522.6910Edue T 249, 15.610 HARVARD UNIVERSITY DEPT. OF EDUCATION LIBRARY FT OF THE PUBLICHER JUN 28.1916 ANSFEINED TO PREPACE IN the gradual evolution of elementary courses of study the subject of geography has found a place befitting its present-day importance; and there has come to be a fairly general agreement as to what constitutes the science of geography, its proper aims and objects, and the subject matter appropriate, under given conditions, to the several grades. It may not be amiss, therefore, to state some of these principles which are matters of general agreement - not that they are permanent or infallible, but that they may, while serving as a guide for the teacher, be continually studied, tested, modified, and adapted to new conditions and new truth. First. The Science of Geography: 1. Geography treats of the earth as the home of mankind. 2. Geography is a present-day science, dealing with the earth as it is to-day, with races and nations in their present state of civilization, and with their present social, industrial, and political environment. 3. Geography is a composite science, drawing its facts from mathematics, astronomy, physics, geology, botany, zoology, etc., but employing these facts only so far as they elucidate the relations which man bears to the physical world. 4. Geography as a science, is prevailingly inductive, leading from observed facts to general laws. 5. The divisions of geographical science commonly recognized are (1) mathematical, (2) physical, (3) political, (4) industrial, (5) commercial, and (6) historical geography. 2. To cultivate a careful and thoughtful observation of geographic phenomena. 3. To develop the power to explain geographic phenomena by reasoning clearly from cause to effect. 4. To cultivate the imagination of the pupil, so that maps and pictures shall be of real assistance in comprehending the actualities for which they stand. 5. To make a practical application to the affairs of life of the facts and principles gained. Third. Selection of Subject Matter: Geographic material, appropriate at any given stage of the pupil's progress, must conform to the following standards: 1. It must be such a part of man's environment as exerts an important influence on his life and activities; or it must be the result of man's contact with that environment that is, the activities. themselves. 2. Subject matter that is essential to the future progress of the pupil, must be included in the work of the several grades. 3. Subject matter that is essential to the understanding of the affairs of life. or which is a necessary part of the equipment of an intelligent human being, should be included. 4. An essential criterion for all subject matter is that it be adapted to the capacity of the pupil at any given stage. Fourth. Methods of Instruction: 1. The proper basis of geographical instruction is the present knowledge and immediate environment of the pupil. This basis must be utilized by the teacher in introducing new matter. 2. Geographical instruction begins with the pupil's home surroundings and proceeds outward, explaining the unknown and distant by what is familiar and near at hand. 3. Simple topics of a broad, general nature 5. All geographical instruction, in order 6. The importance of books of reference should be taught in the earlier stages by having interesting and pointed selections read in the class; in the more advanced work, statistical tables, atlases, guide books, railroad folders, tourists' booklets, year-books, and other reference works may be utilized.1 The Foundations of Geography. Realizing the immensity of the geographic field and the proper functions of the textbook, the aim in the present series has been to lay the foundation, rather than to furnish a compendium of information;-to establish so thoroughly the habit of thoughtful observation and research that the course of study in geography shall be a delight to the pupil and a source of satisfac For a more extended discussion of methods, see McMurry: Special Method in Geography. King: Methods and Aids in Geography. Geikie: The Teaching of Geography. tion to the instructor; or, as McMurry puts it, "To throw the children into the midst of men's active employments and into nature's varied scenery, and in some suggestive way to anoint their eyes with the power of insight." The First Book, however, provides a complete course of study of elementary grade, in order that children who leave school in the middle of the course may be fairly well equipped, geographically, for the business of life. The limitations of space have made it imperative to treat a few topics only at considerable length, but additional work has been suggested at the end of each lesson to be used as conditions warrant. Special Features A Pupil's Book. The chief aim has been to prepare a book which should call for a minimum of labor on the part of the teacher and a maximum of labor on the part of the pupil. To this end the greatest care has been taken to make the requirements of each lesson intelligible. A special introduction has been written for the pupil, and in every case when a new kind of subject matter is taken up, its nature is fully explained in the notes on "HOW TO STUDY," placed at the foot of the first page treating of the new subject. Care has been taken in the Map Studies, Reviews, Observation Work, and Supplementary Reading, to use the simplest language