Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 10: The Guide

For Argument:

1. 1. Was the Second Traveler in the Right? See The Two Travelers, Volume I, page 109.
2. 2. Were the Three Men Perfectly Healthy? See We Plan a River Trip, V, 443.
3. 3. Was the Punishment of the Ancient Mariner Just? See The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, VII, 29.
4. 4. Was it Sensible for Casabianca to Remain on the Burning Ship? See Casabianca, VIII, 313.
5. 5. Should Warren Hastings Have Been Convicted? See The Impeachment of Warren Hastings, IX, 32.

CHAPTER XV

Journeys Through Bookland in Its Relation to the School—(Continued)

Nature Study

There is among some an unfortunate tendency to go too much to books for material and to seize too quickly any suggestion that leads in that direction. Yet books are valuable at the proper time and in the proper place. When facts have been learned, they may be made vital by good literary selections; when facts not accessible by observation are needed, they may be obtained through books. On the other hand, literature is full of allusions to natural facts and phenomena and may only be understood by him who knows nature. Both phases of the subject are of vital interest.

Instead of attempting any systematic outline for nature study we will here try to give help on two problems only:

First. How may nature study be broadened by the use of literature?

Second. How may the study of nature help in the appreciation of literature?

I.

A. Seven Long Selections.

1. Tom, the Water Baby (Volume II, page 215). This is one of the most charming stories in the book, especially for young children, though older ones and even people of mature years will enjoy it thoroughly. Tom, a little chimney sweep, after perilous adventures, dies, or rather turns into a newt or eft, a water baby. His exciting life thereafter is in the waters, where he meets many of its strange denizens. The whole story is highly imaginative, humorous, and full of fine lessons, beautifully given. The more important of his adventures, from our point of view, are concerned with the following:

• The Caddis Fly, pages 261-264.
• The Dragon Fly, pages 264-265.
• The Sand Fly, pages 267-269.
• Otters, pages 270-271, 273-274.
• Salmon, pages 272, 279-283.
• Tides, page 287.
• The Turbot, page 289.
• Lobsters, pages 292-294, 300-303.
• Sea Cucumbers, page 297.
• Great Auk, page 339.
• Mother Carey’s Chickens (Stormy Petrels), page 344.

2. Robinson Crusoe (Volume III, page 45). Two chapters only are given from this great story, but the first, dealing with the capture and education of Crusoe’s man Friday, may be worth while to read in connection with studies of savage races. It is not altogether scientific.

3. The Swiss Family Robinson (Volume III, page 99). This famous old story will be charming to children for many generations to come. It is a tale of the wonderful struggle of a family against nature. It may be a fact that it is unreasonable and impossible; that not all the seeming facts are true; that nature never plays so perfectly into the hand of man; that not all the living things mentioned are to be found in one locality. But it is clean, wholesome adventure, and the errors in it will do no harm. Many a good language lesson and many an addition to nature lessons may be drawn from it. The efforts of the family to utilize what they find, though too successful, are worthy of imitation. Some of the more interesting things met by the family are the following:

• Lobsters, page 113.
• Oysters, pages 114, 117.
• Agouti, page 116, with a picture on page 116.
• Cocoanuts, pages 125-128.
• Calabash Trees, page 123.
• Monkeys and Cocoanuts, pages 125-128.
• Shark, page 138.
• Turtle, pages 145-149.
• Penguins (picture), page 152, pages 151-153.
• Cassava Bread, pages 154-157.
• Caoutchouc, page 170.
• Onager (Wild Ass), pages 171-174 (picture, page 172).
• New Zealand Flax, pages 175-176.
• Flamingo, page 177.
• Salt Cavern, pages 180-185.
• Herrings, pages 187-188.
• Gypsum, page 188.
• Boa Constrictor, pages 192-195.
• Ostrich, pages 206-215.
• Walrus, page 222.
• Hyenas, pages 227-228.
• Lions, pages 252-256.

4. Brute Neighbors (Volume VII, page 260) is an interesting essay by Henry David Thoreau, the most delightful of American naturalist writers. In this essay he chats familiarly about the animals that surround his cottage in the woods, and shows the closeness of his observation as well as the breadth of his general knowledge. It is a nature study in itself as a whole. Besides mention of other animals, he tells interesting anecdotes of the following:

• A Wild Mouse, page 261.
• The Partridge, as the ruffed grouse is called in New England, pages 262-263.
• The Woodcock, page 264.
• The Fighting Ants, pages 264-268.
• The Loon, pages 270-274.

5. The Pond in Winter (Volume VII, page 280). This is another of Thoreau’s charming essays in natural history. It contains a pretty description of the snow and ice covered pond (page 280), an account of fishing through the ice (pages 282-283), and a vivid description of the pickerel (pages 283-284).

6. Winter Animals (Volume VII, page 293) is a third one of Thoreau’s essays. An analysis shows that he tells something of all the following interesting things:

1. I. Winter routes over lakes, pages 293-294.
2. II. Sounds by day and night.
3. a. The melodious note of a hooting owl, page 294.
4. b. The honking of a goose, page 294.
5. c. The harsh and tremulous call of a cat-owl, page 294.
6. d. The whooping of the ice, page 295.
7. e. The barking of foxes, page 295.
8. f. The feet of the red squirrel down the sides of the house, page 295.
9. g. The discordant screams of the jays, page 298.
10. h. The wiry note of the chickadee, page 298.
11. i. The whirring wings of the partridges, page 299.
12. j. The yelping of hounds, and the hunting horn (including fox hunting), pages 300-304.
13. III. The destructiveness of squirrels and wild mice, pages 296-297.
14. IV. The hares, pages 304-305.

