Teaching history

The milestones of history were English Kings, their reigns and battles fought, mainly with the Scots and the French, until the theme changed to whether Roman Catholic or Protestant would predominate in the competing perceptions of Christianity.

Later, as an adult, and after my retirement, I began to take courses and read books which enlivened the subject. One course related to Britain’s social history, mainly during the Victorian period. Another was the history of art, where I was introduced to that of Holland, France, Germany, Italy and Spain – providing an interesting theme for my visits to those countries.

I like to think my outlook is not insular, but I do have a deep sense of pride in this country’s traditions, though to me the important milestones were the emancipation of repressed groups and the extension of the franchise.

I believe Mr Kelly’s suggested approach would be inappropriate in a class where pupils came from the various backgrounds many do, and would not engender the internationalist outlook which I think is most relevant to present times.

Geoffrey Bulmer, Billingham.

SO, teaching British history will instil a love of country in our young people.

Does that include the fact that at one time a woman who killed her husband would be tried for “petty treason” while a man killing his wife would simply be tried for murder, a lesser crime?

Or the fact that we had concentration camps during the Boar War in South Africa long before the Nazis thought of them, or that as late as the Sixties we sent “orphans” to be ill-treated in orphanages in Australia, even though their parents were still alive, and forbade them to have any contact with home?

Not all our history is something to be proud of.

Masha Woollard, Darlington.

IT’S not our history that we should be concentrating on, but our future – if we have one.

There needs to be big, big changes to stop the rot and get the nation united, or we will not be going anywhere under our own willpower.

George Appleby, Clifton, York.