Reports from the Historical Field

WALTER H. CUSHING, Editor.

HIGH SCHOOL RALLY DAY.

An interesting instance of the influence of universities upon state high schools is to be seen in Louisiana. The Louisiana State University has arranged for an annual high school rally which this year will be held on April 29th and 30th. At the rally there are literary contests in English composition, in debating, in declamation, in vocal music, in spelling, in English composition for the eighth grade, and in history. There are also many athletic events. Prizes offered for the literary contests are usually scholarships in the University. The following is a description of the exhibit in history:

“Exhibit of Work in History. The exhibits may consist of any or all of the following: Individual notebooks (containing topical outlines or summaries based upon the text or upon collateral reading); papers or reports to be read in the class; illustrations (pictures and maps); map work of students (single maps traced or based on outline maps, or atlases or wall outline maps filled in).

“No prescribed notebook or map work is suggested. It is desired that the teacher use his or her own judgment as to the kind of work suited to the class.

“The contest is limited to the tenth grade in each high school. The work of the entire class is to be exhibited. The grade must contain not less than five pupils. The teacher’s certificate as to the number in class should accompany the exhibit.

“Neatness, accuracy, and good English will be considered as well as evidence of proficiency in historical studies.

“It is advised that loose-leaf notebooks be used. Each should bear the owner’s name and that of the school. The exhibit should be in place in the University Library not later than 10 a.m. of the first day of the rally.”

For the best exhibit of work in history a set of Woodrow Wilson’s “History of the United States,” five volumes, published by Harper & Bros., will be given to the school by Dr. Walter L. Fleming, Professor of History in the Louisiana State University.

HISTORY TEACHING IN LONDON.

A committee of university and training college instructors and school teachers is now preparing a report on history teaching in the London elementary schools. One chapter of the report, “Aims and Scope of History Teaching,” has already been prepared by the sub-committee of which Mr. E. Bruce Forrest is chairman. The report, when completed, will be published by the London County Council.

HISTORY TEACHERS’ EXAMINATION.

On May 21st there will be held at the Barringer High School Building, Newark, N. J., an examination for high school teachers of history. The subjects included will be Ancient history, American history, Medieval and Modern European history, English history, and the principles and methods of teaching history. Graduates of approved colleges and universities will be required to take examinations only in these subjects. Those not college graduates will be required to pass examinations for the highest grade elementary certificate. Examinations are open to both men and women. The schedule of salaries for positions are for men $1,400 to $2,500, and for women from $900 to $1,800, according to experience and fitness.

INDIANA ASSOCIATION.

The annual meeting of the History Section of the Indiana State Teachers’ Association will be held at Indianapolis on Friday and Saturday, April 29th and 30th. The program will begin on Friday afternoon with a discussion of the Teaching of History in the Elementary Schools. Professor H. E. Bourne, a member of the Committee of Eight, will explain the principles of the committee’s report. Criticisms of present methods in teaching history will be made by City Superintendent Charles F. Patterson, of Tipton, and by County Superintendent, Mr. Jesse Webb, of Franklin. On Friday evening will be a joint meeting of the Teachers’ Association with the Indiana Historical Society. Professor Bourne will speak upon “Our Early Republic as French Travelers Saw It.” Mr. D. C. Brown, of the Indiana State Library, will give an address upon “An Early Indian War.” On Saturday morning the following problems of history teaching in the high school will be discussed:

1. What can be done with the sources? Miss Minnie Blanche Ellis, Bloomington High School.

2. Shall a history note book be required? Mr. W. C. Gerichs, principal, Elwood High School.

3. How secure results with the collateral reading? Mr. W. O. Lynch, Department of History, Indiana State Normal School.

4. Preparation and use of maps and charts. Mr. J. R. H. Moore, Manual Training High School, Indianapolis.

This will be followed by the regular business meeting of the Association. On Friday evening a subscription dinner will be given at the Claypool Hotel.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NORTH CENTRAL HISTORY TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION, CHICAGO, APRIL 1 AND 2, 1910.

REPORTED BY ALBERT H. SANFORD.

