.<> ^;'.V /..i.;^.>o ./\.^U:-\ co*.c:^-*°o \\,i-^-,'. t: 5* **f§8fe'. '^<:. c'T .>^^/>:^ ^^ ^^ ♦* <> *'7VT* ,0 **- o<>*..i.;«;i.*°o ,**..i^i'.\ /.."-v^c '^0^ '^0^ A^-^^ %.^" ''^^%*' "' <«• .. -^ •^Ao^ V .^i^LV c» Ube 1Rew 3£uglan& Ibfstori? Ueacbers' Bssocfation TEXT-BOOKS IN AMERICAN HISTORY A REPORT PRESENTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON TEXT-BOOKS OCTOBER 15, 1898 (Reprinted from the Educational Review) PUBLICATIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION No. 3 . >\ O '] V TEXT-BOOKS IN AMERICAN HISTORY^ In submitting to the Association the first report of the Committee on Text-books, it seems proper that a statement of the principles on which the Committee have proceeded should first be made. The Committee early reached the conclusion that a prac- tical, rather than a purely theoretical, treatment of the field allotted to it was not only most in harmony with the examples set in previous meetings of the Association, but was also likely to prove of most interest and value to teachers, whether within or without our own membership. Accord- ingly, it was decided to choose for the first report a particular portion of the historical field now generally cultivated by sec- ondary schools, to examine critically a selected list of text- books in that field, and to offer such observations on the general text-book situation in that department as seemed either naturally suggested or particularly called for by our investigations. For the present report the Committee have chosen Ameri- can history. A number of well-known text-books have been carefully examined, in accordance with an uniform plan, and some of the results embodied in the pamphlet which has been placed in your hands. It is hardly necessary to say that the list of books chosen makes no pretensions to completeness; indeed, it probably includes less than half of the text-books in American history still used, more or less widely, in the schools. The aim has been, rather, to make the list repre- sentative of the general average of books now in use, particu- larly in New England. It will be found to comprise most of ' This report, with the accompanying notes, was presented by the Standing Com- mittee on Text-Books to the New England History Teachers' Association, at its meeting in Boston, October 15, 1898. 2 Educational Review [December the recent and best-known manuals, together with some older and less valuable ones, which, because either of their wide use or of their typical character, it seemed well to dis- cuss. With a single exception, the list is limited to narrative text-books covering the whole period of American history. The Committee would have been glad to widen the scope of their inquiry, and to have included not only as complete a list as could be made of text-books now in the market, but also lists of books dealing with special periods, topical analyses for class use, reference manuals for teachers, and the like; but the labor involved in such an undertaking, together with the fact that, from unavoidable causes, the full working force of the Committee has not been available, compelled us to deal at present with but a portion of the field. In the preparation of the notes now submitted, we have chosen to impose upon ourselves certain definite restrictions. There seemed to be no good reason why the Committee should resolve themselves into a select group of book- reviewers, and assume to relieve teachers from the necessity of consulting standard periodicals in which worthy publications are regularly appraised. Nor have we felt that we ought either to praise or to condemn any book as a whole; for to do so would turn the report into a free advertisement for authors and publishers. On the other hand, most teachers are glad to know, from a disinterested source, something of the for- mal make-up of a book before deciding upon its possible adoption — its size, its equipment of maps, illustrations, and pedagogical aids; its distribution of space among the broad divisions of the subject; its positive limitations or deficiencies, if it have any, and the grade of pupils for whom it is designed. The notes now before you aim to answer, briefly and con- cisely, some of these questions. To suppose that they will relieve the teacher from the necessity of personally examin- ing any book, before adopting it for his class, is wholly to misinterpret the intentions of the Committee; but we have lioped that the notes might help teachers to decide whether ■or not they cared to examine a book at all. It might seem, at first thought, that the appointment by 1S98J Text-books in Ainerica7t history 3 this Association of a committee on text-books was a sufficient ground for assuming the wisdom and necessity of text-books in teaching history in secondary schools. Occasional re- marks in previous meetings of the Association, however, together with similar expressions elsewhere, from time to time, seem to indicate that such an assumption would not be universally indorsed, and that to some teachers, at least, the text-book appears rather in the light of an evil, to be toler- ated because of present human weakness, but for deliverance from which one should earnestly pray. If such were the pre- vailing view, then the function of the Committee might per- haps best be performed by displaying, at each meeting of the Association, a suitably inscribed banner, on which the words, '' Down with the text-book! " should have chief place. The Committee are unable to subscribe to such an extreme view of the matter. It is true that the teaching of history has long proceeded under great and serious disadvantages. The text-books have often been crudely put together, partial or inaccurate in their statements, ill balanced and misleading in their general treatment. It is equally true that, in recent years, there has been a marked growth of interest in the so- called library or laboratory method, and that the place and meaning of history in the school curriculum have greatly widened. But we cannot think that the prevalence of inade- quate text-books, however annoying, or the introduction of newer methods, however valuable, have placed the text-book, as such, in the catalogue of things no longer needed: on the contrary, we are of the opinion that the text-book is of indis- pensable usefulness in the elementary study of any historical field. The day has, to be sure, gone by when a completely satisfactory presentation of the subject is to be sought for within the covers of a single book; but it is also to be hoped that the day may never come when teachers or pupils shall think it necessary to discard scholarly attempts to sum up for them the assured knowledge in their chosen field. It is no true spirit of historical research which is willing to accept only such statements of fact as the student himself has per- sonally investigated; it is. rather, an essential trait of the 4 Educatio7ial Review [December modern historical student that, while he asserts his right to investigate any question for himself, he does not exercise