Home Geography for Primary Grades

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Too much has been expected of young children in the study of geography. Many of the so-called primary geographies are really not primary. They present a multitude of facts the most of which are beyond the power of the child to comprehend or retain. Childhood is a period of active memory, but this is no reason why we should attempt to cram the mind with details of geography. Facts themselves are of no value. It is only in their relations that they become significant. For the child of ten years it is not sufficient that facts be pre sented in their relations, but that these relations be such as will arouse interest through connection with the child''s own experiences. To expect a child in the fourth grade to draw a map of the state in which it lives, locate the principal rivers, valleys, mountains, bays, cities, and name and locate the counties, is wrong. Parrot-like memorizing of such facts, at that age, can result only in harm. The facts mean nothing and create a distaste for the work.