UC-NRLF EbS flOfl REESE LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. nn n who, as a child, has never listened with joy to the murmuring and rustling of the fresh fountain of fairy- land, will have no ear and no understanding for many a deep stream of German poetry. It is, after all, the modest fountain of fairy song which, flowing and uniting with the now noisy, now soft and gently flow- ing, current of folk song and with the deep and earnest stream of tradition, which has poured such a refresh- ing current over German poetry, out of which our most excellent Uhland has drawn so many a heart- strengthening draft. Fairy Tales. 17 "The spirit of the people finds expression in fairy tale as in tradition and song, and if we were only working to lift and strengthen the national impulse, a moral educative instruction would have to turn again and again to these creations of the people. What was asserted as a general truth in regard to classical pro- ducts, that they are a bond between large and small, old and young, is true of national stories and songs more than of anything else. They are at once a bond between the different classes, a national treasure, which belongs alike to rich and poor, high and low. The common school then has the least right of all to put the fairy tale aside, now that few women versed in fairy lore, such as those to whom Grimm listened, are left. "But does the fairy tale come of noble blood? Does it possess what we called in the case of classics, an old title of nobility? If we keep to this figure of speech, we shall find that the fairy tale is not only noble, but a very royal child among stories. It has ruled from olden times, far and wide, over many a land. Hundreds of years gone, Grimm's fairy stories lived in the people's heart, and not in Germany alone. If our little ones listen intent to Aschenputtel, French children delighted in Cindrillon, the Italian in Cener- entola, the Polish in Kopcinszic. The fact that me- diaeval story books contain Grimm's tales is not re- markable, when we reflect that traits and character- istics of the fairy tale reach back beyond the Christian period; that Fra4 -Holle is HulcUi, or Frigg, the heathen 'V 18 Special Method. goddess; that ' Wishing-cap,' 'Little Lame-leg,' and 'Table Cover Thyself,' etc., are made up out of the attributes of German gods. Finally, such things as 'The Sleeping Beauty,' which is the earth in winter sleep, that the prince of summer wakes with kisses in spring time, point back to the period of primitive Indo- German myth. "But in addition to the requirement of classical nobility has the fairy story also the moral tone which we required of the genuine child's story? Does the fairy story make for morals? To be sure it introduces to an ideal realm of simple moral relations. The good and bad are sharply separated. The wrong holds for a time its supremacy, but the final victory is with the good. And with what vigor the judgment of good and evil, of right and wrong, is produced. We meet touch- ing pictures, especially of good-will, of faithfulness, characteristic and full of life. Think only of the typical interchange of words between Lrn<-hy making- caves, building ovens, and assuming a style of dress and living that approximates Crusoe's state. This supplies to teachers a hint of some value. The story of Crusoe should lead to excursions into the home neighborhood for the purpose of a closer examination of the trades and occupations there represented. An Robinson Crusoe. 35 imitation of his labors may also be encouraged. The effort to mold and bake vessels from potter's clay, the platting of baskets from willow withes, the use of tools in making boxes or tables may be attempted far enough to discover how lacking in practical ability the children are. This will certainly teach them greater respect for manual skill. From the previous discussion it might appear that we regard the story of Crusoe as technological and industrial rather than moral. But it would be a mis- take to suppose that a book is not moral because it is not perpetually dispensing moral platitudes. Most men's lives are mainly industrial. The display of moral qualities is only occasional and incidental. The development of moral character is coincident with the labors and experiences of life and springs out of them, being manifested by the spirit with which one acts toward his fellow-men. But Crusoe was alone on his island and there might seem to be no opportunity to be moral in relation to others. Society, to be sure, was conspicuous by its absence. But the intense longing with which he thought of the home and com- panionships lost is perhaps the strongest sentiment in the book. His loneliness brings out most vividly his true relation to home and friends. His early life, till the shipwreck, was that of a wayward and reckless youth, disobedient to parents and seemingly without moral scruples. Even during the first months upon the island there appears little moral change or betterment. But slowly the bitter 36 Special Method. experiences of his lonely life sober him. He finds a Bible and a fit of sickness reveals the distresses that may lie before him. "When once the change has set in, it is rapid and thorough. He becomes devout, he longs to return to his parents and atone for his faults. ' A complete reformation of his moral disposition is effected. If one will take the pains to read the orig- inal Robinson Crusoe he will find it surprisingly seri- ous and moral in its tone. He devotes much time to soliloquizing on the distresses of his condition and upon the causes which have brought him to misery. He diagnoses his case with an amount of detail that must be tedious to children. The fact that these parts of the book often leave little direct impression upon children is proof that they are chiefly engaged with the adventure and physical embarrassments of Crusoe. For the present it is sufficient to observe that the , story is deeply and intensely moral, both in its spirit and in the changes described in Crusoe. We are next led to inquire whether the industrial and moral lessons contained in this story are likely to be extracted from it by a boy or girl who reads it alone, without the aid of a teacher. Most young read- ers of Crusoe are carried along by the interesting ad- venture. It is a very surprising and entertaining story. But children even less than adults are inclined to go deeper than the surface and draw up hidden treasures. De Foe's work is a piece of classic litera- ture. But few people are inclined to get at tin 4 deeper meaning and spirit of a classical masterpiece ui Robinson Crusoe. 37 they go through it in companionship with a teacher who is gifted to disclose its better meaning. This is true of any classical product we might mention. It should be the peculiar function of the school to culti- vate a taste and an appreciative taste for the best lit- erature, not by leaving it to the hap-hazard home reading of pupils, but by selecting the best things adapted to the minds of children and then employing their teaching skill to bring these treasures close to the hearts and sympathies of children. Many young people do not read Robinson Crusoe at all; many others do not appreciate its better phases. The school will much improve its work by taking for its own this best of children's stories, and extend and deepen the children's appreciation of a classic. The story of Robinson Crusoe is made by the Herbartians the nucleus for the concentration of studies in the second year. This importance is given to it on account of its strong moral tone and because of its universal typical character in man's develop- ment. Without attempting a solution of the problem of concentration air this juncture, we should at least observe the relations of this story to the other studies. Wilmann says: "The everywhere and nowhere of the fairy tale gives place to the first geographical limita- tions. The continents, the chief countries of Europe come up, besides a series of geographical concepts such as island, coast, bay, river, hill, mountain, sea, etc. The difference in climate is surprising. Crusoe fears the winter and prepares for it, but his fear is 38 Special Method. needless, for no winter reaches his island." We have already observed its instructive treatment of the com- mon occupations which prepare for later geographical study, as well as for natural science. Many plants and animals are brought to notice which would furnish a good beginning for natural sci- ence lessons. It is advisable, however, to study rather those home animals and plants which correspond best to the tropical products or animals in lessons. Trop- ical fruits, the parrot, and the goat we often meet at home, but in addition, the sheep, the ox, the mocking- bird, the woodpecker, our native fruits and grains, and the fish, turtles, and minerals of the home, may well be suggested and studied in parallel courses with the life Crusoe. Although the story should l>e given and disci orally, the children should also read it later a> a part of the regular reading ex.