that right save where he has reason to doubt the thoroughness or sufficiency of the work of others. The Committee, without expressing any opinion in refer- ence to methods of study, are unanimous in favoring the largest possible use of collateral reading and the largest training in methods of historical investigation which time will permit. They cannot, however, as has been said, think that the study of history in elementary' schools can dis- pense with text-books. Beyond all question, there is a con- siderable body of assured fact in the field of American history; it is the result of the devoted labors of many trained inves- tigators: it is not open to cavil or dispute; to doubt it is to write one's self down a fool. So much of this body of fact as is adapted to the needs of the classroom, the pupil is clearly entitled to have presented to him in usable and labor-saving form. The revolt against text-books is in reality a revolt against hard, formal, lifeless methods of teaching, which re- duced history to a dreary succession of names and dates, and made repetition of an author's phrases a sufficient criterion of historical knowledge. The trouble is not in being obliged to use a text-book, but in being obliged to use a poor one — not so much in the failure of the writer to present his matter properly as in the often-time failure of the teacher to bring the subject-matter of the book into vital connection with the pupil's mind. The limitations of text-books in American history have been made very apparent to the members of the Committee in the course of their inquiry. A large number of manuals still extensively used are, in their judgment, little adapted to the work they profess to do. The older style of text-book was a curious product. Its author was frequently a literary hack, ready to compile a dictionary, annotate a classical text, or write an algebra, as occasion offered. Of special training in history he had none; but he had read a good deal, had a number of apt stories at his command, and made up for his limited knowledge by a vivid and pliable imagination. To 1898] Text-books in American history 5 such a writer, the preparation of a school book in American history was an easy task. Details aside, the general formula was quite unvarying. Say nothing about the physical fea- tures of the continent, but extol the virtues of the noble In- dian; dwell on the brilliant intellect, the undaunted courage, and the magnificent faith of Columbus, the hardships of the Pilgrims, the grim sternness of the Puritans, the simplicity of the Quakers, and the quaintness of the Dutch; show how the Revolution was due solely to the brutal tyranny of the British, and how Washington and Franklin had, in supreme degree, all the virtues ever exhibited by men in their respec- tive spheres, and not a single fault; characterize the Constitu- tion as " the greatest product of the human mind," but avoid much reference to it after its adoption; cut up the period after 1789 into four-year morsels, and give to the mastication of each about the same amount of space; dwell on the enor- mities of England after the peace of 1783, and the glorious victories of the war of 181 2, not omitting mention of Jack- son's cotton bales and Perry's green-timber fleet; show what a lovely thing the era of good feeling was, and how the South went all wrong about nullification, slavery, and the Civil War; add in an appendix the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and a list of Presidents; and then enliven the whole by a profusion of fancy pictures, including " Washing- ton Crossing the Delaware," " A Winter at Valley Forge," " An Emigrant Train," and " Welcome, EngHshmen! " — and you had a book admirably adapted to the training of citi- zens and patriots. On such stuff were many of us fed in our youth. It is still, unfortunately, true that authors can be found to write, and publishers to print, text-books framed after such a model; but there can be no question that their productions are no longer received with the favor they once were, and that their early disappearance, save perhaps in remote dis- tricts, may confidently be hoped for. On the other hand, the Committee have been impressed with the generally high character of recent text-books in this department. The average ones are immeasurably superior to the best of a gen- 6 Educational Revieiv [December eration ago. Witli few exceptions, they are the work of specialists, who are not less able to write a large book because they have chosen to write a small one. One no longer ex- pects arbitrary' outlines, or dry and formal statements, much less the biased emphasis so often mistaken for patriotism. Our text-book writers, as a rule, now tell only the truth, and tell as much of it as the immature mind can assimilate; they strive after solidity of substance as well as attractiveness of form; arid they view the pupil as a person naturally interested in all that has been done in the world, rather than as a child to whom the acquisition of knowledge is always and forever a dull and grievous task. In the various characteristics which go to make up a satis- factory text-book in American history, it may frankly be said that recent writers show many intimations of approaching perfection. The extent to which they fall short is the meas- ure of the teacher's disadvantage. The Committee have hardly felt able to draw, either for themselves or for the Asso- ciation, a picture of the ideal text-book; on the contrary, they have kept ever before them the fact that the teacher is a more important factor than the book he uses; that a teacher with- out an individuality of his own can scarcely be called a teacher at all; and that the kind of pupils to be dealt with, and the time and facilities available for the work, are factors of which no one book can take universal account. In criti- cising, accordingly, the list of books selected, the Committee have sought rather to keep in mind certain characteristics which, in their judgment, every text-book should possess, and to test each work by these standards. The broad natural divisions of a manual in American his- tory seem to be, first, some account of the physical geography of North America; then, in order, the successive periods of discover}'^ and exploration, the colonial development, the struggle for independence, the period of the Confederation, the constitutional period from 1789 to the close of the second war with Great Britain, the period from 181 5 to the outbreak of the Civil War, the Civil War itself, and, finally, the period from 1865 to the present time. 1898] Text-books in Ainerican history 7 Of these several periods or natural divisions, the first is, with few exceptions, either systematically ignored or else treated with excessive brevity. It would seem as though ever}' teacher of history must by this time realize the value and necessity of physical geography in connection with any historical course; but such does not seem to be the opinion of the text-book writers. Of the books noted in the list