The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-04-20
Eeography, and How to Teach Ii

1t requires but little thought in the
direction Of educational principles tc
show the absurdity Of the old method o.
teaching Geography. Pupils Of tender
age were required to commit to memory
and repeat in class all the abstract dcfini.
ton Of mathematical and physical geog.
raphy-a process Of verbal cram-for on
thought was awakened in the mind tie
subject not being properly presented
for the stage Of the pupils development
The tears and utter wearincss oil
pupils, and the chidings Of teachers over
lessons unlearned, all attest that knowl-
edge of this kind, like Jordan, sis a hard
road to travel"
Then, when the pupil had emerged
from :his land Of nothingness, he was
introduced to topics entirely foreign to
his expert encc, and by a method
entirely strange to his thought. The
topics were the earth as a whole, its
d~iviaians and Subdivisions; and the
metsod wa analysis.
1t finally began to dawn upon a thought
full teacher, however that the results Of
geographical study were o CONNIE
nsurate with the force expended. and
experiments were made in methods,
that have proved bg great value. This
practical work was helped forward by
the general advance made in! teduca-
.tional principles.
From this combination Of intelligent
theory and practice. a system o! teach.
ing geography has grown up in u best
school that has not only superseded the
old method, but has rescued an Import
ant field Of education from the domain
81. gram, rerbiage, and im6eciiity.
iUn1et this newer system the pupil is
taught to open his eyes and sea the
things that are around him. From mere
observation he gradually acquires the
habit OF seeing relations; reason dawns,
and facts are brought into definite
order.
The place Of tho school house. the
direction Of sunrise, the distance from
home to school. the flow Of the brook,
the slope Of the hills, the growth Of
the tree. and the structure and mo-
tions Of animals, all become familiar to
him. because he Is taught to open his
eyes and observe things not continued
IN books. HIS school-lile is thus ron
Hneeted with all that is most vital in his
everyday iife--bis work, his play, and
ihis home experience.
With the foundation thus laid upon
personal observation and investigation.
the study goes ON by means Of books.
And here books become not only vnlua-
BILE but indispensable. They supply
the knowledge that lies beyond the
range of experience. If they arc worth
the paper they are printed on, however,
the knowledge that they impart will
be in the direction pointed out by ex-
,perience.
From his little personal center Of
home, where he is anchored to the real,
the genuine, the true, he is led out into
the world by easy steps and in ever
widening circles, until his vision takes
in the world.
The steps Of this process are exactly
.commensuratc with the growth Of his
mind. In tender years he sees, and.
while his observing powers are most
active at this age. the process of seeing
accurately arouses these powers to
greater activity. AS mental action in
.ereaseg, and the pe~rceptive age gradual
u msrges into the'rcRective,; the; topics
presented have been those demanded
for each step Of progress, anda at the
same ,ti,RRe ;haye AFFORDED The best posi-
Die preparation for, the next.,
Our thoughtful teachers have lesrned
that teaching means something ; that a
system should bear irgit that u period
Of hard study .shopld Ieaye it's ipycre.
,ne'nt efy mental growth and they have
beeopo Impatient Of the old; methods,
that began with %abstractionk, xent OH
by meaningless words, snd ended In
emptiness. May the day speedily GONE
when the newer and better method
shal'Ebe universally acknowledged and
applied !-Appleton,s Edusgttohn,
!: Note.. @
A great love for truth and Justice