She and I, Volume 2: A Love Story. A Life History.Hutcheson, John C. (John Conroy)
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She and I, Volume 2: A Love Story. A Life History.
Hutcheson, John C. (John Conroy)
Love stories
Instead of making boys and girls con so many pages, say, of the
geography of China, at the same time that they are wading through the
history of the Norman Conquest, for instance; those two subjects should
be made to bear the one upon the other.
The deeds of Duke Robert would lead to a consideration of the places
mentioned in connection with them, their geographical position, geology,
local traditions, celebrities, and other archaeological associations;
while, their after-bearing on the history of our country should not be
omitted.
The doings of the Black Prince might, also be exampled as inducing the
study of the geography of northern France. Cressy, and Poitiers, and
Agincourt, might, naturally, suggest the first use of gunpowder, its
composition, and invention; and, then, the improvements in modern
weapons of war would follow as a natural consequence, which would end in
their being compared with the old flint implements, that are so
frequently found to the delight of antiquaries' hearts.
In this way, the literature of any particular period might be combined
with its history and geography:--science, and other technical matters,
being incidentally introduced; and, the pupil's imagination, in
addition, kept in play, by allowing him or her to peruse such good
historical novels and light essays as would bear upon the life and times
of the people of whom they were reading.
Celebrated battles of the world, memorable deeds, and famous men, would
then no longer be classed in separate order, as so many bald facts, and
dates, and names, to be learnt and remembered in chronological sequence;
but, the young student would take such deep interest in them from the
various pieces of desultory and comprehensive information he may have
picked up in reference, that he could tell you "all about them" in
succinct narrative--in lieu of merely being only able to mention their
bare statistical connections.
You may urge, perhaps, that this system would take a long time to work;
and that a large portion of the knowledge thus learnt would be quickly
forgotten?
But, to the first objection I would reply, that, I do not see why it
should take any longer than the ordinary practice of educating children,
now in vogue; as, instead of considering the various subjects
separately, they would only be taught the same things contemporaneously,
as parts of a whole; and, I certainly would be inclined to "back" one of
my scholars, if I instructed any on the principle, to know more of the
general history and polity of the world and of the different countries
respectively that compose it--besides possessing a fair acquaintance
with modern literature and science--than one taught in the old fashion
for thrice the time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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