Pieper (and Luther) on true history... and other "history" (pro-British)

In the 1927 issue of Lehre und Wehre (vol. 73, pg 346-347), Pieper commented on the teaching of history in schools:

The Missouri State Teachers' Association was assembled in St. Louis in November. They made among other things the following decision: "Since many recent complaints have been expressed that common history textbooks in public schools were not reliable and contain one-sided or partisan depictions of historical events, it was decided that we recommend every effort be aimed at writing true history and we regret any attempt to give history a one-sided or partisan coloring." Clearly in this decision consideration is given to the well-known events in Chicago.  The mayor of Chicago, Thompson, has suspended from office the superintendent of Chicago city schools William McAndrewson on the grounds that the superintendent has history books in use in which pro-British propaganda would be forced, even under reversal of historical facts.  The disciplinary proceedings against McAndrews are not yet complete at the time of this writing.  "Writing true history" is something great but a very rare commodity. It is part, as Luther says, "lion heart", a heart stronger and more fearless than that with which people go bravely into battle.  Our Lutheran School Journal (Schulblatt) points out in the October number that Luther names "the history writer, the most useful people and best teachers" but adds the following words of Luther:

 "But it is an excellent man who fearlessly writes the truth having a lion's heart; because the greater part write so that they, by their vices or accident, the lords or friends, like to remain silent or in the best way suggest, again low or trifling virtue much too high caps, again from favor of their native country and unfavor of strangers the histories adorn or make a mess, then they someone love or hate. Thus are the histories beyond measure suspicious and God's work shamefully obscured.... Thus spoiling the beautiful use of history, and thereof will be vain launderers."

F.P.

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Two comments can be made on this article by Prof. Franz Pieper:

1. In 1927, America had turned from suspicion of it's former enemy, Britain, into teaching "pro-British" history in it's schools.  Why was this?  Because of events surrounding World War I
2. Histories as written by man in general have altered the true events of the past.  It's true now just like it was true in Pieper's time and Luther's time. But there is one book that contains historical information that is absolutely true – the Bible.