- the course. Instead of suffering from this repetition, their interest will only be increased. Classical products usually gain by repetition. The facts are inught out moiv and the deeper moaning i> perceived. To have the oral treatment of a story precede it> weeks 01* months produco an excellent effect upon the style of the reading. The thought being familiar, and the interest strong, the expression will and natural. Children take a pride in reading a >tor\ which they at first must receive orally for lack of r ing power. The same advantageous drill in the UM- of g Robinson Crusoe. 3f) English accrues to the Crusoe story that was observed in the fairy tales. There is abundant opportunity for oral narrative and description. A similar use of the pencil and chalk in graphi- cally representing the objects of study is carried for- ward. Thus the eye becomes more accurate in its observation and the hand more facile in tracing the outlines of the interesting forms studied. In thus glancing over the field we discover the same many-sided and intimate relation with other school studies, as in the previous grade. In fact, Crusoe is the first extended classical masterpiece which is presented to the children as a whole. Such parts of the story as are of most pedagogical value should be simplified and woven together into a continuous narrative. That part of the story which precedes the shipwreck may be reduced to a few paragraphs which bring out clearly his early home surroundings, his disobedience and the desertion of his parents, and the voyage which led to his lonely life upon the island. The period-embraced in his companionless labors and experiences constitutes the important part for school uses. A few of the more important episodes follow- ing the capture of Friday and his return home may be briefly told. We deem it a long step forward to get some of our great classical masterpieces firmly embedded in the early years of our school course. It will contribute almost as much to the culture and stimulation of teachers as of pupils. The method of handling this narrative before the 40 Special Meth<>0 cents. One of the best school editions of Robinson Cru- soe is published by Ginn ,V Co.. pri. its, A simple edition for second irrade i> soon published. Mythical Stories. 41 THE MYTHICAL STORIES. In the third grade we wish to bring a number of the mythical stories vividly before the children. The classical myths which belong to the literature of Eu- rope are the fund from which to select the best. Not all, but only a few of the simple and appropriate stories are chosen. Only two recitation periods a week are to be set apart for the oral treatment of these classical myths. But later in the progress of the reading les- sons other stories should be treated. The few recita- tion periods used for oral work are rather designed to introduce children to the spirit of this literature, to get them into the appreciative mind. This body of ancient myths comes down to us, sifted out of the early literature of the active-minded Greeks. They have found their way as a simple and charming poetry into the national literature of all the European countries. Is this the material suited to nine and ten-year-old children ? It will not be ques- tioned that these myths belong to the best literary products of Europe, but are they suited to children ? It is evident that some of our best literary judges have deemed them appropriate. Hawthorne has put them into a form designed especially for the young folk. Charles Kingsley wrote of the Greek myths for his children: "Now I love these old Hellens heartily 42 Special Method. and they seem to me like brothers, though they have all been dead and gone many a hundred years. They are come to tell you some of their old fairy tales, which they loved when they were young like you. For na- tions begin at first by being children like you, though they are made up of grown men. They are children at first like you men and women with children's hearts; frank, and affectionate, and full of trust and teachable, loving to see and learn all the won around them; and greedy also, too often, and passion- ate and silly, as children are*" Not a few other authors of less note have tri turn the classical myths of the old < I reek poets into simple Kn^lish for the entertainment and instrn- of children. Scarcely any of these -tones that him* not appeared in various children's books in recent years. Taken as a whole, they are a storehou- children's literature. The philosopher. llerUirt. lo upon the poem- of Homer a- ideal expiv- to the boyhood of the race, and the story of UK wa> regarded by him as the hoy's book. For the child of eight or nine years he thought it the most suit story. Kin^-sley say* in his introduction: -Now you must not think Of the Greeks in this hook as learned men. living in ^reat cities, Mich as they were after wards, when they wrought all their beautiful \\ . but as country people, iivin^ on farms and in w, villages, in a simple, hard-working way. so that the i tost kings and 1.- -ked their own meal* and Mythical Stories. 43 A thought it no shame, and made their own ships and weapons, and fed and harnessed their own horses. So that a man was honored among them, not because he happened to be rich, but according to his skill and his strength and courage and the number of things he could do. For they were but grown up children, though they were right noble children too, and it was with them as it is now at school, the strongest and cleverest boy, though he be poor, leads all the rest." In the introduction to the Wonder Book we find ,the following: "Hawthorne took a vital interest in child life. He was accustomed to observe his own children very closely. There are private manuscripts still extant which present exact records of what his young son and elder daughter said or did from hour to hour, the father seating himself in their play room and patiently noting all that passed. To this habit of watchful and sympathetic scrutiny we may attribute in part the remarkable felicity, the fortunate ease of adaptation to the immature understanding, and the skillful appeal to the fresh imaginations which charac- terize his stories for the young." Hawthorne himself says: " The author has long been of the opinion that many of the classical myths were capable of being rendered into very capital reading for children. No epoch of time can claim a copyright on these immortal fables. They seem never to have been made, and so long as man exists they can never perish; but by their indestructibility itself they are legitimate subjects, for every age to clothe with its 44 Special Method. own garniture of manners and sentiment and to imbue with its own morality. * * * The author has not always thought it necessary to write downward in order to meet the comprehension of children. He has generally suffered the therne to soar, whenever such was its tendency. Children possess an unestimated sensibility to whatever is deep or high in imagination or feeling so long as it is simple likewise. It is only the artificial and the complex that bewilder them." A brief analysis of the qualities which render these myths so attractive will help us to see their value in the education of children. The astonishing brightness of fanciful episode and of pure and clear cut imagery has an indestructible charm for children. They can soar into and above the clouds on the shining wings of Pegasus. With Eolus they shut up the contrary winds in an ox-hide and later let thenfout to plague the much-suffering Ulys- ses. They watch with astonishment as Jason yokes the fire-breathing oxen and strews the field with up- rooted stumps and stones as he prepared the soil for the seed of dragon's teeth. Kaeh child becomes a ; as he recreates the sparkling brightness of these simple pictures. And when a child has once suffered his fancy to soar to these mountain heights and ocean depths, it will no longer be possible to make his life entirely dull and prosaic. He has caught glimpses of a bright world that will linger unfading in the up- lands of his memory. And while they are so deep and lofty they are still, as Hawthorne -;i\ >. very *in Mythical Stories. 