It is impossible to convey to one who was not present an adequate idea of the spirit that pervaded the first session of the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the North Central History Teachers’ Association; this was the dinner at Reynolds’ Club, University of Chicago, in honor of Professor Frederick J. Turner. The menu was simply “Food—a la Hutchinson Café.” The “Refreshments” were talks given by Professors James A. James, Albion W. Small, Guy S. Ford, James A. Woodburn, Thomas F. Moran, and Dr. Reuben G. Thwaites, closing with remarks by Professor Turner. The printed program was besprinkled with quotations from the writings of Professor Turner, beginning with “The true point of view in the history of this nation is not the Atlantic Coast; it is the great West.”

Professor Andrew C. McLaughlin, the presiding genius of this occasion, pitched the key at a point somewhere between gay and sad, running readily from one extreme to the other. It was, of course, Professor Turner’s departure from Wisconsin to enter upon duties at Harvard that called the one hundred guests to assemble about this table. Among them were some who had been students with him in Johns Hopkins’ University, many who had been students under his instruction, and still others who are his colleagues in the field of history throughout the Central West. Here was spontaneous testimony to the force and charm of Professor Turner’s personality, and to the inspiration of his teaching. Underneath the gayety of the after-dinner sentiments ran the note of deep regret that the Central West loses the presence of this master mind. No more fitting theme for a session of the Association could have been selected.

Following the dinner came an address by Professor Paul S. Reinsch, of the University of Wisconsin, upon “The Life of the State and the Teaching of Government.” Preparation for the duties of citizenship is less effective in the United States, said Professor Reinsch, than in other advanced countries; hence the duty of placing more emphasis upon the proper teaching of government. Local government should receive fuller treatment. There should be more concrete study of the actual operations of government and less committing to memory of the clauses of constitutions that are only vaguely comprehended. Civil government should be taught separately from history, else some of its most important topics will never be reached; for instance, problems of city and state organizations. Such, briefly stated, were some of the points made in this interesting address.

The session on Saturday morning, April 2d, was fully attended, and interest in the program which had been arranged by the president, Carl E. Pray, of the State Normal School at Milwaukee, held the audience until a late hour. Miss Lillian Thompson, of the Englewood High School, Chicago, gave a spirited and practical talk upon “The Use of Pictures in History Instruction.” That Miss Thompson has made a study of child nature, as well as of pictures, was evident. She said, the teacher must put herself in the pupil’s attitude and must realize his poverty of ideas and mental images. She must be tactful and sympathetic in satisfying the pupil’s curiosity, and in leading him to see the essentials in pictures. Besides, the teacher must study the pictures and plan carefully the presentation of them. Not the lecture but the question method is the best for lower high school classes.

Much wisdom, drawn from experience, was packed into a brief paper read by Professor G. C. Sellery, of the University of Wisconsin. This paper cannot be adequately summarized in a few words. The old method of teaching history insisted upon the learning of certain facts by force of memory. Now we have a higher ideal—we ask pupils to understand, rather than to remember. But we have gone too far in this direction: pupils gain much discipline, but little knowledge. What is the remedy? Treatment that will yield discipline requires time; hence, teach fewer topics and teach them in detail, but emphasize the essentials. Then by reviews drill upon the facts that should be remembered. Discipline and knowledge are the two sides of the shield of history teaching.

“The Use and Abuse of Note Books” was the subject of a paper thoroughly worked out by Professor Albert H. Lybyer, of Oberlin College. A well-balanced position was maintained between the proper use of note books as a means to certain ends, and their abuse in the hands of pupils. No more use of them was recommended than could be properly supervised by the teacher. There should be no note book requirement in the grammar grades.

Not the least attractive of the topics presented at this session was “The Value of History Pageant Work from the Viewpoint of the English Teacher,” by Miss Charity Dye, of Indianapolis. Miss Dye’s conception of the pageant is not that of a mere exhibition; it should rather be the natural expression of school interests and activities that have been thoroughly worked out in a serious way by students in various grades. When so conducted, the school work that precedes the presentation of a pageant has many valuable features. It arouses the spirit of investigation, when students hunt out, organize, and build up historical materials; it gives opportunity for the co-operation of departments; it encourages in pupils self-identification with school and community interests; it cultivates imagination and encourages continuity of thinking. Pupils concentrate attention upon a growing idea, and their work has cumulative force. This preparation gives to classes in English occasion for exercises in narration, description, argument, and the writing of letters, diaries, and ballads. This is one method of overcoming the fragmentary nature of our school work and engaging in activities that are socially and psychologically sound and beneficial.

