Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-08-31
Historical Studies.

Historical Studies.
We regard :; a. one Of the most important
and valuable improvements in our education
al svstcm, that history has been made a reg
ular study in an our schools, from the lowest
to the highest, Whether the course is as
thorough as it should be, We are doubtful iii
some schools we know it is very partial
The great error has been TO exclede it almost
entirely from our primary schools; whereas
il should be introduced as soon as children
arc able to read. Reading boots for primary
instruction have been too generally made mp
of little stories, which may or not be tFuc in
the main, but often incredible, beczNfN rs
their wonderful character. Others of a $3.50
higher grade, are filed with essays ul1a
some scientific, moral or religious subject,
we'll written, but often in a style quite beyond
the appreciation of a child. This class of
l of books is read to but little profit because
, not understood, and they fail to impress an
: Ineligible idea upon the mind of thc learner.
u Now we believe that while children arc ieaTaiHq
u to read, they should be furnished with books
which will furnish them with facts and ideas
= entirely within the range of their comprchen-
. sion. Most of the reading books formerly in
?, vogue were of a class highly useful, when
the students were old enough to study elocu-
II ton and rhetoric.
aS We are of opinion, therefore, that the first
: reading books put into the hands of children,
should be books of history, adapted to the
n, age of the learner. These should be kept up
Of in regular graduation, until the history of the
world should become as familiar to HIM as
- any other study. These historical books
ned should embrace not only the history of all
l nations and countries, including the historical
true books of the Bible, but also the natural his
rom tory of all living, moving things. Such a
Or course would store the young mind with an
ed inexhaustible fund of knowledge, at the time
NICE, it is going through the slow process Of learn
7lne.' ing to read. These facts and ideas under
stood, would greatly assist in reading intelli-
gibly and profitably, and enlarge the capacity
Tho. and the desire for the higher and more diff.
any cult branches of study. But the study ofhis
! INV tory and geography should go hand in hanC
rise, until geography is mastered.
uard, S,cb n courca of historical studv voul
and
stag> give the mind a bias in favor of solid reading
zee OF and would render our sons and daughter
OF see willing, upon leaving school, to encounte
q the the ponderous volumes of history, such a
e. de- Hume, Robertson, Hallam, Gibbon, RolliI
They Alison, McAuley, and our own Irving, Pre-
regard ,
didGer. colt and Bancroft have given to the wOrl
urrent but which we fear are wholly overlooked b
three Srnoo,
ste6ns t that fheir educat;on 10 o,,,I41a
of an % wv
made they leave school, and no persuasions or !
y our ducements can influence them to read an
ers.- thing more laborious or less dry than a nov
ut out or a newspaper.
-
them In former years, our ladies of leisure WEI
walk. great historical readers, and hence their abiIi
re INV to interest company or enliven a social ey
never ming. Then our best and ablest historic
were thoroughly read, and it was a source
unmingled pleasure to pass the dull hours
ce is a evening with them. To some extent amol
: there intelligent females this practice is kept u
ike the and MANY are nressino their rocoorcbo. -
the more difficult and abstruse studies of D
.na losophy and science. A thorough course
ID pro- - - our SCHOOLS, wor
M ,n greatly increase this desirable end. and wo,
give more leisure and inclination for Earth
researches into science. We hone the 4
. . will come when this course shall beunivers