45 Some of the most classic of the old stories are indeed too complex for third grade children; too many persons and too much complexity, as in the Tales of Troy. But on the other hand, many of the most beautiful of the old myths are as plain and simple to a child as a float- ing summer cloud. High in the sky they may be or deep in the reflection of some classic lake or spring, but clear and plain to the thought of a little child. These stories in their naive simplicity reflect the won- der and surprise with which a person first beholds grand and touching scenery, whether it be the oppres- sive grandeur of some beetling mountain crag, or the placid quiet of a moonlit stream. The stories selected for this grade should be the simplest and best. The Golden Touch, The Chimsera of Hawthorne, the epi- sodes of the Golden Fleece, with others similar. In one form or another they introduce us to the company of heroes, or, at least, of great and simple characters. Deeds of enterprise and manliness or of unselfishness and generosity art? the climax of the story. To meet danger and hardship or ridicule for the sake of a high purpose is their underlying thought. Perseus and Jason and Ulysses are all ambitious to prove their title to superior shrewdness and courage. When we get fairly into the mythical age, we find our- selves among the heroes, among those striving for mastery and leadership in great undertakings. Phys- ical prowess and manly spirit are its chief virtues. And can there be any question that there is a time in the lives of children when these ideas fill the horizon 46 Special Method. of their thought? Samson and David and Hercules, Bellerophon, and Jason, are a child's natural thoughts; or, at least, they fit the frame of his mind so exactly that one may say the picture and the frame were made for each other. The history of most countries con- tains such an age of heroes. Tell in Switzerland, Siegfried in Germany, Bruce in Scotland, Romulus and Horatius at Rome, Alfred in England, are all national heroes of the mythical age, whose deeds are heroic and of public good. The Greek stories are only a more classic edition of this historical epoch, and should lead up to a study of these later products of European literature. Several forms of moral excellence are objectively realized or personified in these st<>: As the wise Centaur, after teaching Jason to be skillful and brave, sent him out into the world, he .said: "Well, go, my son; the throne belongs to thy father and the gods love justice. But remember, wherever thou dost wander, to observe these three things: 44 Relieve the di> < 4 Respect the aged. ' 4 Be true to thy word. Jcu And many events in Jason's life i the wisdom of these words. The miraculous j)'t<-h<>r U one whose fountain of refreshing milk bubbled al- ways because of a gentle deed of hospitality strangers. Kine; Midas, on the other hand Mythical Stories. 47 ences in the most graphic form the punishment which ought to follow miserly greed, while his humble peni- tence brought back his daughter and the homely com- forts of life. Bellerophon is filled with a desire to perform a noble deed that will relieve the distress of a whole people. After the exercise of much patience and self-control he succeeds in his generous enterprise. Many a lesson of worldly wisdom and homely virtue is brought out in the story of Ulysses' varied and adven- turesome career. These myths bring children into lively contact with European history and geography, as well as with its modes of life and thought. The early history of Europe is in all cases shrouded in mist and legend. But even from this historically impenetrable past has sprung a literature that has exercised a profound influ- ence upon the life and growth of the people. Not that children are conscious of the significance of these ideas, but being placed in an atmosphere which is full of them, their deeper meaning gradually unfolds itself. The early myths afford an interesting manner in which, esppcially for children, to come in contact with the history and geography of important countries. Those countries they must, sooner or later, make the acquaintance of both geographically and historically, and could anything be designed to take stronger hold upon their imagination and memory than these charm- ing myths, which were the poetry and religion of the people once living there? It is a very simple ajj^^^^iti^^^te of culture, $! V. ir^ii 48 Special Method. whose ships, arms, agriculture, and domestic life are given us in clear and pleasing pictures. Our own country is largely lacking in a mythical age. Our culture sprung, more than half grown, from the midst of Europe's choicest nations, and out of institutions that had been centuries in forming. The myths of Eprope are therefore as truly ours as they are the treas- ure of Englishmen, of Germans, or of Greeks. Again, our own literature, as well as that of European states, is full of the spirit and suggestion of the mythical Our poets and writers have drawn much of their imagery from this old storehouse of thought, and a child will better understand the works of the present through this contact with mythical ages. In method of treatment with school classes they will admit of a variation from the plan used with Rob- inson Crusoe. One unaccustomed to the readii such stories would be at a loss for a method of treat ment with children. There is a charm and literary art in the presentation of the stories that would make the teacher feel unqualified to present them. The children are not yet sufficiently masters of the symbols of speech to read for themselves. Shall the teacher simply read the stories to children? We would suggest first of all, that the teacher, who would ex- pect to make use of these materials, steep himself fully in literature of this class, and bring his mind in! miliar acquaintance and sympathy with its charac- ters. In interpreting classical authors to pupils, we are justified in requiring of the teacher intimate knowl- Mythical Stories. 49 edge and appreciative sympathy with his author. Cer- tainly no one will teach these stories well whose fancy was never touched into airy flights who cannot be- come a child again and revel in its pleasures. No con- descension is needed, but ascension to a free and ready flight of fancy. By learning to drink at these ancient fountains of song and poetry, the teacher might learn to tell a fairy story for himself. But doubtless it will be well to mingle oral narrative and description on the part of the teacher with the fit reading of choice parts so as to better preserve the classic beauty and sug- gestion of the author. Children are quite old enough now to appreciate beauty of language and expressive, racy turns of speech. In the midst of question, sug- gestion, and discussion between pupil and teacher, the story should be carried forward, never forgetting to stop at suitable intervals and get such a reproduc- tion of the story as the little children are capable of. And indeed they are capable of much in this direction, for their thoughts are more nimble, and their power of expression more apt, oftentimes, than the teacher's own. We would not favor a simple reading of these sto- ries for the entertainment of pupils. It should take more the form of a school exercise, requiring not only interest and attention, but vigorous effort to grasp and reproduce the thought.* The result should be a much livelier and deeper insight into the story than would be secured by a simple reading for amusement or variety. They should prepare also for an apprecia- tive reading of other myths in the following grades. 50 Sj, simp.' lore into our sd, we recall the interest and mental activity which it arouses, it> power to please and satisfy the fancy in children, its fundamental connection with tin- root ideas of Kuropean history and literature, its liv- ing personification of generous ' ml insti' the virtues of bravery, man md unselfish! and all this in a classic farm that still further u its culture effect upon teacher and pupil. It si never he forgotten that teacher and pupil alike are here imbibing lessons and inspirations that draw them into closer sympathy because the subject is worti both old and young. Mythical Stories. 51 BOOKS FOR THIRD GRADE. 1 . The Wonder Book of Nathaniel Hawthorne. The following stories are especially recommended: The Gorgon's Head, The Golden Touch, The Miraculous Pitcher, and The Chimaera. One should preserve as much as possible of the spirit and language of the author. Perhaps in classes with children the other stories will be found equally attract- ive. The Paradise of Children and The Three Golden Apples. Published by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston. Price, 40 cents. 2. Kinysley's Greek Heroes. The stories of Perseus, the Argonauts, and Theseus, especially adapted to children. It is advisable for the teacher to abbreviate the stories, leaving out unimportant parts, but giving the best portions in the fullest detail. Published by Ginn & Co., of Boston. Price, 50 cents. 3. Jason s Quest, by Lowell. The story of Argonauts with many other Greek myths woven into the narrative. This recent book is a store of excellent material. The teacher should select from it those parts specially suited to the grade. Published by Leach. Shewell & Sanborn, Chicago. 4. Adventures of Ulysses, by Lamb. A small book from which the chief episodes of Ulysses' career can be obtained. Published by Ginn & Co., Boston. Price, 35 cents. 52 Special Method. 5. Tales of Troy, by DeGarmo. The story of the siege of Troy and of the great events of Homer's Iliad. This story, on account of its complexity, we deem better adapted to the fourth grade. Published by Public-School Publishing Co., Bloomington 111. Price, 20 cents. 