7. Trees and Ants That Help Each Other (Volume VII, page 306) is a selection from the writings of Thomas Belt. It is an extremely interesting account of some of the curious adaptations of plants and animals to each other, as is indicated sufficiently by the title. An outline of the essay follows:

1. I. A species of acacia, pages 306-309.
2. 1. Houses and feeds ants.
3. a. Houses in thorns.
4. b. Feeds (1) by glands and (2) by a pear-shaped appendage.
5. 2. Ants protect trees.
6. 3. Each seems beneficial to the other.
7. II. A cecropia, or trumpet tree, pages 309-311.
8. 1. Houses and feeds ants.
9. a. Houses in hollow stems.
10. b. Feeds ants through herds of plant-lice that suck juices of plant and secrete honey.
11. 2. Ants protect trees.
12. 3. Apparently beneficial to all.
13. III. An evergreen shrub.
14. 1. Houses and (probably) feeds ants.
15. a. Houses in pouches at base of leaves.
16. b. Probably feeds ants through the services of scale insects and plant-lice.
17. 2. Ants protect shrubs.
18. 3. Probably beneficial to all.
19. IV. Plants feeding ants, pages 311-312.
20. 1. Orchids.
21. 2. Passion flowers.
22. 3. Dog rose.

B. Classified Selections

1. I. Flowers and plant life:
2. a. Nursery rhymes:
3. (1) Daffy-Down-Dilly Has Come Up to Town, Volume I, page 47.
4. (2) Mary, Mary Quite Contrary, I, 30.
5. b. Fables:
6. (1) The Boy and the Nettle, Volume I, page 65.
7. (2) The Fox and the Grapes, I, 135.
8. c. Fairy Tales:
9. (1) The Tree, Volume I, page 301.
10. (2) The Flax, I, 378.
11. (3) The Fir Tree, II, 68.
12. d. Poems:
13. (1) The Reaper and the Flowers, Volume I, page 410.
14. (2) John’s Pumpkin, III, 1.
15. (3) The Potato, II, 467.
16. (4) The Moss Rose, VI, 98.
17. (5) The Daffodils, VII, 1.
18. (6) To the Fringed Gentian, VII, 4.
19. (7) To a Mountain Daisy, VII, 8.
20. (8) The Petrified Fern, VII, 77.
21. e. An interesting essay:
22. (1) A Bed of Nettles, Volume VIII, page 209.
23. f. See references to The Swiss Family Robinson and Trees and Ants That Help Each Other, in the earlier part of this section.
24. II. Birds:
25. a. Nursery rhymes:
26. (1) Lady Bird, Lady Bird, Volume I, page 12.
27. (2) Higgledy, Piggledy, I, 20.
28. (3) Poor Robin, I, 16.
29. b. Poems:
30. (1) Little Birdie, Volume I, page 142.
31. (2) The Brown Thrush, I, page 147.
32. (3) The English Robin, II, 214.
33. (4) Who Stole the Bird’s Nest? II, 399.
34. (5) Four Ducks on a Pond, VI, 98.
35. (6) The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, VII, 29.
36. (7) Ode to a Skylark, VII, 275
37. (8) To a Waterfowl, VII, 395.
38. (9) The Romance of the Swan’s Nest, VIII, 315.
39. c. Fables:
40. (1) The Fox and the Crow, Volume I, page 64.
41. (2) The Fox and the Stork, I, 73.
42. (3) The Wolf and the Crane, I, 96.
43. (4) The Lark and Her Young Ones, I, 131.
44. (5) The Owl and the Pussy Cat, I, 339.
45. (6) Minerva and the Owl, II, 7.
46. d. Fairy Story:
47. (1) The Ugly Duckling, Volume I, page 414.
48. e. An Essay:
49. (1) Owls, IX, page 229.
50. f. See also references to Tom, the Water Baby, The Swiss Family Robinson, Brute Neighbors, and Winter Animals, in earlier parts of this section.
51. III. Four-footed animals:
52. a. Nursery rhymes:
53. (1) Ding Dong Bell, Volume I, page 15.
54. (2) Little Bo Peep, I, 9.
55. (3) Old Mother Hubbard, I, 24.
56. (4) Three Little Kittens, I, 13.
57. (5) Baa, Baa, Black Sheep I, 8.
58. b. Fables:
59. (1) The Fox and the Crow, Volume I, page 64.
60. (2) The Ass in the Lion’s Skin, I, 65.
61. (3) The Fox and the Stork, I, 73.
62. (4) The Gnat and the Bull, I, 70.
63. (5) The Lion and the Mouse, I, 75.
64. (6) The Wolf and the Crane, I, 96.
65. (7) The Fox and the Grapes, I, 135.
66. (8) The Bat and the Two Weasels, I, 154.
67. (9) The Owl and the Pussy Cat, I, 339.
68. (10) The Horse and the Stag, I, 338.
69. (11) The Fox, the Wolf, and the Horse, I, 377.
70. (12) The Wolf and the Lamb, I, 455.
71. c. Poetry:
72. (1) The Cow, Volume I, page 106.
73. (2) Mercy to Animals, I, 413.
74. (3) How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix, V, 335.
75. (4) To a Mouse, VII, 5.
76. d. Stories:
77. (1) A Dog of Flanders, Volume IV, page 93.
78. (2) The Lion and the Missionary, VI, 93.
79. (3) Rab and His Friends, VI, 99.
80. (4) Elephant Hunting, VI, 385.
81. (5) The Gorilla Hunt, VII, 247.
82. e. Essays:
83. (1) Some Clever Monkeys, Volume VI, page 402.
84. (2) The Buffalo, VII, 96.
85. f. See, also, references to Tom, the Water Baby, The Swiss Family Robinson, Brute Neighbors, and The Pond in Winter, in the earlier part of this section.
86. IV. Reptiles:
87. a. Fable:
88. (1) The Boys and the Frogs, Volume I, page 63.
89. b. See, also, references to Tom, the Water Baby, and The Swiss Family Robinson, in the earlier part of this section.
90. V. Insects:
91. a. Nursery rhyme:
92. (1) Little Miss Muffett, Volume I, page 29.
93. b. Fable:
94. (1) The Gnat and the Bull, I, 70.
95. c. Poem:
96. (1) The Spider and the Fly, III, 19.
97. d. Essay:
98. (1) Trees and Ants That Help Each Other, VII, 306.
99. e. See, also, references to Tom, the Water Baby, in the earlier part of this section.
100. VI. Denizens of the water:
101. a. Fish:
102. (1) Salmon Fishing, Volume VII, page 285.
103. (2) “Pickerel,” in The Pond in Winter, VII, 280.
104. (3) See, also, “Salmon,” in Tom, the Water Baby, II, 272, 279-283.
105. b. See numerous references to Tom, the Water Baby, in the earlier part of this section.
106. VII. Natural Phenomena:
107. a. Nursery rhymes:
108. (1) Rainbow in the Morning, Volume I, page 48.
109. (2) If All the World Were Water, I, 48.
110. b. Poems:
111. (1) Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Volume I, page 44.
112. (2) The Sun’s Travels, I, 68.
113. (3) Rain, I, 110.
114. (4) Autumn Fires, I, 394.
115. (5) The Wind, I, 440.
116. (6) The First Snowfall, II 403.
117. (7) In Time’s Swing, II, 481.
118. (8) Echo, III, 286.
119. (9) The Rainbow, VI, 91.
120. (10) Sweet and Low, VI, 122.
121. (11) The Cloud, VII, 257.
122. c. Fable:
123. (1) The Wind and the Sun, Volume I, page 95.
124. VIII. Geographical in Nature:
125. (1) At the Seaside, Volume I, page 129.
126. (2) From a Railway Carriage, I, 198.
127. (3) Stop, Stop, Pretty Water, I, 317.
128. (4) Song of the Brook, IV, 60.
129. (5) A Descent into the Maelstrom, VIII, 95.
130. (6) Ascent of the Jungfrau, IX, 1.

