THE POSITION OF GEOGRAPHY IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. 395 



XXI. — Ordinance of the Grand Ducal Ministry op Justice, Culture, 

 AND Education, Baden, December 19, 1884, respecting the Examina- 

 tion FOR Women Teachers. 



Acquaintance with the most important points in physical and mathe- 

 matical geography ; general knowledge of the five continents, and special 

 knowledge of the native land in its physical and political aspects ; facility 

 in reading maps and in the use of globes and telluria. 



2. SECONDARY EDUCATION. 



A. SECONDARY SCHOOLS. 



XXII. — Public Examinations in Geography and the Secondary 



Schools. 



A Report on the Answers received to a Circular sent out in 1894-5 by the 

 Committee of the Geographical Association. 



In considering the best means of improving the teaching of geography 

 in Secondary Schools, the Committee was soon driven to the conclusion 

 that one of its earliest tasks must be to approach the various Boards of 

 Public Examiners. 



For the schools are necessarily compelled to adapt their teaching to 

 the requirements of the examinations for which they prepare their pupils. 

 And it is felt by the Committee that geography can never take its proper 

 place among subjects that train and educate the mind, so long as the 

 teaching of geographical principles is neglected, and the subject treated as 

 a mass of isolated facts, to be acquired by unintelligent cramming. 



They therefore addressed themselves in the first instance to the 

 Educational Committees of the Royal Geographical Society and the 

 Royal Colonial Institute ; and having received an assurance of their 

 sympathy and approval, they drew up four suggestions which they sent 

 out in the form of questions to about 300 Secondary Schools. To 

 these questions 92 answers have been received, including expressions of 

 opinions from nearly all the great Public Schools — a result that the Com- 

 mittee regard as satisfactory, considering the apathy that prevails on the 

 subject of geography in so many of our Secondary Schools. 



The following are the suggestions, together with a summary of the 

 opinions elicited in reply : — 



(i.) That papers in Geography should be set and looked over by 

 Geographical experts. 



This meets with general approval, provided always that the examiner 

 has had experience in teaching and examining boys. 



(ii. ) That the princijyles of Physical Geography should form part of 

 every examination [in Geography]. 



This is almost universally accepted, but a general wish is expressed 

 that the term Physical Geography should be limited and defined. 



(iii.) That the subject ' Geography ' as set, especially in the Army Ex- 

 aminations, is too loide and too vague, and that a subdivision of it loould 

 be a great advantage, so as to include, besides the 2Jrinciples of Physical 