6. Stories of the Old World, by Church. Stories of the Argo, of Thebes, of Troy, of Ulysses, and of ^Eneas. Stories are simply and well told. It is a book of 350 pages and would serve well as a supplementary reader in fourth grade. Published by Ginn & Co., of Boston. Price, 50 cents. Pioneer History Stories. F10NEER HISTORY STORIES. FOR FOURTH AN]) FIFTH GRADES. After gaining an introduction to the wonder sto- ries of early European history in the third grade, t we find in our own early history suitable material for the fourth and fifth grades. Our first American his- tory also belongs to the heroic age. It was the blos- soming time for deeds of individual heroism. But it is practical and real. The old heroes of mythical times had to do with monsters and demi-gods, or with the huge forces of nature in uncouth personification as Polyphemus, Scylla, and Charybdis. The heroes of this new world had more real and tangible hardships. Mountains, forests, rivers, stormy oceans, wild beasts, and Indians, and other untold hardships and distresses of people far from their sources of supply. In the first and second grades we found a striking contrast between the fanciful fairy tales and Robinson Crusoe's experiences. One transcends the laws of nature, the other is held in absolute subjection to them. The same contrast stands out between the stories of the mythi- cal age and the pioneer histories. The early explorers and settlers of our land first discovered and opened up its vast stretches of forest, mountain, and desert; then struggled manfully against savage difficulties to 54 Special Method. gain possession of its soil, and finally labored slowly and painfully to build houses, roads, villages, and all the later institutions of culture. It can hardly be said that our history stories can be used to advantage be- fore the fourth grade, but for children of this age they are well adapted. It is not uncommon to find history stories in use in the first and second grades, and some even of our kindergartners employ the stories of Columbus and of Washington and of others with still younger children. They claim also that much interest is awakened by such stories^ The interest, however, that may be awakened by a skillful teacher is not a full proof of the pedagogical value of the stories for primary children. We claim that the children of the first and second grades especially are not mature enough to purposes, there is no history so valuable as the biogra- phies of our sturdy pioneers. In the use of these stories we follow no strict chronological order, but select according to the sim- plicity and interest of the story, and from the best pi- oneer biographies of our own and of surrounding states. We have divided these stories into two series: first, those illustrating the early history and explora- tion of different sections of the Mississippi valley; second, narratives of the lives of New England and other eastern states, together with two or three stories of California and the extreme west, and the bi- ographies of four or five of the great ocean navigators. For those children living in the Mississippi valley, it will be natural and appropriate to make use of the 58 Special Method. stories belonging to that region; that is, the first se- ries, in the fourth grade. In the fifth grade, the second series will extend and complete the great pioneer epoch of our history. FIRST SERIES. Stories of the Mississippi Valley for Fourth Grade. 1. Lincoln. Early life and surroundings in Ken- tucky, Indiana, and Illinois. Poor farm boy. Going down the Mississippi in a flat-boat. Reading and study. The Black Hawk War. 2. Joliet and Marquette. First discovery of the Upper Mississippi and journey upon it. Marquette and the Illinois Indians. 3. Lor Salle. Settlement at La Chine. Expedi- tion to Fort Frontinac, Niagara. The building of the Griffin and its trip up the lakes. From St. Joseph to the Illinois and Peoria. The fur-trade. War in Illinois. The confederacy. 1. Jlennepin. Exploration of the Upper Missis- sippi. Capture of Hennepin by the warlike Sioux. His hardships and escape. 5. George Rogers Clark. Life among the Ken- tucky backwoodsmen. Indian outrages from the northwest. Plan to capture Kaskaskia and Vineen nes. Descent of the Ohio from Pittsburg with a small army. Hardship and energy. Capture of Kaskaskia. Tr ing with the Indians, rapture of Vineennes. 6. Boone. Crossing the mountains from North Pioneer History Stories. 59 Carolina. Laying out a road. Boonesborough. Cap- ture by the Indians. Life among them and escape. The defense of Boonesborough. Simon Kenton, the friend of Boone. 7. Robertson. Settlement at Watauga. Visit to hostile Indians. Overland journey to the Cumberland. Journey in boats down the Tennessee and up the Cum- berland to Nashville. Dangers and exploits. 8. Marietta and Cincinnati. First pioneers across the Alleghanies and down the Ohio. The fort at Mari- etta. First settlers of Cincinnati. Troubles with the Indians. 9. The Sioux Massacre. Bad treatment of In- dians by the whites. Indian secrecy and revenge. Flight of fugitives from the Minnesota valley. Pun- ishment of the Indians. 10. Lewis and Clark. Voyage up the Missouri river. Crossing of the Rocky Mountains and return. 11. Fremont. Fort Laramie. South Pass. Climbing Fremont's Peak. Passing the Canon of the Piatte. 12. ^La Salle. Voyage to the mouth of the Mississippi and return. Fort St. Louis on Starved Rock. Voyage from France and death. 13. De Soto. Voyage from Cuba. Capture of an Indian village. Wading the swamps. Fights with the Indians. Discovery of the Mississippi. Wander- ings west of it. Death. 60 Special Method. SECOND SERIES. 1. Columbus. Youth. Study of maps and charts. Before the courts of Spain and Portugal. First voyage. His disappointments. 2. Magellan. Journey round the world. 3. Henry Hudson. Voyages. Trip up the Hudson. 4. Raleigh. Early life. Attempts to settle Vir- ginia. Imprisonment and death. 5. Drake. Voyage of plunder. In California. Crossing the Pacific. Reception at home. 6. Champlain. Explorations. The Iroquois. 7. John Smith. Exploring Virginia. Capture and adventures with the Indians. Smith as governor. 8. William Penn. Becoming a Quaker. Plans of settlement. Treatment of Indians. 9. Peter Stuyv&ant. Governor of New York. 10. James Oglethorpe. Prisoners for debt. Gov- ernor of Georgia. 11. The First Lord Baltimore. Persecution of Catholics. 12. Washington. Early life up to Braddock's defeat. 13. Fremont. Exploring Salt Lake and the Great Basin. Crossing the Sierra Nevada in winter. 14. Crossing the plains and mountains to Cal- ifornia in '79. 15. Pilgrims and Puritans. In departing so widely from usage as to make Pioneer History Stories. 61 ular instruction in historical topics apart of the school work from the fourth grade on, we assume the value of historical studies in general. Their value for in- struction and for morals was discussed in the '.'General Method." But we now feel called upon to justify this choice of materials from our own history for fourth and fifth grades. In the first case, does this part of our history fur- nish materials that are adapted to the understanding and interest of children of this grade ? We are all aware that biography is the most interesting form of history, especially for children. Now that kind of bi- ography that appeals most strongly to children of from ten to twelve years is that which is cast in the heroic mold. Not the lives of orators, scientists, or even of statesmen, but of simple heroes, of men who have shown power and skill and goodness in an age when men battled single-handed or in small numbers against sur- rounding dangers. So far as the schools are concerned the fact has been too much overlooked that we have in our own his- tory a heroic epoch of surprising interest. A collec- tion of the best pioneer biographies of our country would be remarkably rich in stirring events, in deeds of fortitude and nobility which are destined to thrill the future with their moral worth. Many of the best episodes of our history are as yet entirely unknown to our children; for example, the watchfulness and re- source of Robertson during the Indian troubles about Nashville and the boldness of Gfeorge Rogers Clark at 62 Special Method. Kaskaskia and Vincennes. These stories are simple, biographical, interesting, and true to life. There is an era in child life where they take to the pioneer stories. fc At this time these stirring, true stories of strong men and women, of difficult enterprises, are able to awaken the deep and permanent interest of children. For they have the ring of true metal in them that will pass current with all men in all ages. Our history, which is so rich in inspiring educative materials, has consisted too much, heretofore, in the study of skeleton outlines, in a memorizing of impor- tant events and of chronological tables. This has often tended to dull the interest in history or even to create a distaste for it. There is no reason why children in their earlier years should not come in contact, not with a barren statement of important facts, but with the personal deeds of men of energy and virtue. They see these men in action and are strongly stimulated by their conduct. The pioneer stories approach our history from its most attractive side, presenting detailed bio- graphical pictures. They not only interest for the time being, but create an inclination toward the study of our leading men and of important events in the for- mative period of our history. History stories have been introduced into our schools in recent years, but they are usually too brief and didactic. A good story should claim a child's in- terest from its own inherent merit. By beginning early with detailed and interesting biographies, we touch the heart of the child. In the regular teaching Pioneer History Stories. 