Year: 1869

From some cause unknown to me,
there is lack of interest in this branch
in our Common Schools. 1t is looked
upon as cipher, something OF no val
ne only in connection with the other
branches. The aim of the scholars is To
master Arithmetic first, then Grammar,
and then, if leisure and money permit.
they commence studying Geography,
for fear that some day or other, it will
be required of them TO travel, or cir
cumstances may turn favorable to teach
school for season, and they don't want


a nonknowledge of Geography to be a


barrier to their facilities. Fearing such
future experiences, they endeavor to
obtain a meager knowledge of Geogra-
ply, Rarely is it picked up with the
spirit and avidity that Arithmetic and


Grammar are taken up, and that on ac-
count of lack of interest This lack is
often occasioned by the teacher himself
being deficient in the knowledge of
Geography, and as a natural conse-
quence fails 10 arouse the necessary in
terest in his pupils. The prevalent
opinion that pupil should master the
principles of Arithmetic at as early a
day as possible, shall neither attempt
to paIliate nor refute, but on the other


hand shall uphold it to the utmost.
The time that is spent in mastering
Arithmetic and Grammar occupies, at
least, one third more time than is really
necessary; yes, should | say half more
than it should, l doubt whether there
were an exaggeration. l do not con-
denim the present method OF teaching
these branches, but to the time of be-
ginning to study them | have a special
aversion. The present method is to
put pupil into Arithmetic as soon as
he is barely an intelligent reader, which
is nothing else but a waste of time


The faculty of the child that develops
itself first is memory, and it is the one
that should receive the first culture.
The idea of figures and combination of
numbers does not develop till he approx
imates the age of maturity. Many a
cliids memory is blasted on account of
neglect of proper culture at its first de-
velopment. The tender plant on its ap-
pearance above the ground requires
special attention, to promote its growth
and to keep down the weeds, but in
stead of treating the memory of child
in such manner the time is spent on
some other seed that has not as yet
made its appearance above the ground
viz: figures and combinations of num-
bers, so both are ruined. BY proper
arrangement a child may very easily
master Geography in due time to COM
mence on Arithmetic and Grammar.
At this period of the pupils time, his
faculty of comprehension is very ten
der and limited and requires a great
deal OF patience and attention, and the
difficulty of teaching Geography sue


cessfully lies in the complicated terms


used by Geographers, and their obscure
language in expressing their terms, and
the incapacity of the teacher to simpli-
fy the language of the author, accounts
for the aversion prevalent to Geogra-
ply Should apupil commence study
ing Geography at very early age and
meet with proper culture from the
teacher, his proficiency would be more
imaginable than describable. Instead
of that a child is ordered to bring to
school an intermediate or Modern &C.
ography or some other Edition equally
as far advanced. There on the very
threshold of Geography he meets with
undefnable terms. The axis, for in.
stance. What is the axis of the earth
1t is an imaginary line extending
through the center Of the earth termina


ting at the poles. Right here in one
question and its answer, there are foul
unintelligible words to the young pu.
pill, viz; axis, imaginary, terminating
and poles. The author took it fol
granted that the pupil had, previously,
studied Primary Geography, and had
to some extent fsmiliarized himself


with these Geographical terms, but the
teacher deemed it imprudent to spend
time to study the Primary Edition al
the present time and failed to explain
to the pupil these complicated terms


so the pupil endeavOrs by very hare
study to commit the precise language 0
the author, and that serves and passe


for a good recitation. The pupil i


studying and learning Geography ant