver Cromwell's misdeeds. The book said, "Children's talk might warn history book writers that the teaching of history in class, or by book, has a moral effect of which the teacher or author may not be aware: this lack of awareness opens dangers of fostering prejudices. Teachers and authors have to satisfy the simple desires of children who are happy when virtue triumphs and vice bites the dust. Children draw moral judgments in a very strange fashion if adults hesitate to express them. If one does praise or condemn, one should be just and fair. It would be silly to say harsh things about a nation of today for the misdeeds of some of its forebears, or fail to make it plain that people today must not be blamed for what happened hundreds of years ago." Yet listen to children talking. You will find them blaming people of today for events that happened a long time ago, as though they took place yesterday, and for actions of small groups at that time. The book carried suggestions on the improvement of history text books.

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