II

A. To illustrate our method, we will use The King of the Golden River (Volume II, page 405).

1. Assignment. The leader assigns the work as follows: “I wish you to read the first section of The King of the Golden River and write in the order of their occurrence, every mention of a living thing or natural object and every allusion to them. Use the words of the story when possible, but be brief. After each put a number, to show the page of the story. Let us see who can find the greatest number and who can make the best paper.”

2. Preparation. If the children work well their lists will be something like this:

1. a. The valley in the mountains. Page 405.
2. (1) Snow-covered peaks; cataracts; a crag; river; circular hollows.
3. (2) Heavy crops; high hay; red apples; blue grapes; rich wine; sweet honey.
4. (3) Blackbirds; hedgehogs; crickets; cicadas.
5. (4) Corn.
6. b. The wet summer. Page 407.
7. (1) Hay; vines; corn.
8. c. A nice piece of mutton. Page 408.
9. d. Must be the wind. Page 408.
10. e. A black feather some three feet long. Page 409.
11. f. Like a beaten puppy’s tail. Page 410.
12. g. Like a mill stream. Page 410.
13. h. Licking its chops. Page 410.
14. i. A gust of wind that made the old chimneys totter. Page 411.
15. j. Quicksilver-like streams. Page 411.
16. k. Like a straw in the high wind. Page 413.
17. l. A wreath of ragged cloud, that whirled and rolled away down the valley. Page 415.
18. m. A gush of rain. Page 415.
19. n. Howling wind and rushing rain without intermission. Page 415.
20. o. The room was full of water. Page 416.
21. p. A misty moonbeam. Page 416.
22. r. Like a cork. Page 416.
23. s. The inundation. Pages 416-417.
24. (1) Trees; crops; cattle swept away.
25. (2) Red sand and gray mud left in their stead.
26. (3) Corn swept away.
27. (4) Breezy letters.
28. (5) Southwest Wind, Esquire.

3. Recitation. The leader’s part in the recitation is to help the children to classify the things mentioned, to bring out the meaning of the figures of speech, and to see that the allusions are understood.

In writing this fine chapter, Ruskin has mentioned or alluded to the following:

B. A second lesson may confine itself more closely to the figures of speech. Naturally this study of figures belongs with language and literature, but the point we wish to make is one of correlation. There is a literary side to nature study, and a natural history side to literature. Many of the greatest authors have been ardent lovers of nature, and have drawn liberally on their knowledge of nature in beautifying what they have written. Many a reader, from lack of knowledge or from careless habits, passes over the most delightful things, as blind and deaf as he who sees no beauty in the wild flowers and hears no melody in the songs of birds.

For the second lesson of this character we will take the second and third chapters of The King of the Golden River, hoping to find an abundance of figures based on nature in some of its forms. We may not find many. Some writers use few. We suspect that Ruskin used them freely; as a matter of fact he was one of the greatest lovers of nature, a man who labored hard to bring art and nature together and to find a place for them in the lives of all.

