TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION L. 743 



4. The Method and Content of Histoni as a Subject of School Study 



in Elementary Schools. 



By J. A. White. 



The present situation has brought home to the most unimaginative how 

 much our life is bound up with the outside world, the meaninsr and value of 

 our own institutions, and that we, perhaps more than any other nation, are 

 dependent upon world conditions. A democracy ignorant of its surroundings is, 

 obviously, a serious danger in a democratic State. Some ideas of world con- 

 ditions are, therefore, essential. Nor can these ideas be limited to present 

 conditions, becau.se tradition is such a tremendous intellectual force in the whole 

 national organism. Definite history teaching, of the most elementary character, 

 would have made the task of e.vplaining the causes of the present crisis a 

 comparatively easy matter. Again, how frequently 07ie hears the complaint 

 that it is mo.st difficult to interest the elector in anything beyond his imme<liate 

 environment! And this at a time when the State is forced,' more and more, to 

 interfere in the affairs of the individual. Enlightenment in this direction is a 

 necessity, if we are to avoid, on the one hand, slavish obedience, or, on the 

 other, a more or le.ss hostile indifference. From these considerations it follows 

 that we must, at least, introduce our youth to some knowledge of general, social, 

 and constitutionnl history. 



This_ is a difficult task. Plainly we must throw overboard much that we 

 have hitherto considered necessary. Already dates, ro^-al personasres, and 

 battles have felt the shock of the newer tendencies in history teaching, and 

 doubtless in many cases the abandonment of these has been overdone, and too 

 much stress in the more advanced schools has been laid upon economic factors. 

 But even when thus pruned, the selection of matter suitable to cover the ground 

 indicated above is a very difficult ta.sk. 



_ Three things should be kept steadily in view : (1) the matter must be such as 

 will appeal to the child; (2) it must have develooment as its cardinal feature; 

 (-3) it must, in some measure, explain modern conditions. If this is done, neither 

 kings nor queens, nor great men and women, nor economic and social develop- 

 ment will be neglected. 



In general history we mu,st keep to the broadest and most interesting events, 

 and, in a sketch of this kind, sometimes one group of peoples or events, and 

 sometimes another, will occupy the central theme, but the general result will 

 be the gradual unfolding of the present grouping of the great world powers, with 

 the British Emoire in its relation to them. The world geography taken about 

 the same time will be of considerable assistance. 



In social and economic history we have a. somewhat easier task. The great 

 stages in our .social development, especially up to the end of the eighteenth 

 century, are few. A continuous story is fairly easy to construct. In conjunc- 

 tion with local history, its appeal to the child ia direct. But while the com- 

 munistic side of the subject will be strongly marked, the importance of the 

 actions of individual men and women must be emphasised. 



In constitutional history we think of the future elector. Therefore the 

 story of Parliament, with the m.-'in landmarks in the growth of political freedom, 

 is what is necessary. This cotirse will be of such a nature as to impress the 

 lesson, that concurrently with greater freedom come more duties and more 

 responsibilities. 



The accomplishment of all this depends primarily upon competent teachers 

 with the necessary historical equipment. But it is possible to do much with the 

 resources at hand. Much general history forms part of the Scripture lessons, 

 and can also be dealt with in the story lessons. Certainly we could get almost 

 all we need down to Roman times. The general biographical stories, so fre- 

 quently given for history to children from the ages of 64- to 8-t-, could be 

 arranged in chronological sequence. Thus, while the imagination and the 

 emotions are being cultivated, the child is acquiring some sense of historical 

 sequence. From the ages of 8-|- to 10-1- a series of stories based upon the 

 social development of the home country, coupled with a study of local history, 

 would give a sense of development. From 10-1- to 12-t- British history could 



