"Young
people at home are equally indifferent [about history], nor have their
elders such stores of interest and information as should quicken
children with the knowledge that always and everywhere there have been
great parts to play and almost always great men to play those parts:
that any day it may come to anyone to do some service of historical
moment to the country. It is not too much to say that a rational
well-considered patriotism depends on a pretty copious reading of
history, and with this rational patriotism we desire our young people
shall be informed rather than with the jingoism of the emotional
patriot. If there is but little knowledge of history amongst us, no doubt our schools are in fault." CMason, vol 6