The Teaching of History
The Junior History Series, Edited by the late Professor H. W. C. Davis ; Drake, by J. D. Upcott ; Queen Elizabeth, by J. Plunket ; The Age of Discovery, by R. Power ; Robert Clive, by R. Gatty ; Joan of Arc, by M. 0. Davis ; Napoleon, by C. R. Cleans ; William the Conqueror, by Mrs. F. M. Stenton ; The Emperor Charles V, by T. M. Ragg ; Nelson, by J. D. Upcott. (G. P. Putnam's Sons. 2s. 6d. each volume.) MOST people are agreed—with a notable exception in Mr. Henry Ford, for whom " history is bunk "—that a knowledge of history is desirable and useful to the citizen of a democratic state. We have, therefore, seen of late years a great extension of history teaching, in the universities and in all schools. But, as the subject has gained ground, its difficulty has been more fully realized. How are children to be taught history ? Should they be given the broad outlines of long stretches of the past— the history of the world—or of Europe, or even of England, from the Bronze Age onwards—or should they be told about selected periods and episodes or about famous men and women? The trouble with the outline method is that it is necessarily dull, except to the very few youthful minds that delight in
history. An inspired teacher can, perhaps, make any topic interesting, even if it is as complex as the English Reformation or the War of the Spanish Succession or the Napoleonic wars. But as the oral lesson must be supplemented, even in the elementary school, by some reading, unhappy children brought up on the outline method are expected to derive pleasure and instruction from dreadful little text-books which condense a century into a chapter and make every period or episode equally unattractive. It is no wonder that so many young people hate history and avoid it like the plague when they have left school.
The wise men and women at the County Hall who look after the elementary schools have long since had doubts about the outline method of history teaching and have experimented freely in other directions. Some account of past and present practices in the London elementary schools is given in a report published by the Board of Education last year. When Sir Robert Blair was Education Officer, he summoned a conference of leading historians and asked them to advise how history should best be taught. The conclusions of that conference have had no small effect on the teaching in many schools, where the teachers were interested in history and were encouraged to develop their work on modem lines. It may
be added that in the yearly examination for supplementary county scholarships, designed to select all children who would benefit by going on to central or secondary schools, the history papers have evolved into really admirable tests of intelligence and taste. The Board of Education is, perhaps rightly, readier to criticize than to praise. But it gives credit to many of the London teachers for their success in making history attractive to their young pupils. That, after all, is what was wanted. And it has been achieved, not by trying to give children of
eleven or twelve " so comprehensive a knowledge and under- standing of British history as will in itself equip them for the
duties of citizenship "—a fantastic ideal in the case of children leaving school at fourteen—but by causing them to be interested in great personages and great events. " We are more than ever convinced," say the Board's experts, " that the history syllabus in the majority of schools should be built round the stories of the great men and women of the past." And again,
" few writers of history have influenced subsequent ages as has Plutarch, and the teacher in the elementary school might do. worse than take Plutarch as his model." . .
The average teacher would probably welcome this con- clusion. It is, we are convinced, profoundly true. Great men have influenced the course of history, for good or ill, far more than the narrow specialists will allow. In any case their lives and fortunes are picturesque and fascinating to young and old alike. But oral teaching is not enough. The children must be induced to read for themselves. If they once begin, they may go on reading all their lives. But what are they to read ? Hitherto, as has been said, the highly condensed text- book, arid and often incomprehensible, has held the field. No child can derive any satisfaction from such books. There is need for something brighter, more vivid, more intelligent.
In their new " Junior History Series," Messrs. Putnam have made a commendable attempt to supply what is wanted. The late Professor Davis, whose early death Oxford has had reason to deplore, planned the series so as to group periods of history round great personalities. Joan of Arc and the Making of the French Nation, The Emperor Charles V and the Rise of Modern Europe, Sir Francis Draheitnd the Making of English Sea Power, Robert Clive and the Story of India—such titles suggest the scope and purpose of these little books, which are well printed, attractively illustrated and remarkably cheap. The task, however, was no easy one. The authors are all competent but it may be doubted whether some of them kept before them the special audience of juniors whom they were addressing. Several of these books are decidedly difficult and assume far too much knowledge and experience in the reader ; one or two of the authors indulge a pretty taste in epigram which is here misplaced. Again, there is the question whether biographical details should be subordinated to historical summaries. The life of Clive, for instance, is excellent, especially the full story of the Madras campaign in which he made his reputation ; but it was a mistake to add a very jejune sketch of Indian history from his time to the present day. The " Charles V " is good and spirited, but in places would perplex a young reader. " Drake " is attractive, and " Nelson " too ; they are relatively easy themes. " The Age of Discovery" is perhaps the best of all, for Miss Rhoda Power knows how to write for juveniles and is full of her subject. " Joan of Arc " on the other hand is submerged in a very creditable but hardly inspiring account of her times. We freely admit the difficulty of the problem that confronted these writers. Experience will help in solving it more com- pletely. Yet it would be ungracious not to add that, as a series, this is a really useful addition to the history teachers' resources. If these engaging little books were put in the hands of children, history would lose much of the terror that the conventional text-book inspires in the youthful mind.
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