﻿HISTORY STUDY IX THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 51 



replying to the question. The following is a summary of such re- 

 quirements, the number of school systems having them is indicated 

 by the numbers in parentheses: All doing the same amount (138) ; 

 most required, some optional in lower grades (5) ; history stories 

 in third grade optional (1) ; part the same, extra optional (2) ; 

 much optional (3) ; modifications often required (1) ; uniform, ex- 

 cept English history optional in seventh or eighth grade (1) ; 

 same amount in grades YI, VII, and VIII (3) ; part is optional 

 (8) ; all required in grades IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII (5) ; same 

 work done in grades V, VI, VII, and VIII (7) ; American ele- 

 mentary history required (1) ; required in grades VII and VIII, 

 other optional (4) ; country schools do not do all (1) ; all do the 

 same in eighth grade (1) ; some of the reading is optional (1) ; 

 amount required depends upon the class (1) ; requirements not so 

 rigid as in reading, language and arithmetic (1) ; optional (2) ; 

 all do not do the same (2) ; optional in grade I, required in all 

 others (3) ; course suggested, material left to the teacher (1) ; 

 some optional in schools containing many foreign children (1) ; 

 all required where school is not crowded (1). 



The above tabulation shows that in the lower grades the amount 

 of work done may ysltj. Twenty-four out of the fifty-seven cases 

 not requiring the same amount, require the same in grades VII 

 and VIII ; twelve require the same amount in grades V, VI, VII, 

 and VIII; while eight require the same amount in grades IV, V. 

 VI, VII, and VIII. These figures show that in systems where the 

 custom is not to require all to do the same, there is a gradual 

 movement downward from the eighth grade. This fact is also in 

 harmony vsdth the fact that history has been moving do^^mward 

 from the eighth grade toward the first ever since it got into the 

 elementary curriculum. 



The conclusions from the data in the answers to the question 

 are: (1) There is evidence that requirements in the Avork in 

 history are fast becoming as rigid as those in the three E,'s, ap- 

 proximately 70 per cent of the 195 school systems requiring each 

 grade to do the work outlined. (2) In the school systems not 

 requiring aU to do the same amount of work, there is a tendency 

 ' to extend the requirements to include the first grade. 



Tlie Use of a Textbook in History Teaching. The tendency to 

 use a textbook in the hand of the pupils is rather general even down 

 to and including the fifth grade. Two hundred sixty-seven of the 

 replies reported on the use of textbooks. A few of this number 

 use them merely as supplementary readers. Of those using books 



