The Teaching of Geography 



57 



was unable to do good work with any 

 science, because he had to give short 

 courses in nearly all — physics, chem- 

 istry, zoology, botany, geolog}', phys- 

 ical geography, and physiology. At 

 the time of my visit he had just had his 

 burden increased by the requirement to 

 teach temperance physiology. Much 

 attention is given in all normal schools 

 to "method," and in many of them 

 the students are given 1 instruction in 

 method without a knowledge of the 

 subject in which the method is to be 

 employed. The best preparation for 

 method of teaching is a knowledge of 

 the subject to be taught, and without 

 that knowledge drill in method cannot 

 produce much result. But one of the 

 most hopeful features in the movement 

 for better teaching of geography is the 

 improvement of the last ten years in 

 the normal schools. Those that are 

 abreast of the times have provided spe- 

 cial teachers of geography, and in many 

 cases have provided trained geogra- 

 phers. Each year the list of such 

 schools is increasing, and the effect of 

 this advance must be felt in a decided 

 improvement in the teaching of geog- 

 raphy in the grades. 



The gist of what I have said above is 

 that the conditions of geography teach- 

 ing are bad, but are improving in vari- 

 ous directions. But the complexity of 

 the subject, and the lack of facility for 

 obtaining proper training in it, make it 

 certain that for many years to come the 

 teaching of geography will not be raised 

 to the desired high standard unless 

 there are several fundamental changes, 

 of which the most important must be to 

 provide for better training, to require 

 it of applicants, and to pa}' them in pro- 

 portion to the training demanded. Such 

 changes can come only slowly; but in 

 the meantime there are some simple re- 

 forms which, if.introduced, would cause 

 a very decided improvement in a very 

 short time. 



In the first place, the teachers of geog- 



raphy should be encouraged (or, better 

 still, required) to put part of their sum- 

 mer in further study and preparation. 

 The summer schools of many universi- 

 ties offer opportunity for such study in 

 geography, or in allied subjects upon 

 which much in geography is based. To 

 encourage such attempts at improve- 

 ment increases in salary should be given 

 to those who show sufficient zeal and in- 

 telligence to put part of their summer 

 in study. This method is already fol- 

 lowed by some of our large cities and 

 with most excellent results. It should 

 be extended. A modification of .this is 

 to offer to some of the best teachers a 

 sort of scholarship to pay the expenses 

 of a summer, or even an academic year, 

 at a university. Few investments of 

 school money could be better made with 

 promise of more far-reaching results. 

 This method is followed in Indianapolis, 

 where the funds were provided by a 

 wealthy citizen. It is a unique form of 

 bequest; but how could money be better 

 used than to provide for an uplifting of 

 the teacher who gives to children their 

 early training, upon which so much of 

 their future depends ? Would that every 

 city in the land had a Gregg fund similar 

 to that in Indianapolis. 



THE UTILIZATION OF SPECIALLY 

 TRAINED TEACHERS 



Improvement will come also when the 

 school authorities recognize the fact that 

 geography is a difficult and complex sub- 

 ject, requiring knowledge of a broad 

 kind, and, for proper instruction, a talent 

 in addition to mere knowledge. In every 

 city there are some teachers who really 

 know geography, who like it, and whose 

 work is eminently successful ; but these 

 teachers are required to give most of 

 their time to other subjects than geog- 

 raphy. Why not make use of these 

 special talents ? Why not have speciali- 

 zation in the grades as in other schools. 

 There are special drawing teachers and 



