The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-02-17
How to Mako Geography ATTRACT tive

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How to Mako Geography Attractive.
The Joiiowing paper 'oas read before the Teach
eys' dssociaton al the November meeting,
and IL is published this ,csek by special
request
will give very briefly some of the meth
DDS which employ to make the study Of
Geography attractive to the children, belicv'
ing that any method tha. is interesting is q
god one: If the method used does moi
interest the teacher, it is s,fc TO infer it will
not interest the puril.
must confess that there never was any
thing very attractive t. me in the columns
Of questions and answers with which
most biographies are filled, varied princi'
pally by lists Of map questions. Rcmem'
bcring the unuttractivcness of This study,
have been led to adopt a plan, in following
which the pupil is interested as well rs
instructed.
first endcav II TO show the pupils the
difference between Physical and Political
Geography, so that in til. dcsci iiptions they
are aftcrrard require to give they may
have clear ic,s of the subject before them.
then take up one continent mt time
requiring of each pupil written descrip-
ton Of it, c nsdcrcd rs whole. This
description includes is position, its relative
size. its BOUNDARIES, and any other import
ant features that will fix it Oh the pupils
minis. At the same time each pupil brings
me II map of the continent, which SHALL ns
nearly as possible, correspond with the
description given. This outline is referred
to in the lessons that follow.
The next lessons arc dcv oed to learning
tie divisions cf the cont ucnt and their
tua ions. Then, taking up each division
require Of each puPii Il written descrip-
ii II Of it, rs far ns possible, in her own
words though small amount of copying is
not ohjcctc to, since il has been found that
the mere act copying serves TO impre' 9
.he facts OIL the memory. Then the dc.crip-
tons and maps Gf these divisions arc brought
togo her, and it is shown how they make up
the map Of the c,ntiuent rs Il whoc. Thus
the subject is both analyzcd and unified, and
fixed upon the mind.
The extent Of this subdivision i, limi: cd
by The country under cons ierarion In our
own continent it may come down to States
and counties; in o'ler conliycnts less in-
formation is nee lei ana there are few divi-
sions.
In order to make the subject vivid, after
a good general knowledge has been obtains
ell, we have whit We call "0ur days oil
travel, on which we 'vi,it' the cities of
note in the counties which we have been
studying. The children write as full a
description rs possible from any nforna-
ton they can get from books TO which they
may have access frequently The teacher
is able TO aid something of interest con-
corning the place which has escaped the
pupils notice, or Of which they have never
known,
Finally, before leaving the continent. we
have what is called, "Our Topic Party"
and in this the children take the greatest
interest imaginable. The day before we
are to have the party interesting qucs-
tions conccrning the lands abou. which we
have been studying, are selected and writ
ten or slips Of paper, which are numbered.
These slips are distributed to the pupils,
two being given to Zach Of class Of eight
These arc as nam n" car be discussed in
the allotted time. 4 l;sl Of The questions,
numbered in The .me way as the slips, is
kept. and the next days lesson number
i, called out by the teacher and the pupil with
the corresponding number responds, by
reading the question, aud the answer, If
she has succeeded in finding it. If che has
TO answer, il is submitted 10 the class, and
if it still lemalns unanswereq 1t gives the
teacher m opportunity to talk on the sub
iec', and to give such explanation, as may
he necessary. As an aid in selecting topics
| use "IIathaway's 1901 Questions and
Answers on Geography" although do not
c>nfne myself 10 any book in mixing these
selections.
These are II few Of the ways in which
end.avor to make this an interesting and
inslEuCyiys study. nf course the exercises
are varied frequently, bu, mat NUS be left
to each teacher. After all, | think it de-
rends largely on the teacher. Even n poor
method in the hand, of good teacher may
become the source of much benefit to the
pupils
To M4rtiu Luther Iacrc ihrn any other
man We owe the public school ',ysism Of to,
day,
The Reformation r,u'd not proceed with
out educhtion among the masses. The rer-
sonal religion preached by the Reformers
required intelligence in the converts; there
fore the Reformed Church at once estab-
lished schools. AMI it also required and
enforced the attendance of the children Of
its member ship. Lu.i.c: laborcd and wrote
much in behalf OF free public edncat;on
His address to the Gcrm,n towns of 1924
contains among other things an unanswer.
able argument for compulsory education
lie says: If Safe in time Of war cim
ob'igc its citizens TO take up the sword and
the musket, has il not sill moro the power,
and is it not its duty TO compel them to in
Struct their children; since we arc enoaged