be- fore you, those of Channing and Scudder are the only ones which give a proper exposition of the physical conditions of the continent, or show the bearing of these conditions on the course of the history. Most of the books either make no reference to the subject whatever, or give it but brief inci- dental mention. One can sympathize with the pupil who pictured the mountains of western New York as a solid mass of rock, with precipitous sides 1200 feet high, and who ex- cused Cornwallis's lack of success in the South by explaining that the whole region was a swamp between the mountains and the sea. Early writers of text-books made much of the period of discovery and early exploration, and dwelt on its romantic and thrilling experiences. Recent writers show an almost uniform tendency to keep this period strictly subordinate. If the result is not always happy, it is often as much because the subject does not readily lend itself to brief and interesting treatment, as because the writer shows any lack of skill. When we reach the colonial period, we find two classes of writers. Those of the one class lay chief stress on the story of our national beginnings, while those of the other subordinate the account of our national origins to a fuller treatment of the revolutionary and constitutional periods. The histories of Eggleston, Fiske, and Higginson may be taken as illustra- tions of the first class mentioned. The Committee do not think that any hard and fast lines can be drawn at this point, or any fixed rule of proportion adopted. They are, however, struck by the fact that the literary interest of works like those just named is often out of proportion to their value as all-round presentations of the subject, and that the tendency to dwell on picturesque and relatively unimportant incidents. 8 Educational Review [December for the sake of enlivening the narrative, contributes to make the work an entertaining reading book rather than a useful text-book. No one of these authors has, in our judgment, succeeded in giving a well-ordered view of American history as a whole. On the other hand, the disposition to subordi- nate the colonial period may undoubtedly be carried so far as to obscure the real foundations of our national life. For practical purposes, a clear, concise, and systematic account of the colonial period, omitting all details not necessary to make clear the course of development, seems to be all that is needed in the average high-school text-book; and the Com- mittee think that this can, as a rule, be adequately set forth in a third of the compass of the volume. If the handling of the colonial period illustrates the author's personal interests and his sense of proportion, the treatment of the struggle for independence tests his fairness and impar- tiality. In discussing the causes of the Revolution, text- book writers have sounded pretty much the whole scale of motives. England has been pictured, on the one hand, as an arbitrary oppressor, and, on the other, as the helpless victim of political environment. Under the influence of deeper study and a keener sense of justice, however, the element of bitterness which so often entered into the discussion of this subject has largely disappeared; and, while the treatment of the Revolution in the text-books still leaves much to be de- sired, it is now seldom dogmatic and unsympathetic. The period of the Confederation is treated w^ith great brevity by nearly all of the writers under consideration, and few of them devote much space to the fomiation and adop- tion of the Constitution, or to comparison of the Constitution with the Articles which it superseded. Undoubtedly, the period is a difficult one, and one also on which our knowledge is as yet deficient; but there is great room for improvement at this point, especially in the grouping of events and the indication of causal connections. The period since 1789 is variously handled. The larger number of books still follow, more or less closely, the regular succession of Presidential administrations, and group their 1898] Text-books in American history 9 facts with something of mathematical exactness. The Com- mittee feel that such an arrangement has little besides chronological convenience to commend it, and that a topical treatment of the whole period is the logical and appropriate method. Some of the recent manuals, such as Channing's and Scudder's, have made praiseworthy advancement in this direction. The second war with Great Britain is now com- monly dismissed with the brief mention, while Gordy alone pays special attention to the opening of the West. Similarly, international relations, so important in the colonial period, are but lightly referred to after 181 5, save at the time of the official enunciation of the Monroe Doctrine. The constitutional period is strewn with controverted points, and the person who should read a dozen text-books in succession could hardly fail to get some amusement out of the efforts of the writers to assume an impartial and yet defi- nite position. The one greatest issue of American politics, of course, has been slavery; and the apparently unavoidable necessity ,of taking sides on that question has been a thorn in the flesh to the text-book makers. In the years immediately following the war of the Rebellion — the years which saw the great growth of interest in the study of American history — the dominant opinion of the North in regard to the " peculiar institution " of the South was definite and vigorous, but hardly sympathetic; and instructors of youth could scarce forbear dwelling on the evils of slavery, and picturing the South as marching perversely, through long years, to its final ruin. To the average Northern patriot, slavery and all its accompaniments were moral evils, wholly without excuse; and he wished that fact taught to his children. But as time healed the wounds of war, and a new South rose upon the ruins of the old, thoughtful students, especially those too young to remember for themselves anything of the war, came to think that there might, after all, be something to say on the other side; and we began to have school books that, in a way, apologized for the South, and explained the adherence to slavery on scientific rather than moral grounds. Here, again, there is a middle way; and the best of our recent books lO Educational Review [December treat these questions of sectional divergence with imparti- ality, and in a true historical spirt. It is no longer thought necessary to apologize for slavery; but it is no longer permis- sible to treat the subject with -passion and blare of trumpets. That a small section of the public is still reluctant to have the story of our immediate past told without bias is shown in occasional outbursts from Grand Army posts; but the good work goes on, in spite of the wrath of men. It is possible to sum up, though in general terms, these various formal characteristics. Of the eighteen text-books examined by the Committee, only two offer an adequate exposition of the physical features of the