The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-07
GEOGRAPHICAL STUDIES.

III is not lWpOSSlOle, WTole Sdfl lNit-
ter seventy years ago IN his Introductory
essay to the Erdkunde, that the time
may come when certain minds, who
have comprised the world Of nature as
we'll as of morals, shall be able, sending
their chances backwards and forwards,
to determine from the whole course of a
nations surroundings what the course
Of its development is to be, and to indi-
cate in advance of history what ways it
must take to attain tho welfare which
Providence has indicated to it."
No loftier conception of the true OBJ
ject of geographical studies has ever
been formulated, and it furnishes a
worthy text for Daniel Colt Gilman's
discourse on the subject in the June
number Of the Atlantic monthly.
Naturally, such an ideal is hard to at
tain, even when clearly kept in view.
That the American school system does
not keep it in view, is practically Mr..
Gilman's assertion. Educators have
been content to teach long, dry-as-dust
lists of names, and in virtue of their &C
ton have written themselves down
teachers of geography. No narrower
view of a great subject can be- imagined.
1t would be just as we'll to attempt to
give a stranger an idea of the principal
street of a city and it's busy life by re-
citing to him the names of the various
storekeepers whose business is trans
acted there. 1t is full time we haddone
away with the idea that the essence of
geographical teaching and geographical
study is the single answer to the ques-
ton "where?" What and why are GER
tainly equally as important. The ig-
norance or neglect of the true ideal is
school system. 1t extends to higher and
more capable ranks than that, when Il
man like the late Coutts Trotter, of
Trinity college, Cambridge, frankly adj
mitted that he had mo very clear ideas
of what the study of geography as a
separate subject would mean, or what
would be the nature of the lecture of a
professor or reader in geography"
That %reproach. however, cannot be
leveled against Mr.. Gilman. We be-
lieve that he has found bedrock in his
view of the American school system in
it's relation to geographical studies, and
we imagine that facts will scarcely bear
out his assertions. But there is no
gainsaylng the clear and mastery idea
of the subject that he himself enter
tains. Physical CONFORMATION is his
great standpoint. Geographical studies
ought to be largely a means to an end,
and not a mere mechanical, mnemonic
exercise. They should be the stepping
stone to a knowledge Of history and OF
politics. Mr. Gilman would take his
student of geography, for instance, be-
fore a map of ancient Greece. He would
not in the first place insist upon a
knowledge of its numerous little states,
their capitals, and their productions
But he would be careful to secure q
map which should show the physical
features of the country, it's mountains
valleys and rivers. This he would i'm
press upon the students mental retina,
ana all the rest would easily follow
Thete would be 10 difficulty then in un-
dersranding the limitations of the Greek
states, their rivaIries, alliances, points OF
contention, places Of assembly, and Other
notable facts. In other words, Mr.
Gllman's conception of the duty Of
teacher Of geography is, not that hi
should drill his pupils into walking gaz
e~tteers, but that he should make hi
special subject the means OF an intelli
gent use of eye and brain. Under any
true and trustworthy understanding o
the meaning Of the word education, Mr.
Gilman is in the right, and his views
are worthy Of the serious consideration
of the educators OF our schools and col
leges.