352 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— E. 



three elements. In order to do this the results of other sciences will be drawn upon, 

 and it will be necessary to teach many of the processes of physical geography. 



The third stage of school teaching is the advanced course from 16+ to 18+. 

 At this stage climatology and physical geography may be studied as such, and the 

 elements of map-making may be added to the practical work. The main task, 

 nevertheless, will continue to be the study of the relationships and interactions of 

 ' place, folk, work.' Studies of a ' world ' and ' continental ' order may be continued, 

 but this stage is eminently suited for a more advanced regional examination of smaller 

 areas, e.g. of the order of Western Europe, the Mediterranean lands or France, on 

 the one hand, and the home region, or one which is capable of first-hand study, on the 

 other. This stage is also the proper time for systematic teaching of the present 

 conditions of human life in an area as an evolution of ' geographies ' of the past. 

 Below the advanced course stage the teaching is mainly concerned with present 

 conditions and systematic teaching of an ' evolutionary ' character of either past or 

 present would be premature and out of place. 



Two important points of teaching method arise from what has been stated above : — 



1. The interests of school pupils are chiefly concerned with the life and work of 

 man, so that the wise teacher gives first place to ' folk and work,' a minor unity which 

 stands out as the growing or gathering point of the teaching. 



2. In general, the study of ' place,' apart from descriptions of ' personality and 

 possibilities,' is subordinate to the study of man and his work. Below the advanced 

 course stage separate school courses of lessons on climatology or physical geography 

 are out of place. 



Putting these two together we have a clear direction for a general method of 

 teaching. It is the task of the teacher to describe as accurately as possible how man 

 ' lives, moves and has his being ' in the different regions (and this is almost the full 

 task up to the age of 11 + ), and then to select from the physical basis the factors which 

 must be introduced in order adequately to understand the relations and interrelations 

 of human life and physical conditions. The usual method of following a logical 

 order of treatment (position and size, physical features, climate, natural vegetation, 

 &c.) is wasteful of time and effort ; it freqiiently leads to inaccurate generalisations 

 and statements, and often fails to give the essential idea of unity in a living whole. 



The remainder of the paper will attempt to show how the principles formulated 

 above may be worked out in the teaching of the Lancashire cotton industry at each 

 of the three stages of teaching. 



(b) Prof. F. B. Plummer. — Memoranda on the Teaching of Geography in 

 South Africa. 



Higher or post-primary school education in the Union of South Africa is under 

 the central direction of the Education Department set up in each of the four Provinces, 

 and is subject to final control by the several Provincial Administrations. 



Apart from financial considerations, the curricula followed at the various post- 

 primary schools depend very largely upon the regulations governing the school-leaving 

 examinations. The Matriculation examination of the Universities of South Africa 

 and the School-leaving Certificate examination are conducted annually at suitable 

 centres throughout the Union by the Joint Matriculation Board, each under two 

 alternative sets of regulations known respectively as the Interim Regulations and the 

 New Regulations. Geography is an optional subject in each of these schemes, but 

 may be taken only on the lower grade. 



Normally, six subjects may be offered for examination, but under the New Regula- 

 tions for the Matriculation Certificate either six or five subjects may be offered. 



Typical curricula followed in most Transvaal schools under these regulations 

 are : — 



Six subjects. — English, Mathematics, German (or French), Science, History, 



Afrikaans. 



Five subjects. — English, Mathematics, Science, Afrikaans, History (or French 



or German). 



In the Matriculation Certificate examination, under both sets of regulations. 

 Geography clashes with either one of the ofiicial languages of the Union or with 

 History. 



Unlike those for the Matriculation Certificate examination, where the subjects are 

 divided into six groups, from each of which the candidate offering six subjects must 



