New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-14
CITY HISTORY ~ THE SCHOOLS.
TO WHAT EXTENT THE CHILDREN ARE
MADE FAMILIAR WITH THE FAMOUS
PLACES OF OLD NETWORK.

Tho puhllc schools are gradually comirg 10 feel
the influence OF the general interest I'm New-York
history which has been manifest In the last few
years This interest was aroused and has been
maintained chiefly through the efforts Of the vari-
Gus patriotic societies. such the Sons and Daugh-
ters the Revolution the Colonial Danes ana SIM
lar organizations In the last year the city His
tory Club OF New-Yorl has accomplished a sur
prlsing amount OF work, dcyoting It's attention
largely TO brlnyng into notice and gathering infor-
nation ipon the many important historical local.
ties OF ard about Manhattan Island Its territory,
IN TACT includes an the land now embraced In the
Greater Ncw-York.
Untu about a year AGO. when Ncw-York history
was mad, special study in the city schools. the
pupils knew scarcely anything beyond the dry facts
mentioned In their school histories regarding me
metropolis ot which they were citizens. They did
not ever connect such information aS the books
furnished with any localities familiar 10 them, ana
M great mains were taken by tho average teacher
to mako the printed statements vivid by concrete
illustrations. This OF things is true Yet to
considerable extent but an improvement has be-
gun and its progress seems likely 20 be steady.
Charles Buckley Hubbel. p-esident of the Board Of
Education, when asked about the matter by n
Tribune reporter said that the extent to which the
local history was impressed upon the pupils de-
pended now almost entirely upon the intelligence
and historical knowledge of the teacher-that while
New-York history was taught there was no sys-
tcmrtic plan OF the localities which ought to be
made especially prominent. lie believed that such
an arrangement would be OF great value, and ex-
pressed his pleasure at the suggestion and his IN
to ltion to bring the subject before the Board of
Education at a meeting he held this week Any
one Of the patriotic societies. said Mr. Hubbell. who
ia himself ~ member OF the Sons of the Revolution.
would he WAS certain, be glad to provide list OF
tho Old buildings, monuments battle-grounds and
other famous spots in Ncw-Nork which might be
used rs an aid to teachers Tho pupils could tfen
be taken in groups to these places asked TO visit
IN IN OF their OWE accord when they had an oppor
tunity He repeated that he was sure something
Of this kind was already being done, but that it
was due to the enthusiasm Of individual instruc-
tors rather than to prescribed system.
Visits 10 a few ~ the schools disclosed proof Of
this opinion. In many it evident from the
vague replies Of the teachers TO inquiries that the
children under their care would not 6ain any very
extensive or lively idea ot the geography or life OF
old New-York The Observance OF the National
holidays. with accounts OF the lives of the men
who have been prominent in the history Of the
country and The state, was well marked every
where but only In a few cases was there par.
tlcular emphasis laid upon this citys affairs. \
teacher in one OF the uptown schools was one OF
thoroughly familiar herself with the historian
stances Of having sent pupils to visit them. When
they were study1S about Peter stayt1ah, t,o nor
store In the old church known as 81. MARKS "
the Bowery. when stands on part OF me oiu
they always are when It IS possible to illustrate
their lessons by things near at hand-thngs which which
the battle OF Harlem Heights was fought was indi
Gated and described 10 them. and the matter was
made especially prominent by the recent unVenhg
Of the tablet there, the wall OF COLUMBIA Uni
IA NOUS localities known 10 them AZ one time or
another, the facts relating to them happen 20
come mp In the classes. .
A point which is observed now In many OF the
schools Is the teaching or the geography OF me
CITY This comprises not only knowledge or It's
shape and extent. but familiarity with the names
and locations of the streets and the most important
buildings. - ,,,, ,, ,.. :,
longs the credit of an idea which might be intro
duced into the public schools. This is the planning
and arranging OF bicycle excursions to celebrated
points within reasonable riding distance Excur-
sion No. =. for example. was to McGowns Pass
near the upper end Of Central Park On the back
for finding the place was the story OF McGown's
Pass told In graphic and interesting manner
The location of Fort Fish. built in 1872 just above