continent. In the more recent books the native races and the periods of dis- covery and early exploration are treated with marked brevity, and the colonial period, with a few notable exceptions, is sub- ordinated. There is a growing disposition to exhibit more fully and impartially the causes of the separation from Eng- land; but an uniform topical treatment of the constitutional period is not yet general. The discussion of such contro- verted questions as nullification and slavery is almost uni- formly fair and void of offense, though, in the judgment of some of the Committee, decidedly lacking in thoroughness and grasp. The treatment of the period subsequent to 1865 does not aim higher than a chronological enumeration of important events. As regards details, the Committee would note an increas- ing tendency to reduce strictly military movements to their lowest terms, and to emphasize the battles of statesmen and politicians more than those of soldiers and sailors. The re- moval of the tomahawk, the musket, and the 70-gun frigate from the chief places in our national synagogue is an advance step for which teachers and the thoughtful public may well be grateful. An important exception to the rule, however, is found in the treatment of the war of the Rebellion. As we have left the great struggle for national consistency further behind us, it has become possible to study its details more closely; and an examination of text-books issued virithin the last fifteen years shows, on the whole, an increasing pro- 1898] Text-books in American history n portion of space devoted to the purely military phases of the war. The Committee note with satisfaction the diminish- ing emphasis on the merely picturesque elements in Ameri- can history, among writers who aim at balance and propor- tion. The long chapters once allotted to the manners and customs of the Indians, and the hardships of the log-cabin period among the whites, are being condensed into para- graphs, and the pupil referred to contemporary sources for a more truthful portrayal of such matters. What are com- monly classed as administrative questions, such as the civil service, the treatment of the Indians, the public-land policy, and many others, are hardly more than touched upon by most of our authors, although McMaster specially emphasizes gen- eral economic characteristics. There remain to be considered four points by which the usefulness and success of an historical text-book are fairly to be judged. Those are the illustrations, the maps, the indica- tions of collateral reading, and the pedagogical aids. How far a school book in history should also be a picture book is, perhaps, a matter of taste; but the usefulness of pic- tures, when wisely chosen and intelligently used, is unde- niably great. It must be confessed, however, that history has suffered much at the hands of art. The fancy picture, rest- ing upon no historical data known to man, has been the bane of our school books. The aim of such pictures is to interest and instruct, but their efifect is more often to mislead and mis- inform. Who sketched for us the death of De Soto, or the first landing of Columbus? What pictorial artist accom- panied Washington to Fort DuOuesne, or saw the soldiers of Wolfe scale the cliff at Quebec? Who tells us that Puri- tan women always sat bareheaded on a log, with their feet in the snow, while their husbands negotiated with the Indians? or that Miles Standish performed the superb muscular feat of holding his shooting-irons at arm's length before him, as he marched through the forest? or that Dutchmen of note always sat with one leg on a chair, puffing at a pipe of un- measured capacity? To name these things is to condemn them; yet it has been possible, within a brief period, for one of 1 2 Educational Review [December the most profusely illustrated text-books on our list to be issued, with pictures largely of this unreal character. The Committee do not wish to express themselves as opposed to pictures, but they -feel bound to condemn, in the strongest terms, the use of fancy pictures in school books. On the other hand, they do not think that such illustrations alone as those inserted, for example, in Johnston's history — state seals, flags, and similar formal objects — are quite what is desired. In their opinion, the illustrations should be drawn, as far as possible, from contemporary sources, they should be of historical value and significance, and they should invariably be inserted where they logically belong. A few of the more recent text-books, among which may be mentioned those of Montgomery, Channing, and McMaster, have pictures of such character; but it still remains true that no text-book in this field has yet used illustrations with anything like the success with which they are used in Gardiner's Student's history of England. Interest in historical geography is of comparatively recent growth in the United States, and has not yet spread anywhere near as widely as it ought among teachers, either in colleges or in secondary schools. Few of the maps in the books examined by the Committee are entirely satisfactory, most of them being either inaccurate, or poorly drawn, or both. To be sure, the errors are often small; but they are errors, nevertheless. The increased use of sketch maps is a feature to be commended, though here, again, the quality often leaves much to be desired. The striking similarity of many of the maps to those found in certain well-known reference books seems to indicate a common, though uncredited, origin for some of them; and more than one text-book on our list would, we fear, be lacking some of its splendor if its author had observed the Scripture which saith, " Thou shalt not steal." Systematic collateral reading is now a recognized method in the teaching of history, and recent writers of text-books generally aim to provide for it by inserting selected lists of books likely to be available for such study. While, as has 1898] Text-books in American history 13 already been said, it does not fall within the province of the Committee to express any opinion in regard to methods of teaching, they are disposed cordially to commend the use of a reference library wherever one is to be had, and to welcome the efiforts of writers to provide suitable lists of books for stu- dent use. In their opinion, however, such references should accompany the text, either in the margin or in footnotes, and should not be exclusively massed either at the beginning of each chapter or at the end of the book. Select lists of books, however well chosen, seem to them of limited practical use- fulness unless associated closely with the portion of the text which they are intended to illustrate. None of the books examined, if w^e except the Sheldon-Barnes volume, makes more than occasional reference to original or contemporary sources. The amount of such material now available, in carefully edited reprints, leads the Committee to think that the systematic use of it ought to be greatly increased. Lastly, most text-books in history