63 of history the tendency has been overwhelming toward a condensed statement of the great events of our na- tional life. There has been much faith in the power of the mind to assimilate the generalizations boiled down into our brief compendiums of history. Even the children's histories, in biographical form, have been more anxious to load up with important facts than to tell a good story. We have much to learn in teaching history to children. It is no more true here than in natural science that the mind can dispense with the concrete, interesting facts, the details from which general statements have been inferred. By taking history in its simple biographical details we shall gather the best materials and insure a strong interets. In the second place, besides securing a strong and lasting interest, they are instructive in a double sense. The study of pioneer life in these concrete forms throws into dark relief the difficulties in a primitive society of overcoming the obstacles in nature. In our present condition of society it is difficult for us to realize what toil and effort have been expended in se- curing our common blessings, e. 9 difficulties and hardships of these men and of their physical environment is secured. If we are to realize the significance of history and of men's conduct as there expressed, we must see and feel their dangers, trials, and physical limitations. The simple memor- izing of facts and descriptions from text-books mani- festly falls far short of true history study. How far a good teacher may supplement, criticise, and energize the facts of a text-book so as to give them actuality may be fairly asked. But even before any text-book is or can be used, we may get at the soul of the matter through a direct personal presentation of stories by the teacher and in the midst of a running fire of ques- tions, suggestion and reasoning at causes which both stimulate interest and thought, and give a strong tone of reality to the events discussed. THE METHOD OF ORAL PRESENTATION. We have called for a vivid and realistic presenta- tion of a narrative and its setting by the teacher. In one sense this is a heavy demand upon teachers, and one to which they are not much accus- tomed to respond. Skill, facility, and tact in this line of exertion are acquired by most teachers slowly. It seems, however, to be a misapprehension to suppose that only the gifted few are capable of this kind of success. Those who are slow an~d halting in speech, or who have no "gift of gab," may be eminently suc- cessful. In truth one of the first and most important re- quirements of a teacher in successful story telling is to 70 Special Method. hold his tongue. He must, however, acquire skill in making facts and situations vivid to children. He must possess the magic wand which touches their imaginations so that they construct pictures that approximate the distinctness of reality. First, the teacher himself must possess feeling and imagination ; he must see things with great distinctness and detail and he must find homely phrases, striking or amusing analogies, gestures, and facial expression. Graphic sketches and outlines on the blackboard must be at his disposal. He must learn to exercise all his facul- ties with great freedom before a class. He must be quick in sympathy and ready to interpret a child's question or remarks. The previous knowledge of children, their home experiences, as well as facts remembered from books, must be called out in elucida- tion of the topic under discussion. But it is necessary to use these materials without allowing either teacher or pupils to be drawn aside from the main topic. The intelligent judgment and self-activity of pupils should be exercised at every turn in the story. They arc stimulated by questions as to facts, causes, probable sequence, reasons. A particular kind of preparation for such oral lessons rendered obligatory by the whole character of the work is the clear and definite arrangement of t hi- story into a series of topics. It is not sufficient to read the story through carefully so as to get a clear sequence of events and a memory for the facts. The teacher's mind should cast the story into a serie Pioneer History Stories. 71 unities or topics, each of which has a nucleus or cen- ter with a body of related facts which find their cause and explanation in this center. Each topic is pro- jected as a unit in the mind of the teacher. It should be an essential link in a chain of important sequences. In the recitation each topic should be mastered before proceeding to what follows. As each topic is pre- sented by the teacher and reproduced by the pupil, a brief outline may be kept on the board of the topics discussed, and this outline becomes the basis of all reproductions after the whole subject has been pre- sented. This power to get at the essential segments, or the pivotal points in a story is an excellent logical training for the teacher >He must see a series of events in their essential aspects, in their casual rela- tion, and in their relative importance. Such a careful analysis of a story into clearly distinct topics calls for a thoughtful digestion of the materials, which goes far toward a pedagogical mastery of a subject for teaching purposes. A teacher must learn to be thoughtful, logical, and clear-headed. But if the teacher has learned to think sensibly and organize his lesson into prominent headings which will stand a close logical test, it is clear that the children will be trained into logical and rational modes of thinking and study. Children will learn to do more than simply memorize. They learn to estimate and judge the value pf the points discussed, to discriminate between the important and secondary facts, to notice the proper relations and groupings of facts. 72 Special Method. This series of topics upon which we have laid such stress should be expressed on the blackboard in the form of suitable words, phrases, or short sentences. After a topic has been fully presented by a teacher, it is often well to ask the children for a brief phrase which suggests the gist of the matter. Some expres- sion furnished by the pupils may serve for the head- ing, or it may be modified, to give a more definite and exact form. THE REPRODUCTION BY THE PUPILS. When the teacher has done his full duty in a vig- orous and clear -presentation of the facts in a topic, his next duty lies in devolving the work of reproduction upon the children. It is for the pupils now to show how attentive they have been and how fully they can recall and express the ideas already presented. Let the teacher firmly decline to do the pupil's part of the work. Let him not pump answers from the children. The briefest possible questions or corrections orcli* or signs of approval are all that is needed. Brevity and silence are the teacher's chief merits at this stage of the work. The topic should generally be reproduced more than once; at first, perhaps, by one of the readier pupils, and then by two or three others. The chil- dren's reproductions will show misconceptions that must be corrected by other pupils or by the teacher. Still further explanations may be given by the teacher after the child's work is finished. We can not be Pioneer History Stories. 73 isfied with anything short of a thorough appropriation of the facts as at first presented. It will pay to stick to one tornc till the victory is complete. The children have no books to study and if they ever get the facts they must do it now. The welding must take place while the iron is hot or it will never be done. Close attention is indispensable in this work, and if it can be first secured by the teacher in the class-room, its effects will be felt in their home and private studies. If chil- dren dawdle when studying at home it is partly be- cause they are allowed to dawdle during recitations at school. One of the incidental advantages that spring from oral presentation and reproduction of history stories is a straightforward, forcible_use of good English. But many corrections of faulty words and phrases are made necessary. These corrections may be made quietly by the teacher without seriously interrupting the pupil's course of thought. Our primary^aim, however, is not language drill, but the culture that lies in history. After a series r of topics has been worked out. with alternate presentation and reproduction, it is in place to call for a full narration of the whole subject by one or more pupils. The brief outline on the board ought to be sufficient to %uide the pupil without questions from the instructor. Success in this reproduction is a final test of the mastery of the story. The topics presented one day, however, should be reviewed the next by the students, and this repetition continued till the mastery is felt to be satisfactory. 