The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-09-13
STUDY OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
How II is UsuSally Taught In Our Common
Schools.
DIFFICULTY OF ITS COMPREHENSION.
factory History Yet NATURALIZATION
OF Children Over its Study.
For The Times.l

Much of the criticism of schools and their
methods comes from the outside. and Is,
therefore, to some extent. incompetent.
Even Herbert Spencer's Tract on Educa-
tion-thc most widely known of his works be-
cause the least profound would have more
value il the great mind of the philosopher
had ever been actively engaged in teaching
common school. There is scarcely teacher
In the land who could not have written that
essay, or one almost as good.
This article has one advantage over Herbert
Spencer's, it does not proceed from observa-
ton merely of the methods of schools. but
from experience learned in the humber walks
Of the profession by one who has been forced
to plan a course of education without assist
ancs from boards, trustees or superiors. A
thorough education in English naturally di-
vides itself into four branches
lst. English. beginning with grammar and
spelling. with ali thor innumerable exercises,
and eliminating ia course OF English lltera-
ture.
I'd Physics. beginning with physical geo.
grnphy and running through al! the sciences
up % astronomy.
sd. Mat iematics from primary arithmetic
TO geometry md trgonomeiry.
4th. History.
now HISTORY is TAUGHT.
Ii Is the course in this department specially
that the writer desires 10 consider and 70 sug-
gest some chan g in the present method Of
teaching II in our hools.
1t is evident that in the first three depart
ments of knowledge the course Is gradual
from the simpler 10 the more complex diyis-
ions OF su ject.
In the course OF iisto V howe e.. mi, nat
ura arrangement seems {, BE- lTe'eEeoi. n
the public sch : au1 IN most private schools
both for grs and boys. tho history OF tre
United STATES - tie frat hook place II
child's hands. an tle i-erl.la!g lEcs q. l.-
torest IN Whist houl b. the most b ereetlng
OF All 81 iert seem % be a en-po WIZ
the pointer erased.
To a pupil under the age OF Ion teen
trained IN the public schools it Is perfectly
useless TO ask, What history have you
studied? The answer will surely be
the United States. Equally useless to ask,
How did you like it Almost as surely will
the a. swer be Not at all A y0t more pertinent
question would be. Why was it gwen to You?
This is generally answered by another from
some indignant and Jealous American citizen.
Would you have child grow up in igno-
rance of its own country: To which again we
make answer, No; uor do we propose 10 leave
him ignorant OF English literature when We
begin t teach him grammar nor OF a.gsbra
when we begin 10 ieach MIN arithmetic. 10 is
precisely because o. this mistaken patriotisrr
tat gu children o. understand American
historg g. iIni ofiec,v.
our children Our grown people trained
H. this way know surprisingly littlo If It
NotHing IL 20 common a. TIC remark Ut ei-
ways loved history. but never could take IT,
tere,t in the history Of ths United states
he truth IS we are beginning 90 tho wrong
end.
READ FACETtRDs.
Times noblest vou-ne il his asst an
history il the only book that we read Ike
Chinese writing backwards We put beiOre
a child the most complex development of tie
rld's progrsss. and won-er that Il = not
clear to him. SO little o. vsat ie reslly mpOr-
tant ~ the development ~ this great Fstlon
ineligible T. child nat W arc reduced To
the pitiaDle expedient az spending g. much
time as possih upon the voyage OF Column
bus the colonial struggles with be Indians
and the battle Of tie Reyouti nary w.r.
just as soon a We have passed
the eighteenth century and begin 10 lie q
nation the complex questions pertaining To
the formation Of full-Srown goyefn ment.
tie ad iustrent Of difficulties whose settle
ment is vi incomplete and UPON which the
bes, thought f the country is still
exercised tahe the sut leet entirely out
of the limit Of chids comprehension
the nineteenth century must be SKINNED
RAPIDLY, because already the child IS IN deep
waters and Ends no pleasant anecdotes nor
romantic adye lures 10 fOat MIN nlouE.
70 MIN on zap occurs between the
death Of WASHINGTON and tie breaking
out of HI unexpected war in 1860. Re
tween these two eVents a line OF Pres!-
Aeuts whose succession he learns by heart.
went in and out of o.lire. To his mind the
South felt a personal ob ectiOn to Mr. Lincoln
and the \ nth insisted on making L.m Fresl-
dent hence tho two sections went % war.
OF tho two great parties born out OF the heyo-
linton and of the many battles fought be
tween them on the floors of Congress before
they came to blows in the field what can he
know or how much does he care TO take IN:
So much for the great questions which re-
suited in a bloody conflict and for the period
which preceded it, For the eventful four
years OF actual WAT certainly 1t cannot DO
said that they lack the element OF adventure
and romance which make 1t Interesting 70
Child. Nav. more. his own father or grand
father has fought. perhaps persisted, IN the
struggle There will be no lsck of interest
and enthusiasm which will be a mere partisan
echo of sounds from homo; but alas none
knows better than school teacher that a sat-
isfactory history Of those four years has veto
be written.
Snch are some Of the difficulties of teaching
United States History" to children. and yet
/ have seen History OF the United States in
words Of ono syllable"
AMERICAN HISTORY.
Fmerson's wisdom gives US this sentence on
the sub ect OF history: ut is bat the extended
spectacle of what is in each mind and heart,
and only to be truly understood as 1t CORE
spends to some recognized feeling, thought or
EXPRESSION in tho student. The individual
mind is greater than the whole historical
record. because it compIehends in itself all
that has cen said or done.
Thus Emerson in his strong. amostt.pas-
sionnte desire for the preservation OF indi-
yiduality. to which every writing of his is
subseryient How does this aprly to the
study OF American History What portion Of
il corresponds TO some recognized feeling.
thought or expression in the student" II that
student ia a childl
The American nation had no infancy il
was born elsewhere and stepped upon the soil
of America full grown, prepared 70 fight It's
battles and arrange its Affairs TO suit itself with
ali the yigor and delibeIaton of maturity.
On the other hand. the world did have On
infancy. Ii was full Of wonderful myths.
beautiful legends, splendid deeds of might
and courage. such rs childhood loves To hear;
its Young heart swells. its young eyes brighten
and its spirit CLOVIS under the influence Of
these old stories: moreover, 1t gains property
In tho common beliefs of the world that
makes culture and creates certain rapport
between the old and the young, which 10 q
priceless advantage TO both.
Each human life Is an epitome of the world;
aach has its infancy childhood vOuth and