The evening times., 1898-07-08
II Is Discussed by the National
Educational Association.
THE TRAINING OF CHILDREN
Charles II. skinner, First Vice Prcs-
Ient of the AssOciati0n, Calls the
2eeting to Order-Mr. Wilbur F..
Ordy Speaks of the Great Aim
Sf Education.


of the association. presided. Father D..
j. Stafford, of ST. Patrfck's Church,
led in prayer. Vice President Skinner
then said.
ITO every lover of his country 1t Is
gratifying 10 note the increase of interest
in the schools on the subject of American
History. In Il country like our own, he
roic. struggling, mighty, never 50 grand
and important as at present, 1t behooVes
that the people, and the educators,
should insist upon the teaching of Ameri-
can history and literature. 1t is right
and loyal to learn what is glorious of our
own country and save the knowledge of
the countries that have passed away un-
til We are well grounded in our own.
Too long have We left essentials TO creep
in the rear; II is the mission of the edu-
Gators of the country to correct this"
Mr.. Skinner then introduced w. F.
Gordy, supervising principal of the North
School of Hartford and the author of
"A Pathfinder in American History and
4 History of the United States.''
Mr.. Gordy said: THE great aim of
education is TO reveal physical and hI-
man life to the individual. to the end
that he may understand his relations TO
them and especially his social obliga-
tions to his fellow-men. How does his
tory aid him in doing this? History is
a study of the human will. of which ac-
tions deeds, events are but the express
sion. Events are the material facts.
They are the symbols of the moral facts
constituting the real truth of history.
Back of material facts lie the feelings.
thoughts. inclinations. and motives of
men, of individual men. We study the
1stT1e 80 ia ~
We may learn to live ourselves. The
function of both the writer and the
teacher of history is TO explain the mean
ing of human life. which is TO be found in
the spirit of history. For such eXplana-
ton far more depends upon the nature
of the material facts selected than upon
their number. The development of thor
ough scholarship through the acquisition
of a considerable body of facts should
not be dominant motive in elementary
schools. If the pupil acquires an interest
in history and learns how to read it in
such a way to appreciate its mean
ing he has at his command the means
OF continuous self-education of far more
value than any number of facts.
only typical facts should be selected
and treated with sufficient fullness to
make their meaning easily grasped. Then
history becomes interesting because II
Sixteen hundred and eighty-nine is a
turning point in American history. From
that date the narrow provincial spirit be-
gan TO give way to a broadening, Amer
lean spirit. The change was brought
about by three sets of historic forces:
Indian wars, troubles with the French
and difficulties with the royal and pro-
prietary governors. Thus the simple
closely-connected story Is easily followed
to the time of the Revolution. What were
Its causes? What was the real character
OF the struggle? What Were its most sig
nif1cant results? These are the questions
TO be asked in the study of any war The
second may be answered by the study of
only few important battles.
Why did the Confederation break down
and what led to the formation of the
Constitution? What are the Fundamental
principles of the Constitution? What are
the significant features of the struggle of
the young republic with England and
France-a struggle which eliminated in
the war of 1872, and prepared the way for
the Monroe Doctrine?
Nhat was the meaning of the struggle
between the liberal construction party and
the strict construction party? How did
ms struggle lead finally to the civil war?
Nhat was the character of Western de-
Velopment, and how did this develop
ment AFFECT the struggle? How did slay-
cry aHect 1t? In answering this group
or questions make ample use of repre
sentative men, such as Hamilton and JEFF
terson, Webster and Calhoun, Lincoln and
JeHerson Davis In all periods make
much of the ethical value of representa-
tive men, :,
The discussion was continued bv II II
Seerley, president of the State Normal
schools, of Cedar Falls. Iowa. who smoke
on the essentials of United States history
to be taught in secondary schools. He
said:
The quantity of matter possible to he
used in the teaching of United States
history Is so great that 1t is desirable
to determine the characteristic essentials
as far as possible. This has been At
tempted by the great reports that have
been already given to the public by the
National Educational Association vet
these wise suggestions have not had the
expected revolutionary effect, because
they are still 10 be prudentIy and prac-
lcaliy worked out by the school s,perin
tendent, the school teacher and the text
book publisher. The first histories were
constructed on the idea that such teach
ing should show that it cost much In
life. treasure and sacrifice to establish
preserve and maintain republican institu-
tons The war idea, the struggle idea
the sacrifice idea. the patriotic idea pre-
vailed, and the end sought was not schol-
arship. but ethical and civic feeling.
FOLLOWING this early method and idea
came the schoolmaster with the notion
that the study of history was an end in
itself, and the textbooks and the teach
ing assumed new form, so that the
learning of facts became the one great
end.
Out of this twenty years of scholastic
domination by the schoolmaster has
come change which attempts to re-
turn to first principles, seeking patriotic
citizenship and living enthusiasm as the
true end. History teaching according to
this latter standard attempts not only
to familiarize pupil with the story of
civilization. but also to interpret for him
the problems involved. With this has
come demand for a real history teach
er. The old idea that anyone could teach
history has gone forever. and the new
idea that there is more difficult subject
to teach well and effectively has
been accepted. What the es-
essentials in history should be for
the course of study. depends. therefore.
upon whom is selected as the teacher II
the teacher does not possess the true his
toric spirit. if he does not recognize the
genuine patriotic devotion, IL he cannot
teach properly and successfully the de-
tailed essentials required to accomplish
this higher and grander aim. There Is no
other branch of study that needs as
much originality of conception, that re-
quires as much wisdom of insight as to
means and methods. that exacts as much
breadth of knowledge, as does that of