74 Special Method. The children should keep a blank book, such as an ordinary composition book, into which the outlines de- veloped may be copied by the children once or twice a week. It should be done in ink, with great neatness and care, and these outlines may serve well, at the close of the term, for the final review and reproduction. DIFFICULTIES. There are several difficulties in the way of satis- factory oral work of the kind described which prevent practical teachers from undertaking it: 1. In the training of our teachers not much care is taken to acquire the ability to present a subject well to a class. It is an art difficult to acquire in many cases and not generally regarded as valuable. The function of the teacher has been found in ^x ////'"// and testing rather than in the presentation of knowl- edge. The idea, that children are to do everything for themselves through their own activity, has been brought in successfully to support our common method of recitation. The ridicule heaped upon the '-pouring in" and "drawing out" process has also confirmed us in the belief that our common recitation method is. after all, the best. An oral method of teaching is liable to get all because it is really a difficult art. But it is reason- able for us to raise the question whether a t earlier, in declining to treat certain subjects orally which are best adapted to it, is not consulting his convenience Pioneer History Stories. 75 and laziness rather than the rules of his art. If a teacher does not know a subject well enough to pre- sent it in a clear and interesting way to his class, he does not know it as well as a teacher should. He has not thoroughly assimilated it and organized it in his own mind. The teacher who is called upon to present a lesson to a class will master it in a more effective way than the mere hearer of recitations. He will also seek to adapt his facts to the minds of the class and make them interesting by means of drawings or illus- trations and other devices. It is an admitted fact that children in our intermediate and grammar grades in town schools have very little self-reliance or thought- fulness. They are overwhelmingly inclined to me- chanical methods of work, memorizing phrases in arithmetic, geography, and grammar. After an infi- nite amount of talking about self-reliance and self-ac- tivity, children become neither self-reliant nor self- active. Such terms as self-activity and self-reliance may be bandied about among teachers forever but they will not save us from the inherent weaknesses of me- chanical methods in teaching. What we need is more energy, spirit, and interest in the subjects, both among teachers and pupils. Will good oral teaching help us in this respect? There is some danger that our ideal of a teacher will be lowered by constantly think- ing of him as a drill master, a hearer of recitations, a tester of acquired facts. The best thing a teacher can do is to stimulate. If his own mind is awake and aglow with the ideas he is discussing or presenting, the chil- 76 Special Method. dren's thoughts will kindle. If it is possible to put such safeguards around oral teaching as will keep it from degenerating into talk, we shall find it a means of stimulus. Clear, vivid, animated presentation of ideas to a class, though difficult, is an excellent aim for teachers to keep in view, because it will regenerate their school activity. There are, of course, a good many lessons in arithmetic, grammar, and reading that must be learned from text-books. To these our remarks apply but indirectly. In geography, history, language, and natural science there are lessons in plenty that call for oral treatment, where pupil and teacher come face to face in the discussion of facts. The real genesis of self-activity and power to think should be found in these oral lessons where the in- structor can adapt his explanations and questions to the individuals of his class. This is the best place to find out what is in a boy, and to bring out all the facts of his experience in the search for causes. 2. Oral teaching calls for close and constant At- tention from all members of a class. The habit of in- attention formed in our schools reveals one of the i vulnerable points in our school method. There is a striking difference between American and European schools of the better sort, in this respect. An exclusive text-book ttnthx attention in the class-room. The strongest attention is required in learning the lron before the recitation, but the class period is eliaraeter- Pioneer History Stories. 77 ized by general looseness, except for each particular child when called up to recite. An oral method of teaching is based fundamentally upon attention. The facts must be acquired in the class, or not at all. The habits of attention formed at school will also strengthen the children in home study and initiate them into the right method of attention and study. In reply to all this, it may be truly said that a vigorous teacher will secure attention whether teach- ing orally or from a text-book. However true this may be, there is a natural tendency to laxity in a text- book method, while the necessity for close attention is much more apparent in an oral presentation and treat- ment. 3. It is difficult to get teachers to properly organ- ize an oral lesson into topics, to hold a clear, logical outline of points, and to make this outline the basis for reproductions and later reviews. They forget to fix the chief points or topics as they go. They get over the ground, but neglect to stake it off as they go, and both teacher and pupils become muddled. Without a clear succession of distinct topics in oral lessons, the work becomes hazy and scattering and the results must be unsatisfactory. Such an outline is indispen- sable if oral lessons are to be logical, clear, and of permanent value. 4. Time is wanting for such oral recitations in our present school programs. But programs can be mod- ified. We have general lessons before the whole school, where such a plan is already used. In teach- 78 Special Method. ing natural science, we are now compelled to admit that the text-book work is unsatisfactory. Studies like science and history, in the intermediate and gram- mar grades, should not take full time five periods a week, but should alternate. Classes can be combined for oral work in natural science, history, and geogra- The general tendency of oral teaching is to leave less time for study during school hours, and this must be provided for. 5. One of the chief difficulties that stands in the way of good oral teaching is the lack of materials such as a teacher can use for oral presentations. The moment a teacher begins to treat a subject orally, he calls for more uii<1uk of American Explorers. In- teresting and full of excellent material. Published bv Lee & Shepard, Boston. Price $1.50. Pioneer History Stories. HI \ Pilgrims and Puritans, Moore. Excellent de- scription of the first years in Massachusetts. Pub- lished by Ginn & Co. Price, 60 cents. Historical Classic Readings. Ten pamphlets of 60 pages each. Some of them deal with the pioneers, others with later episodes in our history. Published by Effingham Maynard, N. Y. 82 Special Method. HISTOKY IN THE SIXTH GRADE. The time given to American history in the sixth grade may be limited to two or three hours a week and should be centered upon a few striking phases of the colonial epoch up to the close of the last great French and Indian War. It will be better to take four or five of the leading states and study them closely than to spend the same time upon all the thirteen. A full and picturesque account of the characteristic epis of a few colonies will produce much better interest and insight into our early history than the effort to stretch one drag-net over all the colonies and gather in every important event. We need to pay more at- tention to the sympathetic and graphic elements in our history. We must get far enough into the daily lives and struggles of the colonists to feel as they felt, appreciate their desires and hardships, and forget our present surroundings. It is well also to keep to the shady, inviting, biographical walks, where personal actions and interests serve to typify and illustrate the life of communities. It is easier to approach larger social and political affairs through the liv. individuals than to generalize about institutions ami modes of life. A complete life of Benjamin Franklin may acvom- History in the Sixth Grade. 