The final topic of the program was “Supplementary Reading in History Instruction,” discussed by Professor Oscar H. Williams, of the School of Education, Indiana University. Many sensible and practical ideas were presented. Professor Williams recommended that striking passages from original or secondary sources be copied and duplicated by the mimeograph for class use; that pupils be encouraged to bring to the school magazines from which valuable articles could be extracted and bound separately in manila paper covers; that pupils be encouraged to purchase for themselves certain reference books, especially historical fiction. It was especially urged that the best results of collateral reading appear when pupils become sufficiently interested to do this work spontaneously.

In the business meeting preceding this program, it was voted to accept the recommendation of the executive committee, that a special supplementary meeting of the association be held in connection with meetings of other associations interested in history teaching at Indianapolis during the meeting of the American Historical Association next winter.

Professor James A. Woodburn was elected president of the North Central Association for the ensuing year, and Professor Earl W. Dow was made vice-president. The association loses the valuable services of its secretary-treasurer of the past four years, Professor George H. Gaston, of the Wendell Phillips High School, Chicago; his place is taken by Miss Mary L. Childs, of the Evanston (Illinois) Township High School. The following were elected members of the executive committee: Dr. O. M. Dickinson, Western Illinois Normal School, Macomb; Professor W. E. Dodd, University of Chicago; Miss Victoria Adams, Calumet High School, Chicago; Miss Ellen G. Foster, Evanston, Ill.

MISSOURI ASSOCIATION.

Program of Meeting at Kirksville, May 14, 1910.

MORNING SESSION.

1. President’s (H. R. Tucker) Address—“The Doctrine of Interest and Instruction in the Social Sciences in the High School.” Discussion.

2. “The Use of the Library in High School History Classes.” Miss Elizabeth B. Wales, secretary Missouri State Library Commission, Jefferson City. Discussion opened by Miss Sadie Connor, McKinley High School, St. Louis; H. W. Foght, State Normal, Kirksville.

3. “What Topics in English Constitutional History are Not Too Difficult for Secondary History Courses?” F. B. Smith, Savannah. Discussion.

4. “New View-points in Ancient History.” Dr. A. T. Olmstead, State University, Columbia.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

1. “A Pilgrimage Through Italy”—An illustrated lecture. Miss Clara L. Thompson, Mary Institute, St. Louis.

2. Reports of Committees: (a) Committee on History in High Schools of Missouri, E. M. Violette, State Normal, Kirksville; (b) Committee on History in the Elementary Schools of Missouri, Superintendent O’Rear, Boonville.

3. Election of Officers.

4. General Business.

NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION MEETING.

The annual spring meeting of the New England Association was held in Boston on Saturday, April 16, 1910, in the lecture hall of the Boston Public Library. The morning session was devoted to Roman history and to the report of the Committee on Historical Material. The opening address was by Professor Henry A. Sill, of Cornell University, who spoke on “Some New Points of View in Roman History.” Just one hundred years ago Niebuhr began the epoch of modern critical historiography, and for the first time applied the test of modern criticism to the mass of tradition which passed current as Roman history. Forty years later Mommsen took up the task, and in 1854 published his first volume. The works of both writers were rapid and bold, but they were works of genius and of intuition. The speaker then considered certain characteristics of Mommsen’s work, among others specifying his comprehensiveness, his thorough use of the sources, and especially his modern tone. Mommsen did not make direct references to modern politics, but through indirect references sought to make the Romans step down from their pedestals and become real. We owe it to Mommsen’s history that Rome does not seem a land of fancy.

