The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-09-26
OUR TEACHERS DEPARTMENT
Edited by Prof Charles ID. Lewis
N.ighborhood History and Rural Schools

IL was scarcely necessary that
use the word Rural" in the head
ing above, for there are no Neigh
borhoods" In cities, and that is one
Of the great advantages of the coun-
try which the city can never over
come. In the city one often lives
within a few feet of fellow men for
months and years and never SO much
as knows the name by which they
are called, much lees their joys and
sorrows, struggles, successes and fail
ures; but in the country this is not
the case. We often think that our
neighbors know too much Of our af-
fairs, and this is sometimes the case,
but when properly directed, and con-
trolled by other interests and broad
er views II becomes Of the highest
value in the development Of char
acter.
want to suggest this week to
the teachers who read this Depart
ment, and TO others, especially
parents. that thoy can do great
work for the children under their
care and for tho community which
these children will make within q
few years, IL they will put the chill
dren into a new relation with the
world by interesting them in the
question of family and neighborhooj
history.
Too many teachers look upon Pri-
mary History as enc Of the dullest
and least fruitful subjects taught n
our schools, and 1t certainly is, when
handled as we ordinarily find II. But
II should be one OF the most interest
ing and fruitful. What is the matter?
In the first place 1t is ALL BOOK,
and a book cannot fascinate and in
spire a child alone. In the second
place II is made too much a matter
OF dates and CHRONOLOGY, a thing that
the child cares nothing for and does
not need. II is not a question with
the boy as to WHEN George Rogers
Clark lived, but WHERE he lived
and WHAT HE DID. In other words
the child is interested in men and
women. what they are like, what
they do and what they ARE, but 1t
is wrong to try to get him to place
the life Of the individual in its broad
err Historic Getting. In the third place
there is no touch OF the personal in
terest in the subject as ordinarily
presented. 1t is along this line that
l wish to dwell.
We people Of the United States
have grown 50 independent in the
broad land and new ideals Of our
country that we have overdone the
matter. We think that because the
English people thought too much of
family and tho deeds OF ancestors
that we may entirely neglect and
forget them. Life for the past CEN
Nui bNth ~ up WIN pht
move after another with many fami-
lies. all the time rostlessly seeking
new homes and adventures, that we
have become like ships upon I'M
known seas. with all shipping orders
and log books thrown overheard and
the anchor chains cut.
Because of this l find every year
in my classes young men and women
who know very little Of grandfather
or grandmother, and nothing Of the
family line back. For them PERSONAL
ly there is no past, and they grow
up too often ignorant as TO the blood
that flows through their veins. This
is a very unfortunate one,
and one that should be corrected by
teachers and parents at once. OF
course we are not honored by our
unless they are honored
by us. but every child may be stimu-
lated to better deeds by knowing of
the past life OF his own people.
Now, as the evenings get long,
and the big fires burn in the fire