Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-11-24

How Shall We Teach American History
A paper by Mis- Elizabeth True. OF Ellsworth,
read at the session Of the Teachers Association.
In this city, November ;, ls;t3
At a recent meeting of the New York
State Teachers Association it was said,
that there is no subject taught in the
public schools which requires SO much
study and from which SO much culture
can be obtained as the subject Of history
and that there will be no material improve
ment in the manner of teaching until the
teachers of our common schools have his
tory properly taught TO them"
My friends, If this be so, there is much
for US to do. The subject of United States
History is so broad and the time so short
that the teacher often finds herself in
sore perplexity what TO teach aud what to
omit.
With the best of tex, books much de-
pends on the judgment Of the teacher.
There are few subjects so easily forgotten.
To accomplish the greatest good q few
important events must be selected and
not be forgotten. What these shall be is
the all important question. Shall we
teach them long lists of battles with the
number of killed and wounded and allow
them to attend a political meeting and,
in q state Of the most blissful ignorance.
listen to q discussion OF the Monroe Doc
trine," or the Tariff" or shall we require
them to concentrate their minds on the
mere words of their histories to the GER
tain neglect of the methods and principles
involved, only to find, too late, that they
have studied words nothing but words?"
would begin with very young children,
not at the wrong end, with the Norsemen
or Columbus. but by teaching them the
history of their own town. When and by
whom settled? Why so named: Where
did the people come from who settled
1t: &C. BY this time they will want TO
know more about the settlements made in
other parts of-he country and of the peo-
pie WHO made them.
Children enjoy stories about the Pur-
tans and their curious customs, Of Poca-
hontas and her eventful history, just as
well as Mother Goose or fairy stories, and
will remember them just as long. The
stories of the Great Discoverer," the
Great Seaman" and his father, or De
Soto, the sailor, will suggest profitable
occupation for many hours of childhood
and good foundation for future work
may be made.
We need 70 remember that children have
long series Of historical facts and that We
should give them only the picturesque in
history. For older pupil. l would assign
lessons by topics aud all that can be found
upon that topic should be brought to the
class and discussed.
There should be occasional reviews to
show the connection of events with each
other After an important period has
been passed, suggestive outline may be
placed upon the board, for condensed
essay by the pupils. This written work
has double benefit it affords good COM
position work and it is not easily forgot
ten. ..
Then the best of US need to make more
use of maps. Geography and history are
Tracing the routes of the early discoverers
or the movements of armies. gives def
niteness to history which we can obtain by
no other means.
One Of the KEYS to success in teaching
history lies largely in the use of biography
which is its great interpreter More of the
history Of this country, for the first forty
years of this century. is contained In the
life of Andrew Jackson than many of us
know. Can we do more for our boys than
by leading them to see the sublimity OF
true manhood as displayed in the life OF
Lincoln' Shall we ever have a better op
portunity to show the wickedness of trea
son or the nobleness of patriotism than il
the lives of Benedict Arnold or Nathan
Hale? Nor need we confne this teaching
to the boys when we have so many illus
trions examples Of what women can do.
Again, the study of history aids in un
derstanding the duties of citizenship, bu
while every boy should know the facts Of
our nations past, in order that he may b,
an intelligent citizen, we must not forge
that this boy generally leaves school six o.
seven years before the state admits him Il
citizenship and that the facts that he hai
to interpret and act upon then are thos'
of the present and which could not hav'
been taught him In his school-days, TO
they did not yet exist.
Now, unless he has been taught to lool
beneath facts to principles, to see tn
present in relation to the past. to trac
cause and effect, all that he has learne'
will serve no purpose. History training
that does not prepare the pupil successful
ly to bridge the chasm between the schoo
and the duties Of mature life is of Sigh
value.
In regard to methods, John SWEET ha
well said: There is no "patent method
of teaching history. In this, as In othe
studies, the greatest difficulty lies, not i
arousing the pupils interest, but In help
ing him to memorize facts, so that the
may remain permanently in his mind, TO
unless this end is accomplished the stud
has not proved "good mental exercise,
nor has it furnished useful information.
To secure this memorizing l have use
oil the following methods with exceller
success. For the most of them l claim
originality, as they were taken from %
Journal Of Education.
| In reviewing the discoveries and earl
explorations of North America, group =
Rether those on the Atlantic coast, the