﻿HISTORY STUDY IJsT THE ELEMEi^TARY SCHOOLS 



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effective work on the pai-t of teachers and supervisors seems to be 

 needed. As long as requirements are given in a general way, little 

 collateral reading will be done. Unless there is strict supervision 

 of what is done, it ^dll certainly be haphazard and of little value. 



Summary. (1) In a given system, little flexibility in the ma- 

 terial of the course of study is permitted. In most cases, all 

 schools of a system are compelled to follow the same course rather 

 closely. Whether or not the flexibility^ permitted in respect to 

 method is conducive to the best work is doubtful. 



(2) Textbooks in the hands of the pupils are most common in 

 grades Y, YI, YII. and YIII. There is a slight tendency to include 

 the fourth gTacle. The chances are small that textbooks in the 

 hands of the pupils will ever go much below the fourth grade. 

 They will be used below this grade for supplementary reading, 

 but not as texts in history. 



(3) There is either much lethargy^, or actual opposition, to re- 

 cjuiring notebooks in elementarv^ history. One hundred and six 

 of the 251 systems reporting do not recpiire notebooks. The im- 

 portant cjuestion here concerns what should be placed in the note- 

 books rather than whether or not they should be reciuired. Along 

 with the requirement to keep a book should go at least a suggestion 

 as to what exercises are worth placing in the books and some di- 

 rections as to the form in which such exercises are to appear. 



(4) The requirement concerning map-making is very general. 

 Some sort of maps are required in all gTades. Almost the same 

 requirements hold for the two upper grades. A rapid decrease is 

 noticed as the first gi^ade is approached. Much effective supervision 

 can be done by indicating what maps are to be drawn and how 

 often, rather than by leaving the whole matter to the teacher in 

 charge. There is absolutely no uniformity existing about how 

 often maps are to be made. When such a condition exists, maps 

 are made if time permits and materials are near at hand. 



(5) How to manage and how to secure the proper amount of 

 collateral reading in the grades are c[uestions that are yet un- 

 solved. Two things Yery much needed as sho^vn by the answers 

 are suitable reference books and some definite system of cheeking 

 the work after it has been done. The answers to the direct question 

 here show that such work is very generally required, but the an- 

 swers to the amount done also show that there is much uncertainty 

 as to both the method of doing it and the amount to be done. 