We find in the second chapter the following nature figures:

In the third chapter are the following:

CHAPTER XVI

Journeys Through Bookland in Its Relation to the School—(Continued)

Geography and History

The connection between geography and history on the one hand and literature on the other is most intimate. In the first place nearly all our knowledge of history must come through reading, and while we learn our geography most accurately through travel and observation, but a small part of our information comes through those channels. We read incessantly of our own country and others, we fill our minds with visions of plants, animals and the peoples of foreign lands from the facts we gather from the papers, magazines and books. If most of our facts come through reading it is no less true that most of our real interest in geography and history comes not from the facts of our text-books but from the literature we have read, the literature that clothed those facts and made them real and living. Ask yourselves what gave you your first real interest in the history of Scotland and see if your answer is not, “The novels of Scott.” Again, where did you get your first adequate ideas of chivalry and the feudal system if it was not from Ivanhoe or some similar piece of literature? What makes the Crimean War a household word in the homes of two continents if it is not the deeds of Florence Nightingale and Tennyson’s Charge of the Light Brigade? Who can tell most of the Battle of Waterloo, he who has read the facts of history or he who has read Byron’s thrilling poem and the description by Victor Hugo? Who knows the English home as it was? He who reads Goldsmith’s Deserted Village.

It is in furnishing those literary masterpieces that give life to geography and inspiration to history that Journeys Through Bookland gives the best of assistance to boys and girls in their school work. Some of its selections will give facts and many of them, but the facts form the smaller part of the contribution. History is valuable only as it enables us to understand the present, thrills us with the accomplishments of the past and teaches us how to live and act in the future. No man is so wrapped up in business that he does not heed the charm of noble deeds and fails to be moved by glorious achievement. Some histories are literature in themselves and have the inspiring quality we crave, but most of them are too dry and scientific to afford much interest to the child. So the greater part of our selections are not from the books that are called real history but from those which appeal to the imagination and stir the soul. Geographical teaching is likewise indirect in Journeys but it is none the less helpful and inspiring. To prove the truth of these statements we have only to present what the books contain and show how the selections may be used.

It does not seem wise to separate the two subjects too widely, for they are closely related and intimately interwoven in almost all reading. There are, it is true, some masterpieces that may be considered purely geographical and others that are as entirely historical, but these will be easily identified. Yet for ease and readiness in locating them we append a list of nearly one hundred selections and classify them in a simple manner:

