UK: Finally, a reminder that these islands DO have a proud history (classic school texts reissued)

I would have liked my own children to learn such proper history, except that by the time I found out the sort of confusing, demoralising trash that passes for history in today’s schools, it was too late.

As I gazed in disgust at the feeble, babyish pamphlets – designed in many cases to undermine the version I was taught – and scraps of photocopied paper which nowa days do the duty of textbooks, I wondered what had become of the histories I had studied.

They had vanished in some vast Sixties bonfire, in many ways as bad as Hitler’s book burnings, part of the great destruction of knowledge and continuity that took place in that accursed decade.

The revolutionaries knew that one of the things they had to destroy was the decent, modest patriotism that had until then been pretty much universal. How better to do that than to slander our past and conceal it?

Now, the publishers Stacey International have had the superb idea of reprinting the fine, elegantly written school histories of Carter and Mears, whose rediscovered pages took me back in an instant to a long-ago classroom.

Reading them now, I find many things that I had forgotten come to life again in my memory.

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks Stoat. I wondered what had become of the histories I had studied. They had vanished in some vast Sixties bonfire, in many ways as bad as Hitler's book burnings, part of the great destruction of knowledge and continuity that took place in that accursed decade... Now, the publishers Stacey International have had the superb idea of reprinting the fine, elegantly written school histories of Carter and Mears, whose rediscovered pages took me back in an instant to a long-ago classroom. Reading them now, I find many things that I had forgotten come to life again in my memory. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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Peter (the good brother) Hitchen’s reference to Poland is apt. He suggests that since Poland recovered in a generation from the devastation rained on it, Britain could recover too from its present morass.

I would hope so, but there are differences. Pre-war Poland was torn by “diversity.” About thirty percent of its population were minorities, often with divided loyalties. Post-war Poland is virtually homogeneous. Britain today is wallowing in diversity.

Poland has two other strengths, nationalism and religion. Nationalism is systematically suppressed in Britain and religion has virtually vanished.

Excellent points and compelling insights, thank you. Regarding the suppression of Nationalism in Britain, this item may be of interest:

England branded least patriotic nation in Europe as citizens are too scared to fly the flag - Mail Online

I found the title to be rather misleading, as I believe that there's plenty of patriotism in England but the yardstick that this poll used was mainly the interest in flying the flag of Saint George which has been tarnished by a small number due to improper use and so has become a focal point of the political-correctness fascists who are terrorizing those who would ordinarily want to fly it.

St George flag

'Scared': English people said they fear being branded racist if they fly the St George flag

I think that a better title for the article might have been "Leftist stormtroopers and Socialist bureaucrats terrorize a nation into forsaking traditions"

Could they ever make a movie like "The White Cliffs of Dover" again?

Probably only if it were bankrolled by by investors who didn't mind taking a huge loss and face a blistering cacophony of shrill abuse from critics, as well as theaters who would be bullied into refusing to screen it.

I might be wrong though....I think that there is a huge number of people who hunger for quality, unashamedly patriotic films and who would rush en masse to see it, and see it again and again if they only were able to find out where it's playing. The Left would do their utmost to trash the film in the press and prevent it from being seen, but the Left doesn't run ALL of the media anymore.

Perhaps it would have a chance....I would like to think so.

Looks like a wonderful film, and I will rent it Wednesday. Thank you so much for bringing it to my attention :-)

I’m a history teacher. I just ordered a class set. Now I need to work out if there’s money in the budget so I don’t end up paying for it myself. If I have to, I will.
How wonderful! I'm delighted to know that these books have your seal of approval!

I'm wondering if during your transaction of the sale if the publisher happened to mention whether they would also be reprinting the first volume of the series? It's curiously absent from the publisher's website.

You are working as a history teacher in Australia, and you're teaching in-depth history of Great Britain? Wonderful! Is this in the public schools, a college or in a private school?

I do hope that you'll be fully reimbursed for the purchase....I'd imagine that shipping those books from the UK to Oz would be pricey indeed.

How wonderful! I'm delighted to know that these books have your seal of approval!

I'm fairly sure we used them when I was at school. Certainly used something very similar.

I'm wondering if during your transaction of the sale if the publisher happened to mention whether they would also be reprinting the first volume of the series? It's curiously absent from the publisher's website.

As I understand it form conversations I've had with colleagues in England (and we all could be wrong), they have realised Books III (The Tudors) and IV (The Stuart) first, as these are the ones that required very little editing (they are not making wholesale changes, but there are few cases where dates and other details are better known today than they were when the books were printed) and they want people familiar with the books to see these, and spread the word about their resurrection. The original Book I is somewhat problematic. A lot more of the information in that one, particularly information about the Dark Ages, needs correcting (we know a lot more about a lot of that period than they did when the books were written). Book II (also now available) includes a lot of the later period originally in Book I as well as that covered in the original Book II, and a new Book I is being written in the style of the original. They are also writing a number of other books to cover more recent times and areas of time which they feel were insufficiently covered in the original volumes.

You are working as a history teacher in Australia, and you're teaching in-depth history of Great Britain? Wonderful! Is this in the public schools, a college or in a private school?

Well, that's a matter of terminology... I teach at one of the Associated Public Schools of Victoria, a group made up of what were, originally, the states most exclusive private boys schools (a number are now coeducational). We use the term 'Public School' in the sense that it was originally used in England - the oldest and most exclusive schools there. I teach at secondary level - 12-17 year old boys. We're not a typical Australian school - although there are dozens like us, all up, we probably educated 10% of children.

We regard it as very important to maintain our traditions and links to our history and British history is one of the most important parts of that. Over four years (12-15), our boys do a year of Ancient history, a year of European history, a year of British and Commonwealth history, half a year of Asian history, and half a year of American history (all through this time, they are also studying a separate Australian history/geography/politics subject). British history is studied in Year 9 - age 14. The battles, intrigues, and similar tend to keep the boys interested in a year when they are often slipping a bit academically.

I do hope that you'll be fully reimbursed for the purchase....I'd imagine that shipping those books from the UK to Oz would be pricey indeed.

Yes - they give us a healthy budget (healthy enough that it's rare I have to think too much about exceeding it, which is why I need to check). The biggest problem is I have primary responsibility for the History budget, and while I'd have no hesitation in signing off on this purchase if another staff member made it ("Excellent idea. Of course, we'll pay.") I do rather have to consider whether my own purchases are justified, rather more carefully to avoid the idea of taking advantage of things. If need be, I will pay for it myself - I earn a very decent salary, and have a Defence Force pension as well as that, and frankly, the ability to get a spotty teenaged boy to sit up and pay attention and stop annoying the person next to him, is worth a fair bit, so I can amortise that over the next few years of teaching :)

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