TEACHING OF HISTORY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18400, 5 June 1925, Page 10

TEACHING OF HISTORY.

DISCUSSION OF COMMIT-

TEE'S REPORT.

"A rehash of the old syllabus," "tending to Wood and thunder," "a hotpotch,"- "too indefinite," "a good attempt"—such were the expression used to describe, the report which bad been made by a special committee to enquire into the teaching, of history in' primary schools. These remarks were made at a meeting of the Christ • church Historical. Association held last evening.

Professor J. Hight- presided oyer an attendance of about thirty members.. Mr G. Lawn led the criticism, which was ireplied tp by Mr J. Wilson. Mr Lawn began by challenging the opinion that the study of biography' was of such high Value. ' Again,, the report stated that the study of tory in tho primary school should be confined to English history, and that foreign history should be introduced only when England came into conflict with these nations. Tho relation of the life and development of tho people was of much more value than tho struggles between these two nations. The whole syllabus showed a bias towards thei'bloocl and thunder" type of history. The whole sequence of historical study must be interwoven, to be of use to the child of Standard 111. Then there is talk about: the new spirit or history and its teaching, continued. Mr Lawn, but there is no indication'of what is meant by this expression in the whole report. In giving his idea of an alternative scheme, Mr Lawn' v said that tho child was vii> ally interested' in the everyday life of his ancestors. This was what aroused his interest. The speaker suggested a division of the history into chronological periods for the different standards.

Mr H. P. Penlington said that be placed great-value on those unrelated biographical stories such as that of "King Alfred and the Cakes." He also pointed out that the report made many suggestions, some of which" would appeal to some teachers and some to others. Mr \V. W. Kountree also stressed the prominence of "Blood and Thunder" in the 'syllabus. . ». ■ ' History, from the human viewpoint, ■was the /essence of history teaching, according to Mr Allan. The primary object o£ history was to give the pupil something which would be valuable to him in after life. Mr J. G. Poison said that the duty of the primary schools was to send the children out with a love of history. He thought the primary schools were attempting too much. It was better to do a little well.

Mr F, J. .Wison, one of the committee who produced tho report, replied to the criticism. He said that the chief speaker, Mr Lawn, had approached the report from the wrong end. It was easy to pick out specific examples and contrast them in au adverse manner. Further, no report could tell exactly what should be done. Circumstances altered eases, and there was adequate scope left by the report for the .employment of original genius. A report embodying everything, was an,impossible production. The trouble was to know what to leave out not what to put in. The teaching of history depended primarily on the teacher and his personality. A syllabus could not teach history. He " upheld the value of biographies and disconnected stories of historical events. He showed himself absolutely against any return to tho study of history "in chronological periods—it had already worked too much evil. It was directly contrary to the psychology of child mind. A generaloutline was the end at which to aimi