Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-01-08
Communicated.
MINERAL POINT TEACHERS INSTITUTE.

useless Waste Oh tliliC iHe SCltitt VI oScSid-
play, by the system which it is taught Gas far
rs l have vet seen) in our Common Schools.
The importance of this branch of Education
is universally ACKNOWLEDGED. 1t is known TO be
an instructive science and the study of it Pc
culiarly delightful The knowledge of it is so
easy to acquire that ignorance OF the subject Is
objectionable persons who make the least
pretentions to literary scientific attainments.
Moreover it is universally useful, that every
individual has some connection with IL.
! A celebrated writer has said that every son
and daughter OF Aliam, is more or less concerned
with Geography. 1t Is, indeed, science SO
necessary to every person, DESTROYS of general
information relative to the affairs of the world,
/ that without a tolerably correct knowledge of
it, no historical relation can be properly un
derstood and to one ignorant of it, even
common newspaper, must be unintellgible.-
How necessary then to have it advantageously
taught
/ The situation of the several parts of the earth
is better learned by one days acquaintance with
a map, or globe, than by reading description
of their situation a hundred times over in books
of Geography l am, therefore, persuaded to
believe, that Geography can be sufficiently and
successfully taught, by maps, reading lessons
Con which subjects our reading books abso-
lutely deficient,) and delineations on the black
board.
Before commencing Geography, the pupils
should be made acquainted with at least the
four cardinal points of the heavens; which may
be done in few minutes; after which they
Will feel no difficulty in pointing out the East,
West, North and South points of the horizon
Having fixed these points in their minds, COM
mence their first lessons in Geography with the
school-room, by asking in which side or wall of
the house is the entrance ;,nd other questions of
similar import after which it may be extended
to the playground, and entire premises The
question may next be extended to the town, gen
orally, as OH which side of the town is Com
merce St. In what direction is it from Foun-
tain street, dc. Do they cross at right angles,
incline, parallel to each other Similar
questions should be put regarding the town
ships, counties, &c, aud thus Geography is COM
menced.
The pupils should be next directed to draw
! a ground plan of the school-room. They should
be made TO measure Il themselves. If it be
eighty feet in length, by fifty in breadth, they
VIII perceive the necessity for reducing It's d.
mansions, or for drawing it on a small scale If
the scale be an inch for every ten feet the draw
ing viii be eight inches by FIVE If reduced to
a smaller scale the drawing will of course be
smaller, IN proportion. The desks and the
teachers rostrum may be drawn inside on the
same scale and in their proper positions. This
/ furnishes them with map of the school-room-
! They may now be introduced to a map of the
world and they will most readily conceive, that
it is intended to represent the earth They can
be next taught through plain and simple illus
trations, so TO have clear and correct ideas Of
the map of the world small wooden globe
divided into two equal parts Will give a correct
idea of the fern of the earth and of the two
hemispheres, latitude, longitude, the great and
small circles of the sphere, merdians, par
allels, and zones, which to them appear as so
many mysteries, may be clearly taught by the
use of such globe. If the globe be painted
black it will be easy to give an outline in chalk
of the relative position and extent of the great
divisions Of the earth's surface. In short, such
globe has besides its peculiar advantages, all
the utility of blank outline map. The
cause of day and night and the changes of the
seasons may be taught by two little wooden
globes. For explaining the seasons have seen
a very cheap and simple continuance used Ii
consisted Of four small balls painted and fixed
in this manner. a larger ball in the centre to
represent the sun, and standing on a frame like
candlestick, the top of which it NAV turn
as on pivot, and supporting the others by four
straight wires, which issue from its centre at
L
ter the small globes at the eqinoctial and solst-
cial points and as they represent the perpendic-
ular rays of light from the sun at those seasons,
they form the centre of the circle of illumination,
which is represented by painting the half of
each of the small globes, from this point, ac1ac.
In this manner the different phases OF the
moon and the planetary system. generally, may
be taught
Having taught them in this manner rs much
Of Mathematical Geography, as viii enable them
10 comprehend the figure, magnitude and mo-
tions Of the earth, would next direct their at
tention TO the great divisions into which its
surface is naturally divided. In this manner
they acquire general views, and leading ideas ;
after which they may be introduced to Political
Geography and having traced the great out
lines hill them up as far as practicable with every
! thing that concerns the United States
1t Is seldom wise, IN my opinion, for teachers
TO contine their pupils to minute details which
should be left for future developments
The best method of teaching Geography. there
fore, is by giving leading ideas, and that bv
classification and comparison an improvement
which is due TO the great American Geographic.
Mr.. Woodbridge. That commencing with the
school-room and leading the pupils on gradual
/ ~ from the known to the unknown-to Pesta-
tozzi
/ The easy and expeditions performance of
work, of whatever kind, depends IN a great
measure, on going the right way about it
Therefore, nothing so much facilitates the knowl-
edge of Geography, as to adopt simple means
Tor Illustration, corresponding with the simple
machinery of nature, together with methodical
arrangement in their application
f--rI Il,