83 pany the study of this epoch. His autobiography, as adapted to schools by Ginn & Co., will serve our pur- pose. His life is contemporaneous with a good part of the colonial epoch and his personal affairs are of im- portance to Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsyl- vania, and to the colonies as a whole. His life is in many respects very suitable for children to study. His plain good sense, his economy and simplicity, his energy and public spirit, are excellent, and stimulate children to self-improvement and love of knowledge. The work of the sixth grade is essentially to observe the growth of small arid weak settlements into strong and vigorous commonwealths, with waxing commercial, economical, and political interests. But it is pedagogical to approach the life of communities through the knowledge of their typical representa- tives and leaders. Children of this grade are not yet old enough to understand or to interest themselves much in purely political and social organization and its development. It is safer to let the panorama of history unroll before them in a few important typical scenes, with occasional strong glimpses of the under- lying forces which are formulating themselves into the institutions of freedom. In working up to a clear view of the leading political and other ideas thtrTwere ham- mered out into consistency and strength during the colonial epoch, we should keep in "sight a strong fore- ground of dramatic incident and of biographical detail. These furnish the concrete materials behind which children can detect and trace up the moving causes. 84 Special Method. While our chief purpose in this grade is to bring out political and social ideas, the lives of such men as Roger Williams, King Philip, Otis, Andros, Vane, Frontenac, Wolfe, and Montcalm still stand out clearly at important crises and exemplify the chief influences at work. This close study of colonial men and women in the forms of self-government they set up, in their family, religious, and social life, in the trying circumstances of famine or of Indian outrage is the only means of under- standing their spirit when greater struggles, as the Revolution, come on. The independent, self-reliant spirit of the Americans in the northern, middle, and southern colonies should be seen in its unvarnished strength, as prominently brought out in the dealings with royal governors, with kings and parliaments, as well as in the laborious and dangerous work of explo- ration and settlement. So simple is the environment of the early colonies that, if approached from the con- crete side, sixth grade children can appreciate not only the temper of the people but their methods of local government, and the first steps toward the estab- lishment of the representative system. The growth of the legislature in influence and its gradual division into two distinct bodies are of much value to an under- standing of state history and of later national politics. The acts of royal governors may be closely ex- amined as showing wisdom and prudence, or tyranny and selfishness. The prerogatives assumed* by royal governors and the rights claimed by the people kept History in the Sixth Grade. 87> the two parties in almost constant conflict and gave a vigorous schooling in both theoretical and practical politics. This study is an excellent training for young Americans because of its direct moral example and warning, and as a preparation for the exercise of po- litical rights in later years, in judging public questions and candidates for office. The comparison of the po- litical life and constitutions of different colonies is of much interest and leads to some striking discoveries of general laws. For example, in spite of noticeable differences in religion, race, and social life, the colonies seem to develop strikingly similar tendencies toward independent self-government. They develop the same self-reliance, the same sturdy, manly independence, and the same opposition to the encroachments of authority in the northern, middle, and southern colo- nies. The peculiar industrial conditions and occupations, the social practices and habits of living in each im- portant colony, may be grasped from vivid life-like por- trayal by our best historians. The contrasts between the different settlements in these respects bring out fundamental differences which have lain at the root of the most difficult problems of our later history. Aris- tocracy, slavery, and plantation life in the South; the trades, fisheries, ship-building, and small farm pro- prietors in the North, are a few of the deep-lying causes in our history. The attachment to the local state government is very strong. State sovereignty is the strongest political 86 Special Method. idea. It is well for children to feel keenly the attach- ment of the Puritan for his New England life, town meeting, church, and Yankee prejudices. It is well to measure the strength of his confidence in the local col- onial government and the causes for it. But a broader sympathy and allegiance is demanded of him and it is only slowly that he feels the necessity and justice of intercolonial interest and helpfulness. The larger re- lations of the colonies to each other and to the Indians and to the French lead up to the idea of political life and patriotism in a broader sense. It is important to trace the growth of this sentiment through the colo- nial period. The natural growth of the country makes union a necessity, but in many respects the states appear to grow antagonistic to each other. In all our later epochs these two great forces, centripetal and centrifugal, have been formative in their influence O ' upon our institutions. Our constitution is found I; to be an instrument to put in balance these fcwo active tendencies. The story of the great conflict between France and the English-Americans for supremacy in North Amer- ica is the most dramatic phase of this whole period. The episode of the great conflict between the French and the Six Nations is preliminary to this and of givat interest as exhibiting the Indians at their strongest and best. Children of the sixth grade can respond with a lively interest to the last campaign of the last French and Indian War. When Pitt finally assumed control and Wolfe and Montcalm enter upon that en- History in the Sixth Grade. 87 ergetic contest, we have an exhibition of high spirit and enterprise on both sides, in an inevitable contest whose result was vital to the whole trend of our later history. In the sixth grade we should be able to begin in an effective way to trace the causes and results of his- torical events, to discover their necessary sequence. The different parties and forces should be examined in their nature and tendencies. The geographical and climatic conditions, the race characteristics, and the previous disposition and history of the different peo- ples, should be measured as influences leading to cer- tain results. Nothing is able to stir up more enthusiasm in a class and to throw them upon the exercise of their own thinking power to better advantage than to search out and reason out the causes of important events and institutions. By limiting our study to a few of the salient topics of the colonial time, it is possible to go deeper into causal conditions. An event can be examined in its many-sided relations. And the tracing of those relations ties up the related facts in such firm associa- tion that a clear understanding and a retentive remembrance are assured. As topics specially worthy of such causal study, consider King Philip's War, the navigation acts of England, the jealousies between New York and New England, the attitude of the Six Nations toward the French, Bacon's rebellion, and the defeat of the French in 1760. Our general purpose for the history of the grades Special Method. provides that any important epoch shall be studied fully but once, and that each succeeding year shall lead on into new and later historical fields. Heretofore the school plan for history has been to review, from year to year, the same epochs and to enlarge upon them and enter deeper into their significance in the higher grades. We are opposed to the concentric circles as applied to history as well as to other studies. In the sixth grade we wish to do our duty by the colonial period so that these children will not need to return a second time to a like exhaustive study of the same topics. By way of comparison, to be sure, in trac- ing back causal relations, and in such incidental review. they will be expected to return again and again, in later grades, to these familiar fields of former study. They will thus get new light and sift out a stronger meaning from old events, hut the main work of each year is centered upon a Inter theme. It is well worth our effort to try to select historical periods which chil- dren can fairly understand, and lead them on. each ceeding year, into a new field, somewhat more com- plex, but still within their reasonable grasp. In history, geographical conditions must be con stantly studied. Structure 4 , climate, productions, and natural advantages have a much stronger inlln than we are inclined to recognize. Doth teacher and pupils should make free use of outline sketches in marking out campaigns, disputed territories, the plans of cities and forts, and routes of communication. Tin- geography lessons of the fifth and sixth grades will History in the Sixth Grade. s<> aid greatly in a better appreciation of historical events both in Europe and America. Closely related to the history of