Proceedings of the North Central History Teachers’ Association.
The annual report of this association, containing the papers and discussions of the April meeting, was issued during the summer. As usual, it contains much which will repay careful reading and reflection even by those who were fortunate enough to be present at the meeting. Professor Samuel B. Harding, of Indiana University, in treating of “Some Concrete Problems in the Teaching of Medieval and Modern History,” opposed the plan of teaching this field of history on the “single nation” plan. With regard to the proportion of time to be allotted the parts of this course, he advocated giving roughly one-third to the period 800 A.D.-1500 A.D.; another one-third to the period ending with 1789, and the final one-third to the French Revolution and the 19th century. He suggested several devices for emphasizing the “time” problem, or chronology, urged the use of maps, and especially called attention to the greatest problem, how to make history concrete, how to make it definite. The speaker advocated the regular use of note-books and urged a greater use of pictures.
In considering “What Changes Should be Made in the Report of the Committee of Seven?” Professor A. C. McLaughlin referred to the complaint, especially in the East, against the great length of the course in ancient history. He gave reasons why it had seemed desirable to the Committee of Seven to continue the study of Roman history to 800 A.D., and predicted that the Committee of Five will cling to that year, “but recommend, more decidedly and with more assurance than did the earlier report, the somewhat hasty perusal of the period from 300 to 800. It may be desirable to state very distinctly and definitely what topics should be taken up....
“The most perplexing question is how the general history of Western Europe should be treated from 800 or thereabouts to the present time.” The speaker would not change the general arrangement of the four blocks recommended in the old report, but advised a very hurried treatment of the first six or eight hundred years. (Compare Professor Harding, above.) There are serious objections to giving up a continuous and unbroken treatment of English history as is sometimes recommended.
In its recommendation on Civil Government the Committee of Seven seems to have been misunderstood. The old report did not advise that separate courses in civil government should not be given. It urged a strong combined course in American history and government in preference to two separate weak courses. In any case they should be taught as interrelated and interdependent subjects.
At the business meeting of the association, Carl E. Pray, of the Normal School, Milwaukee, was elected president, and George H. Gaston, of the Wendell Phillips High School, Chicago, was re-elected secretary.