are now equipped with something in the way of pedagogical aids. The simplest form of these takes the shape of perfunctory questions on the text, placed at the foot of the page or at the end of the chap- ter. If such devices ever served any useful purpose, the Committee have been unable to think what it could have been. A step forw^ard was taken when topical analyses, pre- sumably for blackboard use, were inserted at convenient points. Some early writers called them " skeletons," and all but a few of those examined by the Committee seem to merit the name; for while they are harmless, they are dry, hard, and dead. Most of this sort of thing a live teacher can best draw for himself. Suggestive questions and topics for pupils stand on a different footing, and many of these aids not only dis- play intelligence and ingenuity, but can hardly fail to stimu- late those for whom they are intended. The most elaborate pedagogical apparatus with which the Committee are familiar is that prepared by Miss Thompson for Channing's Student's history, and contains much that may be profitably used even by teachers for v^hose classes the book itself is too advanced. While the investigations of the Committee have brought 14 Educational Review [December to their notice much that is imperfect, and not a Httle that they can but condemn, their general conclusion is one of en- couragement and hopefulness. The teacher of American history has never had as good tools to work with as are pro- vided for him to-day. In all that pertains to formal struct- ure, proportion, balance, and unbiased truthfulness, the bet- ter class of text-books show a steady advance. They are not, we think, as perfect in their way as text-books in Greek. Latin, and physics are in theirs; but they are certainly much better than they ever were. Their great and conspicuous failure, as it seems to us, is that they are not interesting. The old-style history, such as some of us studied in our youth, often had, in spite of its glaring defects, a certain picturesqueness and vividness, a certain suggestion of reality, which its modern successor lacks. We learn to-day from our text-books a vast number of things which our fathers did, and through doing which they are said to have made the State; but we are not, as a rule, made to see just zvhy they did them, or, for that matter, how they could have done them without being dreadfully bored. Are our national annals really dull and tame? Have the great issues over which men fought with sincerity, learning, and zeal no present interest for us? Along this line, we think, will be the progress of the immediate future. Just now, indeed, the teacher of Ameri- can history finds a new and heavy burden laid upon him. For years we have been demanding that the makers of text- books should subordinate purely military incidents to the general course of events, and have been insisting that the victories of peace should be given a greater prominence than those of war. To a considerable degree the demand has been heeded, and the teaching of our history has been brought more and more into accord with our historic poHcy. Since last we met as an Association, however, the whole country has been stirred with the excitement of foreign war, and our youth have seen, in all classes, an awakening of interest in the nation's doings in which military and naval successes, physi- cal prowess, and territorial expansion have held chief place. The teacher mav well view with concern the effect of our war 1898] Text-books in American history 15 with Spain upon the teaching of American history in second- ary schools. We shall certainly hear a good deal of specious talk about patriotism, and we cannot expect an easy task in convincing pupils that the military hero is but one kind of a hero, after all. Your Committee feel that the situation is too critical to be lightly ignored; but they feel, also, that the gains already made in the direction of better books and better methods of instruction have in them the essential elements of permanence, and that, while not unmindful of the dangers and discouragements, it will not be necessary to fall back or give way. For after everything else is said and done, the one sure hold of history, as of every other study in the curricu- lum, is not in the knowledge it imparts or the mental train- ing it gives, but in the intellectual and moral interest it arouses and maintains. It is precisely this that our text- books have not, in any large measure, yet attained; but for the coming of it — an intelligent, truthful, sane, and living interest — we think we may confidently hope. Respectfully submitted, William MacDonald, Bowdoin College, Chairman Charles F. A. Currier, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Edward G. Bourne Yale University Caroline Close English High School, Cambridge, Mass, Elizabeth Holbrook State Normal School, Framingham, Mass. J. EsTON Phyfe High School, Hartford, Conn. NOTES ON TEXT-BOOKS IN AMERICAN HISTORY I. A New Grammar School History of the United States. By John J. Anderson. New York : Maynard, Merrill & Co., 1897. Contains 448 pages, with meager index. There are 8 full-page colored maps, and 29 maps in black and white. The 97 illustrations comprise numerous fancy pictures. Helps are plentiful, comprising review outlines and chronological tables at the end of each chapter, the usual tables of Presidents, States, etc., perti- 1 6 Ed2icatio7ial Review [December nent extracts in the form of foot-notes, and 18 pages of notes at the end of the volume. There are no references to collateral reading. Of the 337 pages of text, 33 are allotted to discovery and exploration, 91 to the colonial period, 61 to the struggle for independence, 3 to the period of the Confederation, 37 to the peripd 1789-1815, 42 to the period 1815-61, and 60 to the period since 1861. With the exception of the exposition of the causes of the Revolution, which is somewhat narrow, the general treatment of the subject is clear, orderly, and impartial, though lacking distinctive features. The style is simple and readable. 