﻿HISTOKY STUDY IN THE ELEMENTAKY SCHOOLS 



23 



Grade 



Frequency 



Grade VIII 



Grade I . 

 Grade II 

 Grade III 

 Grade IV 

 Grade V . 

 Grade VI 

 Grade VII 



7 

 7 

 7 



12 

 16 

 24 

 31 

 91 



The increased occnrrence from the first to the eighth grade is 

 very evident from the ahove table. The large difference in the 

 number teaching civics in the seventh and eighth grades is due to 

 the fact that the study of the Federal Constitution is often the 

 only work done in civics, and this study generally takes place in 

 the eighth grade. 



In the matter of time spent on civics, one-half year is the most 

 common in those systems teaching it as a separate course. When 

 it is taught as a part of United States history it is not possible to 

 say just how much time is given to one and how much to the other. 

 The answers indicate that but little time is usually given to the 

 subject when treated separately. The least time given is one 

 month ; the most, is one year. 



On the whole, the answers show a rather unsettled condition in 

 the matter of civics teaching. Such answers^ as 'none, but should be 

 some', 'little, need more', indicate that there is a growing sentiment 

 in favor of the subject. One superintendent gives as an objection 

 to teaching history and civics together the following: 'The strong 

 history teacher makes it all history, while the strong civics teacher 

 makes it all civics'. Another suggests that we need a new civics 

 written, which he thinks might solve some of the difficulties. The 

 writer was somewhat surprised to find no larger use of such books 

 as Gulick's 'To\^tl and City' and Dunn's 'Community and the 

 Citizen '. 



One hundred and thirty out of the 229 answering this question 

 think that civics can best be taught in connection with American 

 history, sixty-one would teach it as a separate course, the remainder 

 give a variety of answers. Some of the typical ones are : ' Taught 

 1 both ways'; 'separate in eighth, together in others'; 'local govern- 

 ment separate, national government with history'; 'separate but 

 continually related to history'; 'constitution with history, remain- 

 der separate' ; 'together if have suitable text' ; 'separate up to fifth, 

 then with history'; 'does not interest pupils as separate course'; 

 'parallel to last half of eighth, then separate'. 



