Founding Documents to Be Required Reading

“Crash Course in Americanism” (editorial, Dec. 29) listed six documents that formed this nation’s union and will now be required reading in all public schools by state law. It is difficult to understand how one of the most important “freedom papers” in this nation’s history has been omitted from this reading list.

James Madison’s “A Memorial and Remonstrance” (1784) protested a bill introduced by Patrick Henry, “Establishing a Provision for Teachers of Religion,” in the commonwealth of Virginia. According to some scholars this document represents the strongest statement in defense of “separation of church and state” and is ranked in importance with the Declaration of Independence and Gettysburg Address.

JAMES W. PRESCOTT

Newport Beach

* Sounds like California’s high school students should not be the only ones getting an education in influential historical documents!

Your editorial included a “quiz,” so parents of high school students could test themselves on things that their children will be required to learn in the near future. You stated that the authors of the Federalist Papers were James Madison and Alexander Hamilton. Madison and Hamilton wrote most of the 85 essays published under the name “Publius,” including those which are best known and most quoted. However, after Hamilton wrote the introductory piece, John Jay, who was soon to be the first chief justice of the Supreme Court, wrote Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and returned later to write No. 64.

I concur with your conclusion on the importance of familiarizing high school students with these vital parts of our intellectual and philosophical heritage. The chances of getting your average 17-year-old to read all 85 of the Federalist Papers, though, are slim to none--it’s hard enough to get political science majors like me to do it!

MIKE BERIGAN

Carlsbad

* The Emancipation Proclamation had nothing to do with “principles.” It was, as the document states, “a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion.” There seems to be a growing tendency among amateur and professional historians to reconstruct history to suit a current political tenor. In fact, a persuasive argument could be made to leave those historic documents that you mention alone. It might be concluded that Washington’s farewell address contained the supreme act of cowardice and national dishonor by warning against providing assistance to the enemies of tyranny, despotism and oppression abroad.

SAMUEL ZARCOFF

Los Angeles

* I agree with Assemblyman Keith Olberg (R-Victorville) that teaching our children about the origins of our liberties is most important. I hope that, in their readings, they learn of the price paid for those liberties. The freedoms discussed and delineated in those papers were paid for with the lives of a great many Americans. Perhaps if our children formally study each document and the history behind it, they will be hesitant to allow government to continue to trample over those liberties.

STEVEN R. POSEY

Hesperia