the colonies are some of our best American literary products. Evan- geline, Miles Standish, the orations of Everett and Webster at Plymouth, Hawthorne's Gandfather's Chair, Irving's Sketch Book, and Knickerbocker History, Autobiography of Franklin, Irving's Life of Washing- ton, and some smaller poems, are of great merit. The history will not deal with these literary materials, but it is important to observe how close is the relation between the study of history and the best literary products suitable for reading lessons in this grade. Much has been already done in some schools toward introducing our own classic literature into school, but it should be accomplished more fully and system- atically. In the sixth grade, children should begin to ac- quire ability in using JDOoks, in collecting and arrang- ing facts on a given topic. Certain books can be put into their hands to be studied as texts, others are rather to be used as reference. The teacher, in as- signing the lesson, should give explicit directions as to how to use books of reference. To assign histori- cal topics without definite instruction as to books and parts of books, 'is a misus~e of children's time. It is as important to learn how to use books as it is tq get their contents. The discussion of previously assigned topics in the class may be made of such a character as to bring the various facts and judgments into relation. 90 Special Method. It is here that causal relations should be seen and the proper sequence worked out, the relative importance of events judged. There are also many places in the sixth grade where the teacher, from a fuller knowledge and a riper experience, can afford to pre- sent a topic in clear and vivid form, with a re-state- ment of it from the children. We are justified at this juncture in insisting upon the teacher's deeper knowledge of the colonial period. He should have read a number of books which the children could not be expected to use. The large his- tories should be in part, at least, familiar to him. The biographies of the Statesman's series, the Common- wealth series of State histories, Parkman's narratives of the French regime, John Fiske's books on Nr\v England, so far as they relate to colonial times, are exceedingly interesting and inspiring to a teacher. They cannot all be read at once, but from time to tinu\ and in leisure hours, these intensely interesting books will be found to greatly stimulate a teacher without burdening him. The knowledge thus acquired ; course a reserve fund to be drawn upon, here and there, as occasion may require; not a collective mass of learning with which to flood the children and waste their time. History in the Sixth Grade. !1 BOOKS FOR SIXTH GRADE. The Beginnings of New England, Fiske. A study of the Puritan character. Published by Houghton, Mifflin & Co. Price, $2.00. From Colony to Commonwealth, Moore. A sequel to Pilgrims and Puritans. Ginn & Co. Ridpaths Popular History of the U. S. The larger volume contains interesting accounts of colonial history. Published by Jones Brothers & Co. The best state histories are of much value. The Commonwealth Series of state histories con- tain much interesting matter to select from. Parkmaris Wolfe and Montcalm. Also, Con- spiracy of Pontiac. Published by Little, Brown & Co. Epochs of American History The Colonies, Thwaites. A good, brief history with full lists of reference. Published by Longmans, Green & Co., New York. .Bancroft and Hildreth's general histories may be used by teachers to much advantage. 92 82)ecial Method. HKSTORY IN THE SEVENTH GRADE. We shall attempt only a brief outline of the work in this grade, merely suggesting a plan to follow. rather than giving the results of definite work with classes. This period extends from the close of the French and Indian War to the adoption of the consti- tution. This period is very brief, but is crowded with great events. We shall have to select a few typ- ical campaigns of the Revolution, and enter into a full narrative of the events. Smaller events, not related directly to these, would be better omitted. Topics: The causes leading up to the great struggle. Events about Boston till the evacuation. Retreat of Washington through New York and New Jersey. Burgoyne's invasion. Washington at Valley For-. . Corn wallis' campaign in the South and York town. State of money matters at the close of the war. Growing hostility between the states. The Philadelphia Convention. If we select a few central topics and then gather the fullest ana most detailed materials upon them, we shall have more fruitful results than by learning all important events. History in the Seventh Grade. \r,\ For example, Burgoyne's Invasion, by S. A. Drake, is a monograph of 142 pages on this one campaign. Three weeks spent upon this, that is, seven or eight lessons, would give opportunity to really study this period. The war would become a reality. The pride and high hopes of the British in setting out, the rous- ing of the New York and New England yeomanry, the Indian character and capacity for fighting, the splen- did victory at Bennington, the stratagems on the Mo- hawk, the great struggle at Saratoga; all these, elab- orated into their details and seen in their mutual rela- tions, will give a much deeper insight 'into the spirit of the Americans, the hopes of the British, and the desire of the Indians, than can be secured from our outline histories. A single campaign, elaborately studied, is worth more, both for patriotism and for knowledge, than a dozen campaigns epitomized and memorized. We have no desire to emphasize the bloody and destructive work of war; but if we study it at all, let us get deep impressions, not mere scratches, on the mem- ory. A few fundamental ideas brought out with great distinctness and rooted in a ground work of well organ- ized and related facts, will be very fruitful to a child's thought and life. The tracing of causal relations is vital to every lesson. The spirit, incentive, and hardi- hood of the soldiery should be appreciated. Also the qualities of the leaders in camp or in congress. The biographies of at least two of the greatest characters should be studied in as detailed a form as 94 Special Method. possible, Washington and Samuel Adams representing Virginia and Massachusetts. " Washington and His Country," by Fiske-Irving, is a large and cheap book suited to seventh grade. Hosmer's Life of Adams, in the Statesmen's series, is very excellent, especially for the teacher. The life of Washington is a thread upon which most of the great events of this epoch can be spun. Much excellent literature by American authors should be read in the reading lessons parallel to the work in history. Paul Revere's Ride, The Wash- ington Elm, Battle of Bunker Hill, Warren's Addr Webster's Oration at Buirker Hill, The Declaration of Independence, Supposed Speech of John Adams. Cha- tham's and Burke's Speeches on tlu Ameru-an War, The Song of Marion's Men. Eighth Grade. 95 EIGHTH GRADE, x This should include a few important topics in our history since the adoption of the constitution. In en- tering upon the last hundred years of our history we meet with some difficulties that are well-nigh insur- mountable. Some of the most important topics are still unsolved problems and we must, at least, avoid fruitless controversies. We suggest the following topics upon which to spend the greater portion of the time: History of political parties. Growth in territory. Internal improvement. History and growth of slavery. Great inventions and inventors. Three departments of our government. Our system of revenue. One or two campaigns of the Civil War. Emigration. Civil service reform. The biography of John Quincy Adams strikes us as one of the best upon which to spend a good portion of time. ( .M) Special Method. BOOKS FOR SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADES. Washington and His Country, by Fiske-Irving. It is an abbreviation of Irving's life of Washington for the use of schools. 618 pages. Ginn & Co. Price, 90 cents. The War of Independence, by Fiske. A good view of the Revolution for hoys. MOO pa Published by Ilourhton, Minim \- Co. Price, 75 cents. The Critical Period of American History, by Fiske. Very valuable for tin- period between Yorktown am} the adoption of the constitution. Honirhtnn. Mitllin Price. sM.OO. />///v/o i ////r's I/tt'.rxion, by S. A. Drake. An excellent monograph. Lee \ shepanl. Prioe.r.n cmts. Epochs of American History Format iftln- Union, by Hart. Excellent for the teacher, with full lists of books of reference. Publish^! by Lnn.mnans. (irr.-n A Co., of N'\\ York. History of l*t>Uti<>,rf r/>/*/"// and Reunion ^ by Wilson. This is tlic thin! of the series, and coxcrs t he period from is-j'.i to HS'.i. Full 14 DAY USE RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED LOAN DEPT. RENEWALS ONLY TEL. NO. 642-3405 This book is due on the last date stamped below, or on the date to which renewed. Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. LOAM DEPT. fiini LB'ifsi M2 UNIVKRSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW DEC JUL 121918