Although Mommsen made over one thousand contributions with a total of more than twenty thousand pages, he did not speak the final word. Recently several attempts have been made to sum up the result of the numerous special investigations which have been made since Mommsen’s time, the speaker making mention of Pais, Ferrero, and especially of Edouard Meyer, whom he termed the master of all. Of American writers Professor Botsford has made a notable contribution in his “Roman Assemblies.” Among the periods of Roman history which are being rewritten are the Foreign Wars, the history to the fourth century B.C., and the Revolution. Among the new points of view, Professor Sill enumerated the influence of imperialism, war and its effects on domestic policy, sea-power, international arbitration, capitalism, and added that we might even have a pathological view of Roman history! In conclusion, he cautioned against pushing analogy too far.

Professor Sill’s paper was discussed briefly by Professor H. B. Wright, of Yale University, and Professor W. S. Ferguson, of Harvard University, the latter citing an interesting dissertation by a Roumanian teacher on the nationality of the business men of Rome and the light it threw on certain problems of Roman history.

Historical Material.

An extensive exhibit of historical material, comprising maps, charts, pictures, casts, atlases and models had been procured and displayed by a committee of the Association consisting of Prof. Arthur I. Andrews, of Simmons College, chairman; Prof. W. S. Ferguson, Miss Ellen S. Davison, Mr. L. R. Wells, Miss Mabelle Moses and Mr. W. H. Cushing. In his brief report Professor Andrews acknowledged the debt due Teachers’ College both for the idea and for many models and pictures loaned for this exhibition. The watchword of the committee has been: “Show the attainable.” We have aimed, said Professor Andrews, to place on exhibition articles and samples of articles that can, at a reasonable expense, be introduced into any class-room. In addition to the loans from Teachers’ College, much was imported for the exhibition by Messrs. G. Stechert & Co.; other articles were loaned by the publishers, and some were bought outright by the Association. A special feature of the exhibit was the large number of the Hensell and Rausch models, probably the largest collection ever displayed in this country. As at the Teachers’ College exhibition, one of the most helpful features was the collection of mounted pictures illustrative of various phases of life and conditions, showing the possibilities in this line where the expense is trifling. It is the intention of the committee to prepare lists of typical collections of maps, charts and models costing twenty-five, fifty, one hundred, two hundred and five hundred dollars. After referring to the cost of various portions of the exhibit, Professor Andrews summed up as follows: “It will be seen, then, that two things are fairly clear; first, that a collection of the best material, up-to-date in every way and including samples of the best models, the best series of maps, the latest charts, and the best pictures of every kind, could be got together by this Association at a very moderate cost; secondly, such a collection, showing the exact cost of each article, would be valuable to the teacher who has a limited appropriation and who needs to see for herself in the easiest possible way just what she wants and just what she can pay for.”

The enthusiasm of your committee has been aroused by the contemplation of great ideas as to the permanency of this collection. We hope to arrange for the proper housing of these exhibits, making it accessible to teachers and classes visiting Boston, and we also hope to arrange for transporting it to other parts of New England where it may be on exhibition in connection with educational meetings. Undoubtedly it will be a feature of the forthcoming meeting of the N. E. A. in Boston in July.

Miss Ellen Scott Davison, of Bradford Academy, spoke briefly on some practical uses of pictures, and told of the practices in German schools which she visited last summer.

The guest of the Association at its luncheon was General Edward Anderson, who spoke most entertainingly of his recollections of Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, John Brown and other leaders and incidents of the Civil War period. As President Evans characterized it, it was the genuine source method of instruction by an accomplished speaker.

Before ordering for the fall be sure to inspect the

McKinley Historical Note-Books

These note-books consist of the McKinley Outline Maps combined with blank leaves to constitute an historical note-book of 104 pages; the back of each map and every other sheet being left blank for class notes or comment upon the maps. Many teachers have required their scholars to paste or bind McKinley Outline Maps in their note-books; the new arrangement furnishes the maps already printed in the book, at a price about the same as that asked for a note-book of blank leaves.

Four Books in the Series: For American History, for English History, for Ancient History, and for European History.

Price: 22 cents (net) each

The note-books are made from a clean, strong, and heavy ledger writing paper, well suited to the use of ink or colors. Size about 8 x 11 inches.

Samples cheerfully furnished upon request to

McKinley Publishing Co.

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