2. Studies in American History. By M. S. and E. Barnes. Boston : Heath, 1893. Contains 431 pages, with good index. Of the 22 maps, 4 are colored, 9 are full-page, and 3 double-page. The maps illustrating French settle- ment and the land claims of the thirteen English colonies follow MacCoun. There are three plans of military operations during the Revolution. The illustrations, 104 in number, are well chosen, but tiie portraits are poorly executed. The work is not a narrative text-book. Each period is represented by a series of well-chosen extracts from sources, connected by brief paragraphs by the authors. A list of important events is given at the end of each period, with accompanying questions ; there is also a study of the text at the end of each chapter. References to collateral reading follow each chapter, with a detailed list of authorities at the end of the volume. About half of the space is devoted to the period before 1789, while 30 pages suffice for the period from 1789 to 181 5. There is no account of the physical features of the continent. In general, the later portions of the book are the best. The treatment of the colonial period is rather fragmentary. The work may be called suggestive rather than satisfactory. Its profit- able use as a text-book requires a skillful teacher, somewhat mature stu- dents, or a narrative text-book as an accompaniment. There is a " Teacher's Manual," in a separate volume, for use in connection with this work. 3. Barnes' Brief History of the United States. See Steele, No. iZ,post. 4. A Students' History of the United States. By Edward Channing. New York : Macmillan, 1898. Contains 603 pages, fairly indexed. There are 10 colored maps, and 42 sketch maps in the text. The 119 illustrations have exceptional historical value, although the execution is not of uniform excellence. The apparatus of helps is elaborate. An introduction on methods of teaching is supplemented by suggestive questions appended to each chapter, both prepared by Miss Anna B. Thompson. Extended lists of books for reference, prefixed to the several chapters, are re-enforced by numerous marginal citations of authorities. An introductory section gives three lists of books for school libraries. 1898] Text-books in Americafi history 17 The distribution of space gives 20 pages to physical characteristics, 36 to discovery and exploration, 144 to the colonial period, 43 to the struggle for independence, 43 to the period of the Confederation (including an extended account of the Constitution), 90 to the period 1789-1815, in to the period 181 5-61, and 112 to the period since 1861. The book is designed for pupils in the last year of the high-school course, and assumes previous elementary study of the subject. It is not largely stored with facts, but dwells on leading events and critical moments. The colonial and revolutionary periods are most successfully treated. Through- out, comparatively little attention is paid to military details or the picturesque and anecdotal side of American history. The author has sought clearness, accuracy, and impartiality of presentation rather than mere attractiveness of style ; accordingly, the work will serve best in deepening an interest already somewhat developed. 5. History of Our Country : A Text-book for Schools. By O. H. Cooper, H. F. Estill, and L. Lemmon. Boston : Ginn, 1896. Contains 441 pages of text, with full index, 7 colored maps, and numerous sketch maps in the text. The portrait illustrations, 1 1 of them full-page, are fairly well done ; many of the others are fancy pictures. An excellent topical analysis follows each main division of the subject, with summaries and " thought questions " at the end of each sub-division. An appendix gives an outline of American literature. Forty pages are given to discovery and exploration, 99 to the colonial period, 58 to the struggle for independence, 13 to the period of the Confed- eration, 39 to the period 1789-1815, 82 to the period 1815-61, 49 to the Civil War, and 44 to the period since 1865. The authors are connected with various public schools in Texas, and the book has been prepared " in the belief that there is need of a text-book on the history of the United States which would represent fairly and impar- tially all sections of the Union." Viewed from this standpoint, the narra- tive, while giving more than ordinary space to events in the Southern States, is remarkably free from prejudice at critical points, and on general issues is often colorless. On matters not involving sectional controversy the treatment is fairly successful, though brief, and v\'ithout distinctive features. 6. A History of the United States and Its People for the Use of Schools. By Edward Eggleston. New York : Appleton, 1897. Contains 416 pages, with good index. Three of the 72 maps are colored, and 69 are less than full-page. Many of the maps represent small sections of the country. There are no plans, diagrams, or tables. The text is pro- fusely illustrated, the pictures being generally good in both selection and execution. The book is furnished with helps in the way of questions, topics for further investigation, composition subjects, blackboard illustrations, etc. Some of the chapters have brief suggestions for collateral reading. 1 8 Educational Review [December The aim of the author seems to have been to make a readable presenta- tion of such aspects of American history as are generally considered inter- esting to young people. Accordingly, his treatment of the colonial period, and of the military phases of the Revolution and the Civil War, is most de- tailed and satisfactory, while constitutional development is not emphasized. 7. A History of Our Country. By Edward S. Ellis. Boston : Lee & Shep- ard, 1898. Contains 440 pages of te.\t, with meager inde.x. There are no colored maps, but a few sketch maps in black and white, most of them small. The illustrations are profuse, consisting mainly of small portraits and fancy pictures. A paragraph of topics for review follows each chapter, with a skeleton outline of important events at the end of each period. Appended to the chapters are also useful biographical notes. A few references for reading are given in the appendix. The distribution of space gives 35 pages to discovery and exploration, 87 to the colonial period, 84 to the struggle for independence, 6 to the period of the Confederation, 48 to the period 1789-1815, 56 to the period 181 5-61, 70 to the Civil War, and 54 to the period since 1865. A primary aim of the author seems to have been so to display his facts as to awaken and stimulate a fervid patriotism. To this end, much attention is given to military events and exciting incidents, and less to matters not easily susceptible of vivid presentation. If that be regarded the patriotic view which holds the United States to have been providentially guided, by picturesque routes, to the position of chiefest among the nations, the book is successful. The style is at times boyish, and causes receive less atten- tion than events. 8. A History of the United States for Schools. By John Fiske. With topical analysis, suggestive questions, and directions for teachers, by Frank A. Hill. Boston : Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1894. Contains 495 pages, with comprehensive index. Seven full-page colored maps, 30 smaller maps in black and white. The maps have well-chosen subjects, but are not always carefully drawn. A large part of the 178 excellent illustrations are portraits. The statistical and documentary matter of the appendix is mainly unhackneyed. References to collateral reading are given at the end of each chapter, and, in an appendix, lists of books treating of the several States and the main epochs of the history, together with selected titles of historical novels, poems, etc. These lists are least adequate for the later periods. In the apportionment of space, 30 pages of the text are devoted to dis- covery and early exploration, 99 to the colonial period, 55 to the struggle for independence, 4 to the period of the Confederation, 37 to the period 1 789-181 5, 49 to the period 181 5-61, and 48 to the period since 1861. One page is given to the Mexican War, 2 pages to the Monitor-Merrimac engagement, 2 lines to Farragut at Mobile, and 5 lines to Gettysburg. 