and to make only such requirements as may reasonably be expected to fall within the experience or comprehension of the pupil. Treatment of Home Geography. The theses laid down above, under "Methods of Instruction" have been rigidly adhered to, and more space has been given to "Home Geography" than in any other American textbook which has come to the attention of the author. After a series of introductory pictures on home life under various typical conditions, a somewhat extended discussion is presented, of the chief elements of human environment, including the more familiar forms of land and water, the elements of climate, and the occupations characteristic of both city and country. These discussions apply to type forms, and abundant provision is made for observational and experimental work which shall bring home the facts and forms to the experience of the pupil, no matter where he may live. Exact and careful definitions of nature forms are given at proper places in the text, and it is advised that the concepts formed by the pupil from the discussions, be compared and harmonized with these more formal statements. In Paragraph Heads and Bold-Face Type. Parts I and II the text matter has been carefully organized into paragraphs of moderate length, each of which has received a heading in bold-face type. This heading constitutes the paragraph topic and is, in general, the sole topic treated; but in case any subordinate topics occur in the paragraph, they also are set in bold-face. These topics form the proper subjects for discussion in the classroom. In Part III, the paragraph heads are less specifically stated, and the pupil is expected to classify the content of the paragraph under appropriate sub-heads. This practice should be insisted on until proficiency is attained. It should be a regular part of the preparation for the next day's lesson to select the topics which are to be made the basis of the recitation and discussion, for no other device will so greatly facilitate the "learning of the lesson." mentary Reading" and the "Suggestions for Additional Work." It is not expected that any class will do all the work provided, but enough should be selected from the variety of exercises presented to impress the pupils with the fact that geography is a live subject and to encourage them to associate closely with the geography lesson many matters of current interest. Selection of Material and Method of Treatment. The author has studiously endeavored to follow out the principles enunciated at the beginning of this article to emphasize the human element of geographical data, to approach new topics from known standpoints, to link cause and effect, and to make the pupil think independently of the book. The effects of surface, climatic conditions, and natural resources are constantly illustrated, and the pupil is encouraged to search for the reasons of things. It is for this purpose that the story of "Millville" is told at some length (page 54). The chapters on "City and Country Life" and "Occupations," and the material occurring in various places in the text on manufacturing conditions, have the same purpose in view. The importance of the human element in geography in its reactions upon natural conditions is given due prominence in explaining present In general the policy has been to limit the text to such facts as the pupil is capable of coördinating with his present stock of knowledge, or such as are essential in building the chain of geographical sequences. Of course, many facts are included because their intrinsic or practical value renders them indispensable to the pupil's intellectual training and equipment. Fullness of Treatment and Incidental Teaching. The author is not in accord with the "strict constructionists" in geography, who would rigidly exclude from the textbook every-geographical conditions. (See pp. 201, 214, 270.) thing that is not manifestly a "life response" to natural conditions. A large amount of material not strictly geography, though closely related to that subject, has been freely introduced from history, astronomy, and the physical sciences, as well as some things which are matters of general interest and which are most easily taught in connection with geography. We believe with the highest authorities on the pedagogics of geography that too concise a treatment, or the paragraph style, means a paucity of information and defeats the object of a good textbook. Such treatment of the subject may be desirable for the pupil who is "cramming" for an examination, but it contributes little toward enlisting interest and enthusiasm. A full treatment is indispensable to an interesting story, and while it is impossible in a textbook to indulge the story-telling propensity too freely, an abundant supply of stories has been suggested in the "Supple Maps and Illustrations. The usual practice in school geographies is to have each map occupy a full type page, with the result that there are as many different scales as there are maps. While this method is convenient from the standpoint of economical manufacture, it is sadly misleading to the younger pupils, who easily get the idea that all continents and their divisions are of the same size. Massachusetts seems just as large as Texas, and other parts of the world as distorted in a similar manner. The maps of the present book are a radical departure from this method. Three map |