River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-10-21
HOW To rEAcH HIsToRY.


| confess to being thoroughly appall-
ed, when / learned that | was expected
to occupy your time this afternoon, in
the discussion of this subject. Had l
been requested to write on the difficult
ties in teaching History l might have
given you an exhaustive--and exhaust
ing-paper on that subject. My time
has been SO fully occupied that l shall
be able to give you nothing more than
the results of my own experiences and
readings-nothing ae1 | fear.
"The teachers work, like charity, be-
gins at home" He should cultivate
himself, Ifhe fills the cups of the
thirsty, he must himself be the living
fountain. He must read other history
than HE text book. No one can teach
History from one book. He should
gather from all available sources, facts,
anecdotes and illustrations.
A thorough knowledge OF Geography
seems indispensable In the study Of his.
tory. The physical features of a coun-
try have great and important bearing
upon its history.
a successful teacher of history should
possess a lively imagination aud be able
to present to his pupils, pictures of the
scenes described--make the events real.
BY careful study of human nature one
may be able to conceive Of the people
of other times. The Novels of Scott
and Thackeray should not be overlooked
though they may not be accepted as re-
liable History; yet the pictures they
present may be truer than any We could
make.
Miss Emma Willard wrote her Uni.
yersal History, with the belief that her
experience in imparting knowledge,
would enable her so TO arrange and illus
trate this vast subject. as 20 make it less
difficult to acquire and retain, and for
this purpose presented the grand out
line Of Chronology IN frontispiece call
ed the "Templc Of Tlme;" also in
Chart of the "Course of Time or Pic
ture of Nations" History represented in
this way cannot be too highly valued;
tor it presents to the eye, on small
scale the entire subject Of History and
is what map of the world is in Geog-
raphy. Various diagrams and formu-
las may be used with success. DIR.
Samuel Willard gives the Formula of
the five WIS. He says "almost all
questions involve these points unless
perhaps the last one. When and Where
does Who do What and Why? Other
Formulas may be devised to aid in study
or in making regular abstracts OF sub
iects. But one should be cautious lest
he finds himself like our teachers OF
Men. Arith. running clock-mill race,
with much friction and no grist."
Every one must have his own methods.
Prof. Sheldon says "icleas before lcorts
Ifscholars have ideas they can commun-
icate them in some way. They should
be allowed to do 50, and after more or less
practice, expression becomes easy. In
my own Rotations in History ire
quently have what | call a "free talk"
about the lesson and when giving out
the lesson, comment or ask questions IN
reference to any thing they have failed
10 understand, always allowing the class
to answer such questions If they can.
| I persuade them 10 read other Histories.
II gives a pleasing variety in the recit'
alton TO have the same event related
by several persons in their own Ian.
guagc. / carefully observe and criti-
else their modes Of expression, and fire
qucntly ask a scholar 10 try TO improve
the story by the use Of better language
Learning dates is the great bug.bear o.
history. | think il is largely oyerdone
! A scholar who can remember 40 impor