serious to be left to the economists.
—E. J. MISHAN^3It is becoming increasingly apparent
that we shall not have the benefits of
this world for much longer. The
imminent and expected destruction of
the life cycle of world ecology can
only be prevented by a radical shift
in outlook from our present naïve
conception of this world as a testing
ground to a more mature view of the
universe as a comprehensive matrix
of life forms. Making this shift in
viewpoint is essentially religious, not
economic or political.
—VINE DELORIA JR.^4STEAD FAST READER, we are about to do something no high school
American history class has ever accomplished in the annals of American
education: reach the end of the textbook. What final words do American
history courses impart to their students?
The American Tradition assures students “that the American tradition
remains strong—strong enough to meet the many challenges that lie ahead.” “If
these values are those on which most Americans can agree,” says The
American Adventure, “the American adventure will surely continue.” “Most
Americans remained optimistic about the nation’s future. They were convinced
that their free institutions, their great natural wealth, and the genius of the
American people would enable the U.S. to continue to be—as it always has
been—THE LAND OF PROMISE,” Land of Promise concludes.
Even most textbooks that don’t end with their titles close with the same