OKLAHOMA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 147 



Thus, geography in school presents to the teacher many peda- 

 gogical problems. But if a child becomes interested in geography 

 before it reaches the school age, then, free from any responsibility 

 for the choice of method, we can observe its own approach to the 

 subject, its own way of dealing with it. 



I have a detailed record of one little boy's interest in geography. 

 And in the short time allotted to me here I shall endeavor to dis- 

 cuss only his fascination by the map, with as many asides to other 

 geographical matters as will seem necessary for a better treatment 

 of the boy's map studies. 



The little boy A., — a normal, healthy, lively, bright child, has 

 been from babyhood an observer and a thinker. The university 

 communities in which he has always lived and the atmosphere of 

 study in his home were indeed favorable influences in his mental 

 development. Until he was five and a half years old no informa- 

 tion was imposed upon him, or even offered without his own inquiry 

 or some proof of his interest in the matter. But all his questions 

 were answered conscientiously and truthfully and all his investiga- 

 tions, inquiries and experiments were greatly encouraged. 



At the age of two he liked to look at the sky and would often 

 say: "The sky is pretty, see?" He would often look for the moon 

 and, whenever he had a chance, would admire the stars. The hills 

 he saw in the distance, the beautiful sunsets of Colorado, the 

 streams and springs had their share in awakening A.'s appreciation 

 of beauty ; but they also appealed to the chi'.d scientist in him. For 

 all children are both : as artists they admire the beauty of their 

 surrounding, as scientists they ask you: "What is this?" or they 

 try to find out the different laws of nature. 



From the age of two years and four months A. had the privilege 

 of observing the sunrise quite often, and when he was three years 

 old, he knew East, West, South and North and began to talk 'n 

 these terms. 



When he was three years and four months old, he found in a 

 rubbish heap an old text-book on geography. He became interested 

 in the illustrations, and, seeing the maps, asked: "what is this?" 

 I said: "this picture is called a map. But I'll give you a better 

 picturebook. You can't understand this one." But he insisted: "I 

 want to look at this map," and I left the book in his hands. He 

 looked at the maps quite long, but I don't know what he saw there 

 or what interested him. I did not doubt at that time, that it was 

 coloring of the map that attracted him. But I came since across 

 another boy's interest in maps. This other boy, C, became inter- 

 ested in maps at about the same age as A. (three and a half years), 



