Study of the United States. 149 



forth and finally become fixed by physical causes when such 

 exist, as is the case frequently. The relations of these States 

 are studied historically and politically. Commercial centers of 

 commerce are fixed definitely, and the reasons for their locations 

 are ascertained either in history or in physical causes, or in both. 



The character, value and extent of the commerce of each city 

 are definitely studied; the relations of the same are discovered 

 and means by which such commerce is carried on are definitely 

 known. 



The character of the people, their industries, their habits of 

 life, are studied in each country. Comparisons are made and 

 conclusions are drawn, and causes are sought and sometimes, 

 if not in all cases, ascertained. Natural products and manu- 

 factured products and articles of dress are studied. Other arti- 

 cles, as of warfare or husbandry, showing conditions and habits 

 of life, are brought into the school-room and examined and 

 discussed. The imaginations of the children are called on in 

 picturing the lives and homes of the people of these countries 

 in comparison with their own lives and their own homes. The 

 cultivation of the imagination is helped by the use of pictures 

 and by the reading of text, describing and narrating ; by reading 

 tales and poems, the result of which is tested from time to time 

 by the writing of essays and the representation in graphic form 

 of what is in the minds of the children. During the progress of 

 this study the children are made to know how to get to these 

 centers of commercial life. Thus do the children learn the rela- 

 tion of each state of the continent to the other states. To say 

 that they learn of steamboat lines and railroad lines, and tele- 

 graph lines and express companies, is unnecessary. These are 

 taught necessarily, but as a means, not as an end. 



Now the children are to study the United States as an entirety 

 in a corresponding way, the details of which need not here be 

 given. It should be said, however, that the states are grouped by 

 physical characteristics and climatic conditions, which in turn 

 help to group them according to productions and industries and 

 resources, which in turn enable us to determine the character and 

 occupations of the people in large belts or sections, and at the 

 same time to locate commercial centers. Now we have only to 

 get the connecting links between these commercial centers or, 

 in other words, the ways and processes of communication and 

 transportation, then we have a good general view of the United 