1. 1. Largely geographical.
2. a. Juvenile poems with geographical allusions, or based on geographical facts:
3. (1) The Suns Travels, Volume I, page 68.
4. (2) Singing, I, 83.
5. (3) Foreign Lands, I, 130.
6. (4) At the Seaside, I, 129.
7. (5) Old Gaelic Lullaby, I, 203.
8. (6) Where Go the Boats? I, 256.
9. (7) Foreign Children, I, 351.
10. (8) Keepsake Mill, I, 349.
11. (9) Windy Nights, II, 123.
12. (10) Picture Books in Winter, II, 87.
13. (11) The Child’s World, II, 66.
14. b. Stories and poems that describe places or people in Europe and some of their customs and modes of life:
15. (1) The Tree, Volume I, page 301.
16. (2) The Snow Maiden, I, 257.
17. (3) The Snow Queen, II, 124.
18. (4) The Skeleton in Armor, V, 327.
19. (5) Rab and His Friends, VI, 99.
20. (6) The Governor and the Notary, VII, 20.
21. (7) Don Quixote, VII, 431.
22. (8) The Alhambra, VIII, 153.
23. (9) Ascent of the Jungfrau, IX, 1.
24. (10) The Cotters Saturday Night, VIII, 319.
25. c. Fanciful legends with geographical interests:
26. (1) Why the Sea Is Salt, Volume II, page 484.
27. (2) Origin of the Opal, II, 480.
28. d. A Story from Japan.
29. (1) The Mirror of Matsuyana, Volume II, page 36.
30. e. A story of longitude:
31. (1) Three Sundays in a Week, Volume VI, page 453.
32. f. Plants or plant life:
33. (1) The Potato, Volume II, page 467.
34. (2) Trees and Ants That Help Each Other, VII, 306.
35. (3) A Bed of Nettles, VIII, 209.
36. g. Animal life:
37. (1) Salmon Fishing, VII, 285.
38. (2) Winter Animals, VII, 293.
39. (3) Trees and Ants That Help Each Other, VII, 306.
40. (4) Owls, IX, 229.
41. (5) Elephant Hunting, VI, 385.
42. (6) Some Clever Monkeys, VI, 402,
43. (7) The Buffalo, VII, 96.
44. (8) A Gorilla Hunt, VII, 247.
45. (9) Brute Neighbors, VII, 260.
46. (10) The Pond in Winter, VII, 280.
47. h. Natural phenomena:
48. (1) The Cloud, Volume VII, page 257.
49. 2. Indians and their habits. The selections are either historical or geographical or both.
50. a. The Arickara Indians. (A description of the habits and customs of one of the western tribes.) Volume IV, page 472.
51. b. Reminiscences of a Pioneer. (This contains a few interesting anecdotes of Indians and many incidents of pioneer life.) Volume V, page 340.
52. c. Black Hawk Tragedy. (A very interesting biographical and historical sketch.) Volume VII, page 58.
53. d. An Exciting Canoe Race. (A story of the New York Indians at an early day.) Volume VII, page 79.
54. e. David Crockett in the Creek War. (An interesting account of southern Indians and their wars.) Volume VIII, page 37.
55. 3. Biography. The selections in this group consist of anecdotal sketches, brief biographies, extracts from longer works, and a few poems.
56. a. Authors of the United States and of foreign countries:
57. (1) Robert Louis Stevenson, Volume I, page 128.
58. (2) Eugene Field, I, 242.
59. (3) Hans Christian Andersen, II, 81.
60. (4) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, IV, 62.
61. (5) Alice and Phoebe Cary, IV, 116.
62. (6) Nathaniel Hawthorne, IV, 180.
63. (7) Sir Walter Scott, VI, 26.
64. (8) John Greenleaf Whittier, VII, 381.
65. (9) William Cullen Bryant, VII, 391.
66. (10) Oliver Wendell Holmes, VII, 398.
67. (11) James Russell Lowell, VII, 411.
68. (12) Washington Irving, VIII, 216.
69. (13) Charles and Mary Lamb, VIII, 328.
70. b. Biblical Characters:
71. (1) The Story of Joseph, Volume I, page 456.
72. (2) The Story of Esther, II, 448.
73. (3) David, IV, 274.
74. (4) Ruth, VI, 143.
75. c. The author of many fables:
76. (1) Aesop, Volume II, page 1.
77. d. English history:
78. (1) Alfred the Great, Volume IV, 260.
79. (2) Queen Victoria, VII, 152.
80. (3) Florence Nightingale, IX, 13.
81. e. American history:
82. (1) George Rogers Clark, Volume VI, page 422.
83. (2) David Crockett in the Creek War, VIII, 37.
84. (3) Père Marquette, VIII, 121.
85. (4) Abraham Lincoln, IX, 324.
86. f. Roman history:
87. (1) Julius Cæsar, Volume IX, page 126.
88. 4. Myths from several sources:
89. a. Grecian and Roman:
90. (1) Atalanta’s Race, Volume I, page 386.
91. (2) Baucis and Philemon, I, 431.
92. (3) The Golden Touch, II, 43.
93. (4) The Chimera, II, 173.
94. (5) The Story of Phaethon, II, 206.
95. (6) The Queen of the Underworld, II, 468.
96. (7) Cupid and Psyche, III, 365.
97. b. Northern Europe:
98. (1) How the Wolf was Bound, II, 91.
99. (2) The Death of Balder, II, 99.
100. (3) The Punishment of Loki, II, 111.
101. (4) Beowulf and Grendel, III, 350.
102. c. Miscellaneous:
103. (1) Stories of the Creation, Volume IV, page 159.
104. 5. Legendary heroes. The following selections give vivid ideas of the great national heroes whose reputed deeds have been an inspiration to hosts of children in many lands:
105. a. Scandinavian:
106. (1) Frithiof the Bold, Volume III, page 394.
107. b. German:
108. (1) The Story of Siegfried, Volume III, page 410.
109. c. English:
110. (1) Robin Hood, Volume III, page 436.
111. (2) King Arthur, V, 113.
112. (3) Balin and Balan, V, 130.
113. (4) Geraint and Enid, V, 148.
114. (5) The Holy Grail, V, 207.
115. (6) Dissensions at King Arthur’s Court, V, 232.
116. (7) The Passing of Arthur, V, 237.
117. d. French:
118. (1) Roland at Roncesvalles, Volume III, page 460.
119. e. Spanish:
120. (1) The Cid, Volume IV, page 9.
121. f. Greek:
122. (1) The Death of Hector, Volume IV, page 364.
123. (2) Ulysses, IV, 398.
124. g. Roman:
125. (1) Horatius, Volume VI, page 1.
126. 6. Historical tales, poems, and selections of different kinds and varying degrees of difficulty:
127. a. Northern Europe:
128. (1) Holger Danske, Volume II, page 377.
129. (2) Make Way for Liberty, VII, 172.
130. (3) Marco Bozzaris, VIII, 90.
131. b. France and Napoleon:
132. (1) Incident of the French Camp, Volume IV, page 174.
133. (2) Battle of Ivry, VIII, 76.
134. (3) Hervé Riel, VIII, 168.
135. (4) The Battle of Waterloo, VIII, 176.
136. (5) The Battle of Cressy, IX, 161.
137. c. Classic lands:
138. (1) The Wooden Horse, Volume IV, page 383.
139. (2) The Battle of Thermopylae, VIII, 81.
140. (3) The Death of Caesar, IX, 126.
141. (4) The Death of Caesar, IX, 143.
142. (5) Julius Caesar, IX, 155.
143. d. British Isles:
144. (1) Chevy Chase, Volume IV, page 312.
145. (2) The Ballad of Agincourt, V, 95.
146. (3) Some Children’s Books of the Past, V, 101.
147. (4) The Rise of Robert Bruce, V, 278.
148. (5) Bruce and the Spider, V, 314.
149. (6) The Heart of Bruce, V, 316.
150. (7) The Tournament, VI, 38.
151. (8) Bannockburn, VII, 15.
152. (9) The Charge of the Light Brigade, VII, 147.
153. (10) The Recessional, VII, 164.
154. (11) The Battle of Trafalgar, VIII, 284.
155. (12) Casabianca, VIII, 313.
156. (13) The Impeachment of Warren Hastings, IX, 32.
157. (14) The Battle of Cressy, IX, 161.
158. (15) The Battle of Hastings, IX, 330.
159. e. United States:
160. (1) The Pine Tree Shillings, Volume IV, page 192.
161. (2) The Sunken Treasure, IV, 199.
162. (3) The Hutchinson Mob, IV, 208.
163. (4) The Boston Massacre, IV, 217.
164. (5) The Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers in New England, IV, 197.
165. (6) Sheridan’s Ride, IV, 223.
166. (7) Henry Hudson’s Fourth Voyage, V, 254.
167. (8) Reminiscences of a Pioneer, V, 340.
168. (9) Braddock’s Defeat, V, 379.
169. (10) The American Flag, V, 396.
170. (11) Stonewall Jackson’s Way, V, 400.
171. (12) The Capture of Vincennes, VI, 428.
172. (13) The Old Continentals, VII, 175.
173. (14) America, VIII, 60.
174. (15) The Fall of the Alamo, VIII, 141.
175. (16) The Knickerbocker History of New York, VIII, 224.
176. (17) The Battle of Saratoga, IX, 176.
177. (18) The Gettysburg Address, IX, 321.
178. f. America, outside of the United States:
179. (1) The Buccaneers, Volume V, page 359.
180. (2) Captain Morgan at Maracaibo, V, 365.
181. (3) Ringrose and His Buccaneers, VIII, 1.
182. (4) The Retreat of Cortez, VIII, 63.

