A Guide to Methods and Observation in History Part 5

(_a_) Units of measurement: day, month, year, decade, century, administration, sovereignty, ministry, epoch, era, and the unit determined by the movement of the events themselves as they naturally cohere.

(_b_) Dates as agencies for a.s.signing definite position in time.

2. Place Element: The where, or geography.

(_a_) Units of location: continent, nation, empire, kingdom, state, section, region, district, town, city, county, and the geographical groups or centers formed by the events themselves as they cohere.

3. Physical Element:

(_a_) Climate and meteorology affecting

(1) Character of the people.

(2) Occupations.

(_b_) Topography, affecting

(1) Movement of races, armies, productions, etc.

(2) Size and boundaries of states.

(3) Location and character of cities.

(4) Industries.

(5) Trade and transportation.

(_c_) Natural resources, soil, and products, affecting

(1) Livelihood.

(2) Character of people.

(_d_) Violent and infrequent phenomena of nature, earthquakes, storms, eclipses, comets, volcanic eruptions, etc., affecting

(1) Beliefs and actions of people.

4. Human Element.

(_a_) The national or race spirit.

(_b_) The religious emotions and aspirations.

(_c_) The sentimental interests.

(_d_) The _Zeitgeist_ or spirit of the age.

(_e_) The genius of individuals.

5. Superhuman Element.

(_a_) The moral order in the universe, or the seeming law that rules thoughts, feelings, and actions of men--the law of cause and effect.

QUERIES

1. Which time-units are most commonly used in the cla.s.ses you have observed? Do you approve of the custom?

2. What advantage is gained from the use of such units over what is gained in using other units?

3. Are there any of the units mentioned that ought to be used sparingly, if at all?

4. Does the teacher observed stress dates sufficiently? Does she over-stress them?

5. Under what circ.u.mstances should a date be learned?

6. What is the best method of getting pupils to remember dates?

7. How many dates ought to be required in any course in history in the high school?

8. What principle of selection ought to guide in the choice?

9. Is it wise to require the learning of some dates for the recitation period only with the expectation that they shall then fade from the mind?

10. Is it wise to drill on dates frequently?

11. What is the value of memorized dates?

12. What would be your views respecting the following list of dates (learned in their full significance) as the only fixed required dates for the entire high school course: B.C. 1000; 776; 594; 500; 459; 323; 264; 146; 59; 31; A.D. 313; 395; 476; 527; 622; 732; 800; 843; 962; 1066; 1095; 1215; 1400; 1453; 1492; 1517; 1588; 1598; 1603; 1609; 1620; 1648; 1688; 1776; 1789: 1815; 1830; 1848; 1861; 1867; 1871; 1898.

13. Does the teacher always seek to connect historical events with geography?

14. Is such connection real or merely verbal?

15. What methods are used to bring about this permanent a.s.sociation of event and place in the minds of the pupils?

16. What "unit of location" is chiefly used? Is this wise?

17. What is the real importance of stressing geography while studying history?

18. Are students expected to make use of outline maps?

19. How many such maps does each student make during the semester?

20. Are the maps made during given recitation periods under the supervision of the teacher, or at the convenience of the students?

Which is the better plan?

21. Do the students devote much time to map-making?