English teachers of history organized an association about three years ago, in May, 1906. At a preliminary meeting held at University College, London, it was resolved to form an Historical Association. On June 30th of the same year a constitution and by-laws were adopted and officers of the Association were elected. All persons are eligible for membership who are engaged or interested in the teaching of history. The annual subscription to the Association is five shillings, payable on July 1st. The president is Professor C. H. Firth, Oxford. The treasurer is J. E. Morris, and the secretary Miss M. B. Curran, 6 South Square, Gray’s Inn, London, W. C. There are 15 vice-presidents, including men and women connected with college and school life of the kingdom, many of whom are well-known in America. In addition to these officers there is a council of 29 persons. The association has established a number of local branches which in March, 1909, numbered 13. The activities of the Association are the holding of annual meetings, the encouragement of local centers and the study of local history, and the publication of a series of leaflets. Up to June, 1909, these leaflets numbered 17. The topics treated are as follows:
No. 1. Source-books.
No. 2. Some Books on the Teaching of History in Schools.
No. 3. A Summary of Historical Examinations, including Matriculation Examinations and Entrance Scholarships.
No. 4. Address by the Right Hon. James Bryce, on the “Teaching of History in Schools.”
No. 5. A Brief Bibliography of British History for the use of teachers.
No. 6. Books upon General History, Ancient History and European History.
No. 7. Supplementary Reading.
No. 8. Books on Colonial History and The History of the British Empire.
No. 9. Bibliography of Exeter.
No. 10. Address by Thomas Hodgkin, Esq., on the “Teaching of History in Schools.”
No. 11. The Teaching of Local History.
No. 12. Illustrations, Portraits and Lantern Slides Chiefly for British and Modern History.
No. 13. Historical Maps and Atlases.
No. 14. Bibliography of London.
No. 15. The Teaching of Civics in Public Schools.
No. 16. The Revolutionary and Napoleonic Era.
No. 17. An Experiment in the Teaching of History.
The program for the History Section of the California Teachers’ Association is:
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29TH, 1909.
Topic: “The Correlation of Grade and High School History Teaching.”
Papers: I. D. Steele, San Jose High School; Miss Minnie Maher, Girls’ High School, San Francisco. Discussion opened by Miss Lucy R. Watkins, Watsonville High School; R. D. Faulkner, Horace Mann Grammar School, San Francisco.
Topic: “The Correlation of History with Other Subjects in the Teaching of History in the High School.”
Papers: E. D. Adams, Stanford University; T. M. Marshall, Alameda High School.
Discussion opened by Miss Eleanor Johnson, Oakland High School; F. H. Clark, Lowell High School, San Francisco.
Officers: President, J. N. Bowman; secretary, H. W. Edwards.
On the principle of history being a continuous subject from grade to university, grade and high school teachers were united in the same section. This plan has been adopted by the English section also, and others are thinking of it.
The New York Conference of History Teachers held its meeting on Saturday, December 11, 1909, at the College of the City of New York. After the opening address, Professor Henry Johnson, of Teachers’ College of Columbia University, gave the principal paper upon “Special Aids to Visualization in the Teaching of History.” This was followed by a discussion upon “The Solution of Some Practical Difficulties.” Miss Francis E. Chapman, of the Flushing High School, spoke upon “Lack of Judgment”; Miss Clara Byrnes, of the Normal College, on the “Lack of Vocabulary”; Miss Edith M. Tufts, of the Speyer School, upon the “Failure to Understand Alien Morals,” and Mr. James G. Croswell, of the Brearley School, upon “Lack of Imagination.” At the close of the meeting a luncheon was held in a neighboring hotel.
The report of the committee on nomination for officers for 1909-10 was adopted as follows: For chairman, Livingston Rowe Schuyler; secretary, Daniel C. Knowlton; treasurer, W. Franklin Brush. For members of the executive committee: Miss Clara Byrnes, Arthur P. Butler, William Fairley, James G. Croswell.
This New York Conference was organized in response to an unanimous vote of the third annual convention of the Association of History Teachers of the Middle States and Maryland, which authorized the formation of local conferences of history teachers. The announcement of the conference meeting states that “The primary purpose of the conference is the same as that of the association—‘to advance the study and teaching of history and government through discussion,’ and ‘to promote personal acquaintance among teachers and students of history.’ In these meetings a large number of teachers can be reached whose duties and location prevent them from attending conventions at a distance. Such conferences also afford opportunities for wider discussion than is possible at the meetings of the association. Free statement of opinion indicates lines of work of great worth and interest. The constitution and organization are of the simplest type, and the fee a nominal one of one dollar a year.”
The Missouri Society of Teachers of History and Government will meet on December 28th and 29th in the Central High School Building, St. Louis. The following program has been arranged:
TUESDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER 28TH.
1.45—Address: “The Eternity of Rome,” William Schuyler, McKinley High School, St. Louis.
“What Topics in Ancient and Mediæval History Need Special Emphasis to Prepare the Pupil for the Modern Period?” Miss Ellen B. Atwater, Central High School, St. Louis. Discussion.
“Recent Books,” Professor N. M. Trenholme, Columbia.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER 29TH.
1.45—History in the Grades: “Geographic Influences in American History,” Miss Grace Graves, Hannibal; “Victories of War vs. Victories of Peace,” Miss Fannie Bennett, Eighth Grade, Siegel School, St. Louis. Discussion.
“The Future Citizen and Civics Instruction in the High School,” Principal S. A. Baker, Joplin. Discussion.
Collection of papers for General Secretary and for Society Secretary.
Business meeting. Preliminary reports of committees: 1. “On History Instruction in the High Schools of Missouri,” E. M. Violette, State Normal, Kirksville. 2. “On History Instruction in the Grades.”
A cordial invitation is extended to all to visit the valuable collection of the Missouri Historical Society, 1600 Locust Street, hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The officers are: President, H. R. Tucker, St. Louis; vice-president, Jesse Lewis, Maryville; secretary and treasurer, Eugene Fair, Kirksville; editor, N. M. Trenholme, Columbia.
The bibliography of history for schools which was published serially last year in the “Atlantic Educational Quarterly,” is about to be issued in more elaborate form by Longmans, Green & Co. The work seems to meet a need among teachers who find it difficult to keep abreast of available historical literature in English, and who are often in doubt as to the relative merits of various standard works. The bibliography, as enlarged and revised, will contain selected lists of the most approved historical works in English, covering the whole field of history, with separate sections devoted to historical reading for children. The portions relating to American history will be worked out with unusual fullness and care. Works on aids to history, method, universal history, biography, ecclesiastical, constitutional and economic history will also be included, and a specially prepared list of books on American government will be given. Every work mentioned whether in one volume or many volumes, will be carefully annotated in a criticism of from two to twenty lines, and in the case of larger works at even greater length. Each entry will contain the name of the author, the title of the work in full, year of publication, price and name of the publisher. The bibliography has been prepared by a committee of the Maryland History Teachers’ Association, consisting of Professor Charles M. Andrews, of the Johns Hopkins University; Mr. J. Montgomery Gambrill, head of the department of history and civics of the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, and Miss Lida Lee Tall, supervisor of grammar grades, Baltimore county, Maryland. It will be issued under the auspices of the Association of History Teachers of the Middle States and Maryland.