The object of teaching geography and history is not solely that children may acquire a collection of facts. Too often the lessons in these branches consist merely in memorizing text books, in learning long descriptions, in the study of meaningless maps and in the listing of political and military events in chronological order. The value of such work is comparatively small, and the studies cannot be considered profitable. If, however, children are taught to know and understand people, their habits and modes of life; if they learn geographical facts in their relation to humanity, to study events in the relation of cause to effect, to seek for truth and the meaning of things, then nothing is more productive of good than the teaching of geography and history.

If we accept as true the foregoing statements, then methods of teaching the subjects become clear as we think of them. It is evident that early lessons should be designed to create interest:

(1) In the world of things immediately around us; in the land and what grows and lives upon it; in the water, its relation to the land, its motions, and the life that it contains; in the air, its phenomena and its denizens; in human beings, their feelings and all their activities.

(2) In the great earth as a whole and its parts; in foreign animals and plants; in humanity in other lands.

It appears that so broad an outline as the one just given can never be filled in, that the study of geography and history, the study of the world and its peoples, can never be completed. If such is the case, it follows that the teacher who creates the most vital interest in the subject, who leaves with her pupils the most ardent desire to study and know, has been of greatest service to them.

Now, the great interests of life have their inception in early years when the mind is active, curiosity strong, and instruction accepted without question. Then should be created that abiding interest which will make good students of geography and history, good citizens, good men and women. If too many formal lessons are given them, and pupils are set to work at dreary tasks and are asked to memorize dry facts, it is probable that they will never become good students. How, then, shall an abiding interest be created?

The entrance to the field of geography is through nature study, which is discussed elsewhere under that title. For the first two years of a child’s school life he will hear nothing of geography, and even in the third year there will be little formal reference to it, but all the time he is quietly mastering facts and developing interests that are geographical in their character.

When systematic lessons begin, there should be presented only real facts and genuine things, that bear some close and direct relation to ourselves and that should be matters of personal observation, as far as possible. Day and night in summer and winter, the seasons, the weather, wind, rain, snow, sleet, foods, clothing, the occupations of the neighborhood, the brooks and bodies of water about the school, hills, valleys, plains, plants and animals of the locality, each in turn serves its purpose. We cannot here show how these various subjects should be treated, but to illustrate the use of literature in elementary geography lessons we will present an outline on a single subject. New possibilities will be seen in every direction if frequent use of the list given above is made in finding suitable selections.

If we choose the wind as the subject of our model lesson, we may be sure to cover several recitations that will lead us into reading, nature study and language (oral and written). It is a subject that encourages wide correlation. The outline might be the following:

1. 1. Purpose of the Lesson. To teach the following facts:
2. a. That air occupies space.
3. b. That wind is air in motion and has force.
4. c. The directions and names of winds.
5. d. The uses of winds.
6. 2. Experiments and Observation.
7. a. Take an empty bottle and thrust it squarely, mouth down, into water. Does the water rise in the bottle? (Only a little way.) Why? (It can’t get in. There is air in the bottle.)
8. b. Raise the bottle slowly and tip it slightly so that a part of the mouth is above the water, then push it horizontally into the water. Does the water go into the bottle now? (Yes.) Why? (Because there is no air there to keep it out.) How do you know? (I saw the air coming out in bubbles.) Why didn’t the air come out when we pushed the bottle down the first time? (The water was too heavy; it held the air in.)
9. c. Hold your hand close in front of your mouth and blow. Can you feel anything? (Yes; the air strikes my hand.) When you are out in the wind can you feel it? (Yes; it pushes against me.) Can it push hard? (Yes; sometimes it pushes over trees and houses.) What is the wind? (It is air moving.)
10. d. Is the wind blowing today? Did it blow yesterday? From what direction is it (was it) blowing? How do you know? (I saw trees bending away from it. I felt it pushing from that side. It came in at that window. The vane on the church steeple pointed that way.)
11. e. When a wind comes from the South, what do we call it? (South wind.) When a wind blows from the North what do we call it? (North wind.) What wind brings cold weather? (North.) What wind brings warm weather? (South.) What wind brings long spells of rainy weather? (East.) What wind brings showers and thunderstorms? (South and West.) What winds prevail in summer? (South and West.) What winds prevail in winter? (North.)
12. f. What work have you seen the wind do? (Turn windmills; sail boats.) Have you seen it do any work for us here? (Yes; it drives the clouds that bring us rain. It drives away stormy clouds.) Can’t you think of something else? (It scatters seeds of plants. It shakes nuts from trees. It helps melt snow and ice. It keeps the air clean and pure.)
13. 3. Literature.
14. a. As an introduction to the lesson or in preparation, give the first two stanzas of that beautiful poem by W. B. Rands, The Child’s World (Volume II, page 66).
15. b. In considering the strength of the wind, there is a fine opportunity to introduce the fable The Wind and the Sun (Volume I, page 95).
16. c. Robert Louis Stevenson’s verses, Windy Nights (Volume II, page 123), are entertaining and give an opportunity for nice explanation.
17. d. In the same light as the preceding selection may be regarded the imaginative verses by the same author, The Wind (Volume I, page 440).
18. e. In The King of the Golden River (Volume II) is a humorous personification of the southwest wind. It is strikingly true of the nature of that wind. The description begins on page 408, and a second appearance of the wind is chronicled on page 415.
19. f. Finest of all the selections for this topic is Tennyson’s exquisite lullaby, Sweet and Low (Volume VI, page 122). This is well worth memorizing.

