An extensive exhibit of historical material, comprising maps, charts, pictures, casts, atlases and models had been procured and displayed by a committee of the Association consisting of Prof. Arthur I. Andrews, of Simmons College, chairman; Prof. W. S. Ferguson, Miss Ellen S. Davison, Mr. L. R. Wells, Miss Mabelle Moses and Mr. W. H. Cushing. In his brief report Professor Andrews acknowledged the debt due Teachers’ College both for the idea and for many models and pictures loaned for this exhibition. The watchword of the committee has been: “Show the attainable.” We have aimed, said Professor Andrews, to place on exhibition articles and samples of articles that can, at a reasonable expense, be introduced into any class-room. In addition to the loans from Teachers’ College, much was imported for the exhibition by Messrs. G. Stechert & Co.; other articles were loaned by the publishers, and some were bought outright by the Association. A special feature of the exhibit was the large number of the Hensell and Rausch models, probably the largest collection ever displayed in this country. As at the Teachers’ College exhibition, one of the most helpful features was the collection of mounted pictures illustrative of various phases of life and conditions, showing the possibilities in this line where the expense is trifling. It is the intention of the committee to prepare lists of typical collections of maps, charts and models costing twenty-five, fifty, one hundred, two hundred and five hundred dollars. After referring to the cost of various portions of the exhibit, Professor Andrews summed up as follows: “It will be seen, then, that two things are fairly clear; first, that a collection of the best material, up-to-date in every way and including samples of the best models, the best series of maps, the latest charts, and the best pictures of every kind, could be got together by this Association at a very moderate cost; secondly, such a collection, showing the exact cost of each article, would be valuable to the teacher who has a limited appropriation and who needs to see for herself in the easiest possible way just what she wants and just what she can pay for.”
The enthusiasm of your committee has been aroused by the contemplation of great ideas as to the permanency of this collection. We hope to arrange for the proper housing of these exhibits, making it accessible to teachers and classes visiting Boston, and we also hope to arrange for transporting it to other parts of New England where it may be on exhibition in connection with educational meetings. Undoubtedly it will be a feature of the forthcoming meeting of the N. E. A. in Boston in July.
Miss Ellen Scott Davison, of Bradford Academy, spoke briefly on some practical uses of pictures, and told of the practices in German schools which she visited last summer.
The guest of the Association at its luncheon was General Edward Anderson, who spoke most entertainingly of his recollections of Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, John Brown and other leaders and incidents of the Civil War period. As President Evans characterized it, it was the genuine source method of instruction by an accomplished speaker.
Before ordering for the fall be sure to inspect the
McKinley Historical Note-Books
These note-books consist of the McKinley Outline Maps combined with blank leaves to constitute an historical note-book of 104 pages; the back of each map and every other sheet being left blank for class notes or comment upon the maps. Many teachers have required their scholars to paste or bind McKinley Outline Maps in their note-books; the new arrangement furnishes the maps already printed in the book, at a price about the same as that asked for a note-book of blank leaves.
Four Books in the Series: For American History, for English History, for Ancient History, and for European History.
Price: 22 cents (net) each