1889] Methods and Models in Geographic Teaching. 583 
vidual plants of the forest. Why not then instruct him in such a 
way that he shall appreciate these small forms, these geographic 
individuals, just as he is taught to understand something of botan- 
ical individuals ? Let him understand that there is a geographic 
morphology, perhaps not so precise as that of the organic world, but 
none the less interesting ; let him feel that these geographic forms 
are the results of definite orderly processes, working systematically, 
and carrying the geographic individual through a determinate se- 
quence of changes, nearly as definite as that passed through by any 
animal or plant in its life-development, but more complicated from 
the combination of the records of several cycles of life often being 
found in one individual. Let him learn that every feature of 
a geographical individual is significant and expressive, full of 
meaning to those who look at it aright. Do not hesitate to call 
on geologic processes when they are needed to aid his under- 
standing ; do not postpone the it.^ necessary and simple geolog- 
ical conceptions until he reaches a geological course of study. 
Do not be discouraged because the earth's surface contains many 
complicated individuals ; there are many simple ones also, which 
a student may appreciate and enjoy, and from which, when thus 
understood, he may form a juster idea of unseen regions. Of 
.course there are many complicated forms that he will not easily 
comprehend ; but so there are plants of difficult analysis, yet this 
is not held to be an excuse for giving up the teaching of sys- 
tematic botany. Few scholars may be able to analyze all the 
compositae, or to recognize all the species of oaks, even if they 
have learned their lessons well in school, and yet we do not 
doubt that there is profit in the teaching of systematic botany. So 
there may be in teaching the elements of systematic geography. 
Let the scholar learn a few simple forms well, as he surely can 
without difficulty ; he will recognize these when he sees them, 
and, finding meaning in their form, he will be convinced that 
there is meaning also in the more complicated forms that his 
slight study has not deciphered. He may even come to conceive 
that he has not "finished" geography, and that it is capable of 
advanced study for its own sake. 
Cambridge, Mass., February, i88g. 