If we wish a model for a history lesson, the following will answer:

One of the interesting characters in history is King Alfred of England, and in the sketch of him (Volume IV, page 260) are facts enough for several elementary lessons in history. The outline for teaching might be as follows:

1. 1. Preparation.
2. a. Read the article above referred to, and such other material concerning Alfred as can be found.
3. b. Select two incidents for story telling and prepare them for recital. (See articles on Story Telling in this Volume.)
4. 2. Presentation.
5. a. Tell the first story (page 260). It might be given in this form:

“More than a thousand years ago, Alfred, the youngest of the four sons of the king, was born. He was a fine lad and the favorite of his parents, but when he was twelve years of age he had not yet learned to read. This is not so strange, when we stop to think that it was long before people knew anything about printing, and every letter in every book had to be slowly made with a pen.

“This made books very expensive and rare, so that only a few people could own even one. Still, you have no idea how beautiful some of those books were. They were written on thin, fine-grained leather called parchment, and were beautifully decorated in colors. The capital letters which began paragraphs, and sometimes all the capital letters, were made large, in fanciful shapes, and all around them were painted flowers, birds, human beings, or pretty designs, so that each letter was a beautiful picture in itself. Then in the margins, above the titles, at every place where there was no writing were still other delicate designs. Some of those wonderful old books are still in existence, and people go long distances to see them. They are more valuable now than ever, and most of them are safely guarded in museums.

“One day Alfred’s mother was reading to her children, from one of those beautiful books, some fine poems which the Saxons had written. The boys all became very much interested in the rich little paintings that decorated it. The mother pointed out its beauties and told the boys how carefully the artists had worked and how long it had taken them to do it.

“‘Did you ever see its equal?’ she asked.

“‘No,’ replied the oldest boy, ‘I have not seen anything like it. I wish I had one like it.’

“‘Boys,’ said the mother, ‘this is one of the greatest treasures I have, and I would not like to part with it. Yet I love my boys better than the book, and I want them to learn to read. So this is what I will gladly do: I will give this book to the first of you who comes to me and shows that he can read it understandingly.’

“‘It is my book, for I can read some already,’ said the oldest.

“‘But I can work harder than you, and I will learn faster,’ said the second.

“‘I learn more easily than any of you,’ the third boy added. ‘I feel sure I shall win the book.’

“Alfred said nothing, but as soon as his mother had ceased to read he hurried away, found a wise man to teach him and began immediately to work with great diligence. It was not long before he began to read for himself, and before his brothers had made much progress Alfred went to his mother.

“‘I think I can read the book,’ he said.

“‘I do not think you have had time to learn. You are hurrying too much. You should study more,’ his mother replied.

“‘But, mother, please let me try,’ pleaded Alfred.

“The mother yielded and Alfred brought the big book to her and laid it on her knee. Then he opened it at the beginning and with very few mistakes read poem after poem. His mother was more than satisfied, and when Alfred left the room he was hugging the elegant book and carrying it to his part of the castle.

“This was only the beginning, for Alfred became the greatest scholar and the wisest king the Saxons ever had. He made just laws, he ruled kindly, he founded schools, and he tried in every way to make his subjects better, wiser and happier. Do you not think it all began in his love for the beautiful look?”

3. Recitation.

Ask questions and make the children see in the story:

a. (The Introduction.) The first general facts about Alfred.

b. (The Body of the Narrative.) The story of how Alfred learned to read.

c. (The Conclusion.) Alfred wins the prize and becomes a great ruler.

Then ask them to tell the story in their own words.

Finally ask them to write the story for a composition.

4. Additional Information. Find out what other things about Alfred are already known to the class. Then tell the story of Alfred and the cakes (page 261); of his battles with the Danes under Guthrum (page 262); of his war with the Danes under Hastings (page 263); of his work for his people (page 264); and of his plans and inventions (page 265).

5. Supplementary Readings. If the lessons on Alfred have been well conducted, interest will have been created in a variety of subjects relating to early English history. The Saxons, their mode of life, armor, weapons, manner of warfare, laws and customs; the Danes and their characteristics; the rulers who followed Alfred; the formation of the English nation, are topics that readily suggest themselves.

More or less closely connected with these lines of thought are the following selections in Journeys Through Bookland. Interest may be deflected in any direction. If the selections are too hard for the class to read, tell the stories in simplified form:

• 1. The Legends of King Arthur (Volume V, beginning on page 113).
• 2. The Attack on the Castle (Volume IV, page 322).
• 3. The Battle of Hastings (Volume IX, page 330).
• 4. Beowulf and Grendel (Volume III, page 350).
• 5. Chevy Chase (Volume IV, page 312).
• 6. Frithiof the Bold (Volume III, page 394).
• 7. The myths of the Northland, viz.: How the Wolf Was Bound (Volume II, page 91); The Death of Balder (Volume II, page 99); The Punishment of Loki (Volume II, page 111); and part of Stories of the Creation (Volume IV, page 159).
• 8. A Norse Lullaby (Volume I, page 246).
• 9. The Tournament (Volume VI, page 38).
• 10. The Skeleton in Armor (Volume V, page 327).

It will be noticed that while this outline is given for use with young children, it easily may be adapted to the use of older ones and may lead into a wide course in historical reading.

The textbook in history is necessarily brief and really little more than an outline of events. In many instances the book gives too much space to battles, sieges and military movements and too little to the conditions of life, to manners, customs and causes and effects of events. Yet the textbook is a valuable guide and enables anyone to present the subject logically and to systematize what is learned, if nothing more.

