La pétition relative à une histoire française

La pétition relative à une histoire française Nous publierons prochainement la liste des districts qui ont répondu à l’appel fait en faveur de l’introduction d’une histoire française du Canada dans les écoles acadiennes et nous donnerons le nombre des signatures enregistrées dans chaque district. Il est à espérer que pas un seul district français ne manquera à cet appel. Nous reproduisons ci-dessous, pour la meilleure intelligence de ce mouvement tout à fait nécessaire à nos écoles, la lettre circulaire qui a été envoyée à ce sujet, en août dernier, par l’auteur de l’“Histoire”, aux surintendants de l’Education, aux inspecteurs d’écoles français de l’Exécutif, dans chaque province maritime, i.e. au Nouveau-Brunswick, à la Nouvelle-Ecosse et à l’Ile du Prince-Edouard. Nous la reproduisons en anglais telle qu’elle a été envoyée. Montréal, Aug. 1st 1908 To the Chief Superintendents and the Superintendents of Education of the Atlantic Provinces of Canada. Dear Sirs: Five years ago I prepared and had published a school history of Canada “L’Histoire du Canada en 200 leçons” which the leading Acadians of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia highly recommended to adopted as a Reader in the Acadian schools. These influential Acadian scholars were thoroughly convinced that there was an urgent need of such a book in the French schools of the Atlantic provinces of Canada, and it was their unanimous opinion that my book would supply this need. For some reason or other, their recommendation did not prove successful and “L’Histoire du Canada en 200 leçons,” although highly recommended since by the Board of Education of New Brunswick, for the use of teachers, has been mostly confined to the schools, academies, and colleges of the Province of Quebec. Since then, I have decided to prepare a much shorter work, namely, “L’Histoire élémentaire du Canada.” It is a narrative of events, not a series of biographical sketches, treats all matters of real importance in the founding and building of our country and leaves out such questions as would be beyond the grasp of the young pupil, for whose use it is intended. It has been said, with truth, that History is the school of patriotism, that it incites to good citizenship and is indispensable to any one who would be a real patriot and lover of his country. Now, the experience of years and years goes to prove that, with very few exceptions, the Acadian children cannot follow, with any advantage whatever to themselves, the study of an English text book in History. I do not think it is, as Reverend Visitor of Nova Scotia says in his report about Acadian Schools, “because the French pupil seems to regard the knowledge of things of the past of very little importance” that so little interest is shown towards the important branch of the school curriculum. It is, I am convinced, on account of the lack of a simple text book prepared in the language of the pupils. With a French text-book, any child who is able to read and understand the “Troisième livre de lecture” will be apt to study “L’Histoire élémentaire du Canada” with profit and interest in what he is studying. I shall gratefully receive whatever suggestions or remarks the Superintendents of Education may think advisable to offer in relation to my book and I am disposed to amend or eliminate any passage which may reasonably be thought objectionable. In preparing this little book, I have no doubt followed somewhat the same line of thought as in my first treatise “L’Histoire du Canada in 200 leçons” but the present work has not the same divisions and plan and is, in no sense, a résumé of my earlier work. It may be used as an introduction to it, or in the event of further study being impossible, a substitute for it. In fine, I respectfully submit my type-written copy of “L’Histoire élémentare du Canada to your kind and competent examination and humbly ask that you recommend it to the Board of Education of your respective province in order that this work may be prescribed for use in the Acadian schools of the Atlantic Provinces of Canada. I remain, dear Sirs, Yours very truly Ph. F. Bourgeois. Nous constatons avec plaisir que les requêtes, à Shédiac, se couvrent rapidement de signatures, M le curé LeBlanc ayant chargé MM. Léonide Cormier et Ans. A. Léger de recueillir les signatures, tous nos concitoyens, de langue anglaise comme de langue française, signent avec empressement l’adoption du traité d’histoire français pour nos écoles acadiennes Merci à tous!