Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-01-07
Eclectic Biographies.

We have had recently the pleasure OF
examining new series of School Geogra-
phies, prepared by Messrs. Won SteinwehI
and Binton, and published by Wilson,
Hinkle & Co., the publishers OF the well
known Eclectic Educational Series, en-
bracing McGuffey's Readers, Rays Arith-
meties, and other popular school books.
Perhaps in no branch of school instruc-
ton has improvement been so much need
ed as in the teaching of geography. In our
school-boy daye, instruction on that topic,
instead of being made, as it might be, al
most as interesting as story OF romance,
was mainly confined to dry collection of
figures, dates and boundaries, learned with
reluctance and WEAKNESS, and leaving but
little impression on the mind. A pupil
instructed under the old system, had he
been suddenly dropped down in one of the
countries Of which he had studied, would
have had but little idea, from the natural
features of the country, or the dress, ap-
pearance and manners of the inhabitants,
whether he were i'll France, Australia
or Hindoostan. Of late years, more
method of treating this interesting and
important branch OF study has been gain
ing ground, and the present generation OF
school children will have an easier, and
more profitable experience in this respect
than their predecessors.
The high character of this publishing
house is a Trinl0 f0cie guaranty of the ex-
cellence, both in material and mechanical
execution, of the work but after careful
examination of the Eclectic Biographies,
we see in them much to commend They
consist of series Of three numbers, the
fist termed primary and the second inter-
mediate. Each number is, in measure,
complete within itself, but all three form q
connected series, the highest giving, among
matters of interest, short but interes ting
and Ineligible description of the solar
system, with suitable illustrations, to show
more fully the earth's part in the great
series of worlds, the ecliptic, and the vari-
ations of day and night, and of the seasons.
The maps are prepared with much care,
and have the excellent feature of being
colored to distinguish the low and the ell
evated portioIs of land.
The illustrations are numerous, new
and attractive, and will do much to-
wards gaining the attention of the
student and fixing firmly in his mind
facts and ideas which without this aid
would perhaps be impressed only vaguely,
and be liable to be readily lost.
Climate. soil, vegetation, architecture,
history, the various kinds of animals and
different races of men, with their varied
manners, customs, costumes and modes OF
life, are treated in manner calculated to
render the study at once pleasant, practi-
cable and profitable.
An air of freshness. and of being up to
the times, is readily apparent, as evinced
by an account of our latest territorial acqui-
sition, Alaska, and picture to the en-
trance to that recent triumph of French
engineering skill, the Suez Canal.
Altogether, the Eclectic Biographies are
very creditable school books, both in plan,
arrangement and mechanical execution,
and the heavy expense which must have
been incurred by the publishers in their
preparation, will doubtless find its reward
in an extensive use.