What a wide range of subjects is covered in the study of history! What abundance of material for study is required! Dates must be learned and events arranged chronologically; maps must be studied, fixed in mind and made of real value by a comprehension of the things they are supposed to represent; military events must be understood in relation to the causes that lead to them and the results that follow. Some few battles or campaigns must be made vivid enough to give an idea of the expense, the labor, the suffering and the horrors involved in war; government, educational and religious institutions, religious and social customs and financial methods must be studied; industries and amusements, the lives of the people, food and food supplies, the production of clothing and building material must be examined; in fact, each one of the multiform interests of humanity may be a fair topic for study at some time in the history class.

Methods of instruction must be as varied as the subject-matter. Sometimes drill is necessary to fix facts; again it is necessary to encourage the observation and study of persons, things and events about us; a third time, wide research and extensive reading are demanded; again, the feelings must be aroused, sentiment and enthusiasm encouraged, patriotism taught.

There is material for many of these exercises in Journeys Through Bookland.

As a type of study for the military campaign, we might take Burgoyne’s campaign in the Revolution. From the textbook we may learn certain facts and encourage the pupils to group them as follows:

Burgoyne’s Campaign.

1. 1. Conditions prior thereto:
2. a. The British occupied only New York and Newport.
3. b. They understood the natural highway that existed along Lake Champlain and the Hudson River from the Saint Lawrence River to New York.
4. c. They resolved to establish a line of military posts along this highway.
5. 2. Plan of Campaign:
6. a. General Burgoyne was sent to Canada with 4,000 British regulars and 3,000 Hessians.
7. b. Canadians and Indians to the number of 1,000 joined the troops under Burgoyne.
8. c. St. Leger was sent to Oswego to descend the Mohawk, capture Fort Stanwix and join Burgoyne.
9. d. Burgoyne was to go through Richelieu River and Lake Champlain by boats; thence march to New York by land.
10. 3. American Troops in Opposition:
11. a. General St. Clair with 3,000 men at Ticonderoga.
12. b. General Schuyler with about 3,000 men on the Hudson.
13. 4. Burgoyne’s Advance:
14. a. The trip to Ticonderoga made and the Americans dislodged from the fort.
15. b. The skirmish at Hubbardton was successful, but the Americans were not captured, and the delay to Burgoyne enabled St. Clair to join Schuyler.
16. c. The march to the Hudson was full of difficulties and discouragements:
17. (1) Obstructed roads; destroyed bridges.
18. (2) Inadequate supplies.
19. (3) Deserting Indians.
20. (4) Leaving a third of his troops at Ticonderoga.
21. d. The Expedition against Bennington:
22. (1) Colonel Baum sent to take supplies from the Americans there.
23. (2) Met General Stark with a force outnumbering him two or three to one.
24. (3) Rain delayed battle, and British entrenched.
25. (4) Baum surrounded; his force captured or killed, including a relief party under Riedesel.
26. e. St. Leger’s Campaign.
27. (1) Unsuccessful battle at Oriskany.
28. (2) St. Leger retreated and disappeared from the region after a flight induced by a ruse invented by Benedict Arnold.
29. 5. Burgoyne’s Surrender.
30. a. He attempted to cut his way through the lines of the American troops which surrounded him.
31. b. Crossed the Hudson and met the Americans at Bemis Heights; defeated.
32. c. Defeated at Freeman’s Farm.
33. d. Surrendered October 17, 1777.
34. 6. Effects of the Surrender.
35. a. Gave the Americans many arms and munitions of war.
36. b. Gave the Americans greater confidence in themselves and their cause.
37. c. Caused great discouragement to the British, both at home and in the colonies.
38. d. Established the prestige of the American cause in Europe.
39. e. Secured the assistance of France.
40. f. Probably was the most influential single campaign in the war and largely instrumental in enabling the colonists to win.

The preceding outline is the framework for the study of one military campaign. In a school it would be the basis for topical recitations, but in itself it has neither interest nor vitality. The main points should be memorized so that facts learned subsequently may be logically arranged. When the general outline is mastered, teachers and pupils begin to fill in details from all available sources and create in the minds of the pupils vivid pictures of the scenes, a thorough understanding of the course of events, and a lively realization of the effect of this remarkable episode of a great war. At home it may be used in a similar manner.

To further assist in this instance and to furnish a type or model for succeeding studies, we will traverse the outline again, showing what may be done with it and how literature may lend its aid to the study of history. In Journeys Through Bookland we have a long extract from The Battle of Saratoga by Creasy (Volume IX, page 176). This will be the source of much of our information, and there are explanatory footnotes of considerable value. We reproduce here only the indices of the original outline:

1. a, b and c. A good outline map of the colonies is necessary. It must show the location of bodies of water, natural thoroughfares, cities and forts. The map should be made for the purpose and contain no details beyond those necessary for an understanding of this campaign. A second map showing a strip of country from the Saint Lawrence to New York and wide enough to include all the operations of the armies should contain more detail and be used frequently as the study proceeds. It may be well for each child to draw this region in outline and fill in the details as his study proceeds. Read page 177, Volume IX.

2. a, b, c and d. Read pages 180-182, Volume IX.

3. a and b. Pages 182-183, Volume IX.

4. a and b. Pages 181-182, Volume IX. The quotation from Burke, Volume IX, pages 183 and 184, and the following paragraph are interesting accounts of the feeling in England and America over the apparent successes of Burgoyne.

c. The causes of the increased efficiency of the Americans and the bitterness with which the British were regarded by the colonists is explained on pages 184 and 185 of Volume IX.

Something of the nature of the Indian allies may be gained from the story, An Exciting Canoe Race (Volume VII, page 79).

A stirring poem, to be read in this connection, is The Old Continentals (Volume VII, page 175).

5. a, b, c and d. The final days of the campaign and the surrender are described on pages 193-200, Volume IX. In using this, bring out the following points not made in the original outline:

The near approach of Clinton and the message from him. What must Burgoyne have felt when he received the message! Put human interest into the tale.