The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1918-06-29
GEOGRAPHY

In the geographical exhibit, we found a
large display of maps drawn by the pupils OF
the four higher grades.
A group of these presented the missionary
journeys of st. Paul; also Paul's voyage to
Rome
There were carefully drawn maps of the
Western Front, showing the location of forti.
fled towns, airplane bases and forts.
There was a vast array of product maps
something unknown to the school child OF
forty years ago, but which are source Of
fascinating interest and information not only
to the pupil but to adults. Some of the maps
had names of products written on the locality
in which they are found others, pictures Of
the products, and still others, pieces of the
actual products themselves pasted on.
For instance, one could see at a glance that
coal is found in Pennsylvania; sugar is pro
duced in Louisiana and Cuba, cocoa in Cen
trail America, fruit in California, coffee ir
Brazil, and wheat in northwestern United
States, Canada and the Argentine; that cattle
are raised in Texas and fine blooded horses
in Kentucky; that salmon fisheries are located
at the mouth of the Columbia River, and thai
seal are found along the Alaskan coast also
whale along the Arctic coast.
There were beautifully illustrated booklets
made up by the students, on ostrich raising
others on the cultivation and manufacture OF
rubber.
We found a stack of neat booklets or
FTravels in Switzerland" Picking one ur
at random, we found it filled with interesting
facts about the land of tourists, supposed tt
have been gathered by the pupil on an mag.
mary visit to Switzerland of several months
duration.
We quote one paragraph:
Zone morning my cousin, who lives in
Geneva, said she would take me to school,
with her. Both rich and poor children go tt
public schools. The poor children are taken
care of by the government. The books are
cheap and sometimes they are given to the
children. Great care is taken for the health
of the children. When they live far from
school the government pays for them to live
nearer. Weak or sickly children are sent
to the mountains and taken care Of The
schools are provided with baths to aid in good
health
Another paragraph reads:
"a visit to the shops in Geneva was inter.
esting. We were attracted by the wonderful
music boxes. They are made in almost every
size and shape, and work like clock and play
tunes. We hear one played by match box
begins to play. We sit on chair and it plays
America"
A teacher, in order to be successful in
teaching geography, must first of all realize
that the children must become interested in
studying it. The old-fashioned way was tt
assign lesson in the book and have them tt
study up the questions and answers. During
the recitation, the teacher went over the list
of questions and the children answered then
indifferently- simply in the performance of 8
task, not because they were particularly in.
terested.
But the aim today is to have the pupils gel
an intelligent grasp of the subject-to gel
them to take real, live interest in the work
Children who would seem dull in reciting q
lesson in the old way, instantly become inter:
ested when the teacher explains for example
the various processes of raising wheat and the
latest machinery for harvesting the grain.
If the teacher tells the pupils that the is.
lands of the Pacific are inhabited by the
Malay race it means but little to them but il
they are told about the personal habits an6
characteristics of the South Sea islanders
their human interest is instantly awakened
especially if the lessons are illustrated show.
ing the abodes and surroundings of these
people. The foundation is thus laid for study.
ing the peoples of the earth as individuals
later they may be studied as nations.
One of the greatest controlling influences
on progress government and civilization il
climate. All world powers are situated in the
temperate zones, The people are energetic
and industries.
One of the striking effects of climate is
seen in vegetable growth. Along the Amazon
River the forests are of the most luxuriant
type; but explorers in the Arctic regions have
found willow trees there fifty years old and
only two inches high.
AS the controlling influences of climate are
studied, one naturally drifts into the study of
products. One learns that the great fruit
raising region of the Pacific coast is caused by
the warm ocean current sweeping up from the
tropics; that the British Isles would be as