1898] Text-books in American history 19 The style is agreeable, but the book is not largely stored with facts. It is a pleasing interpretation of early American history with reference to the author's well-known views of causes and permanent results, rather than a simple, concise, and well-ordered narrative. In the constitutional period, its strength is in the entertaining treatment of episodes, rather than in expo- sition of fundamental principles and the general course of development. 9. A History of the United States for Schools. By Wilbur F. Gordy. New York : Scribners, 1898. Contains 478 pages, with brief index. There are 3 single-page and 6 double-page colored maps, and 24 maps in black and white. The profuse illustrations, many of them fancy pictures, are, as a rule, indiffer- ently executed. Many topics of minor importance, omitted from the text, are treated in notes at the end of each chapter, where are also questions on the text. Chronological tables follow each period. Somewhat indiscriminate refer- ences to collateral reading precede each chapter. An introductory note discusses methods of teaching. The 443 pages of text are apportioned as follows : 25 to discovery and exploration, 104 to the colonial period, 64 to the struggle for independence, 9 to the period of the Confederation, 50 to the period 1 789-181 5, 68 to the period 181 5-61, 5010 the Civil War, and 69 to the period since 1865. The author has aimed to select typical events and to call attention primarily to causes and formative influences. As contributing to this end, he has emphasized personal elements, local manners and customs, and physical conditions. The development of the West receives special notice. Save for its selective method, the book is a straightforward narrative, without noticeable features. Its style adapts it to the needs of grammar-school pupils. 10. Young Folks' History of the United States. By Thomas Wentworth Higginson. New York : Longmans, 1896. Contains 439 pages, with moderately full index. The 12 maps are in black and white. There are 95 illustrations, many of them fancy pictures. There are numerous questions on the text, and an appendix of " books for consultation," unclassified. The appendix also contains chronological tables. Of the 345 pages of text, 24 are devoted to the " earliest inhabitants " and " mound-builders," 28 to discovery and exploration, 105 to the colonial period, 54 to the struggle for independence, 5 to the period of the Confed- eration, 33 to the period 1789-1815, 38 to the period 181 5-61, and 57 to the period since 1861. Of 33 pages given to the Revolutionary War, Concord and Lexington and the Gaspee affair receive five. While stress is laid upon the colonial period and the life of the people, with subordination of purely military affairs, picturesque features receive rather excessive consideration. The treatment of controverted points is fair. The style is agreeable and occasionally graphic. In general, the in- terest of the book is in its literary form rather than in its historical substance. 20 Educational Review [December 11. A History of the United States for Schools. With an introductory liistory of the discovery and English colonization of North America. By Alexander Johnston. Revised and continued by W. M. Daniels. New York: Holt, 1897. Contains 499 pages, fully indexed. Six page maps in colors, 45 small maps in black and white. The illustrations, 170 in number, are of a rather conventional type — portraits. State seals, and familiar cuts. There are chronological summaries at the end of each chapter, and occasional statistical tables. There are no references to parallel readings, and the bibliography at the end of the volume is hardly adequate. Ques- tions on the text are given at the foot of each page. Twenty pages are given to discovery and exploration, 75 to the colonial period, 38 to the struggle for independence, 10 to the period of the Con- federation, 48 to the period 1789-1815. 100 to the period 1815-61, and 136 to the period since 1861. The treatment of the different periods, though at times somewhat vague, is sound and intelligent, and controverted points are handled with fairness. In its short paragraphs and general typographical arrangement, the book adheres to the form long familiar in school histories. The style is rather heavy, and the' volume as a whole is a bit dry ; the w-ork is, however, one of sound and painstaking scholarship. In formal presentation of the subject it occupies a middle ground between the older style of text-book and such recent ones as those of Montgomery and Thomas. 12. The Growth of the American Nation. By Henry Pratt Judson. Mead- ville : Chautauqua Century Press, 1895. Contains 359 pages, cursorily indexed. Twenty maps, 2 double-page in colors, the others small ; 72 illustrations, but no plans, tables, or diagrams, and no apparatus of questions or topical suggestions. A few general refer- ences are given at the beginning of each chapter. In the apportionment of space, the period before 1776 is subordinated, the account being restricted to a clear and forcible presentation of important characteristics and formative influences, with stress on the American point of view. The treatment of the constitutional period is clear, em- phatic, fair, and well defined. Particularly suggestive is the discussion of slavery. The book is a discussion of movements and an exposition of principles rather than a detailed statement of facts ; its expressions of opinion, there- fore, are often pronounced. It would be used most successfully with mature pupils already acquainted with the elements of the subject. 13. A School History of the United States. By John Bach McMaster. New York : American Book Company, 1897. Contains 476 pages of text, well indexed. Thirteen large and 14 small maps in colors. 40 maps and plans in black and white. The numerous illus- trations are fresh and genuinely instructive ; the portraits, however, are rather too small to be satisfactory. 1898] Text-books in American history 21 The helps consist of summaries at the end of each chapter, with useful tabular views. Practical and well-selected references to collateral reading are given throughout in footnotes. Space is apportioned as follows : 25 pages to discovery and exploration, 99 to the colonial period, 28 to the struggle for independence, 20 to the period of the Confederation, 78 to the period 1789-1815, 118 to the period 1815-61, and 98 to the period from 1861 to the present time. The noticeable feature of the book is the attention given to economic and social interests, and their bearing on political events. The style is readable. The connection of events and the development of important issues are not always well exhibited. 14. The Leading Facts of American History. By D. H. Montgomery. Boston : Ginn, 1898. Contains 437 pages, fully indexed. Three double-page and 7 single-page colored maps, with numerous sketch maps in black and white. Many of the smaller illustrations are indifferently executed ; a few are fancy pictures. An appendix contains an extended chronological table, questions on the text, a topical analysis for slate and blackboard, and a select list of books for reference. Numerous explanatory foot-notes accompany the text. Forty-eight pages are devoted to discovery and exploration, 100 to the colonial period, 37 to the struggle for independence, 5 to the period of the Confederation, 29 to the period 1789-1815, 64 to the period 1815-61, 39 to the Civil War, and 43 to the period since 1865. The book, as a whole, is a successful attempt to present the history of the United States to young pupils. There is sufficient information, with frequent judicious comment on the significance of events, but a minimum of moral reflections. The treatment of the strictly political phases of the colonial period is least satisfactory. 15. The Students' American History. By D. H. Montgomery. Boston : Ginn, 1897. Contains 578 pages, excellently indexed. There are 3 double-page and 7 single-page colored maps, 17 maps in black and white, and numerous small sketch maps. All but i of the 16 illustrations are in facsimile from manuscript or printed originals. There are no questions, topical outlines, or other similar helps. The appendix contains a select classified list of books, and a list of authori- ties used, reference to the latter being made by numerals inserted in the text. The apportionment of space gives 26 pages to discovery and exploration, 136 to the colonial period, 46 to the struggle for independence, 10 to the period of the Confederation, 63 to the period 1789-1815, 118 to the period 1815-61, 63 to the Civil War, and 58 to the period since 1865. The book is similar in general plan to the same author's " Leading Facts," but is intended for older pupils. The treatment is generally well-balanced, with emphasis on political and constitutional elements. The discussion of controverted subjects attains healthy impartiality. 2 2 Educational Review [December i6. A History of the United States for Schools. By \V. A. and A, M. Mowry. Boston : Silver, Burclett & Co., 1897. Contains 437 pages, with good inde.x. Sixteen of the maps are colored, 29 in black and white ; there are also sketch maps of small sections. The full-page colored maps are from Mac Coun. The illustrations number 159- Each period is preceded by a blackboard analysis, and followed by a chronological table. The body of the text has much accompanying matter, biographical and explanatory, in smaller type. The appendix con- tains a few familiar documents and useful tables. There is an account of sources of information, especially for teachers, at the beginning of the book, and at the end a list of supplementary reading for pupils. Eighteen pages are given to discovery and exploration, 104 to the colonial period, 59 to the struggle for independence, 7 to the period of the Confed- eration, 29 to the period 1789-1815, 52 to the period 1815-61, and 93 to the period since 1861. The story is told with simplicity and directness, and in a way to interest young pupils. In the selection of facts, political and military incidents predominate, underlying forces being little exposed. The treatment of the slavery issue is not profound. Events in their chronological relations rather than in their logical dependence are chiefly exhibited, but the esti- mates of permanent importance are generally just. The mechanical execution of the book is especially pleasing. 17. A History of the United States of America. With an introduction narrating the discovery and settlement of North America. By Horace E. Scudder. New York : Sheldon & Co., 1897. Contains 520 pages, with full index. Of the 40 maps, 13 are colored, 8 are full-page, and 6 double-page. The 120 illustrations are well chosen and fairly executed. At the end of each chapter are questions on the text, search questions, and suggestions for compositions and debates. At the close of each period is a chronological table and a topical analysis. Brief but well-selected references to collateral reading are given in foot-notes. Space is about equally divided between the periods before and after 1789. The political development of the colonies is rather adequately pre- sented, as are the causes of the Revolution and the period of the Con- federation. The constitutional period is treated topically, rather than by Presidential administrations. The book is attractively written, but its presentation of the subject, though at times of superior merit, is not uniformly definite and well balanced. 1 8. A Brief History of the United States. By J. D. and E. B. Steele. New York : American Book Co. Usually known as Barnes' history. There are several revisions, the last bringing the narrative to 1896. 1898 J Text-books in American hzsiory 23 Contains 305 pages of text, fairly indexed. Six double-page colored maps, 1 1 maps in black and white. Many of the illustrations are fancy pictures. There is a plentiful equipment of suggestions to teachers, questions on the text, chronological tables, and topical analyses for blackboard use. A paragraph of references for reading, not well discriminated, follows each main division of the subject. The book may be said to represent the picturesque and traditional view of American history. Much space is given to details of colonial life, military events, and the early careers of prominent men. There is little suggestion of extended research, and no sufficient exposition of either constitutional, political, or social influences. The book is intended for pupils of grammar- school grade. 19. A History of the United States. By Allen C. Thomas. Boston: Heath, 1897. Contains 418 pages of text, fully indexed. Four single-page and 4 double- page maps, 6 maps in black and white. The maps, while not uniformly accurate, are for the most part of superior quality. Most of the 95 illustra- tions have historical value ; some of the smaller ones, however, are poorly executed. The appendix contains, besides useful tables and familiar documents, a full list of important dates and an extended topical analysis. Elaborate references to collateral reading precede each chapter, while an annotated list of important books is given in the appendix. The distribution of space gives 10 pages to discovery and exploration, 89 to the colonial period, 32 to the struggle for independence, 1 1 to the period of the Confederation, 37 to the period 1789-1815, 93 to the period 1815-61, 54 to the Civil War, and 87 to the period since 1865. The author has aimed to give special prominence to the constitutional period. While the book as a whole is somewhat lacking in literary interest, details are well chosen, the treatment throughout is impartial, and the gen- eral balance and temper admirable. ^♦\*'^ % •.^' /% "'^- ^-^'^ \^ •e. .^ .'^j^', \/ ,^.. ^^^^^*^ '«» ' • » 1