GEOGRAPHICAL TOPICS.

In a systematic finishing up of Geography, with advanced classes, the following arrangement of Topics may be found useful; also in reviews and examinations. It has frequently been given at Institutes, and was published in a less elaborate form in the Journal some three years ago. In using it for review or examination with a small class, each pupil may take one general topic and give all the sub-topics. In a large class several pupils may take the same general topics and be prepared on any sub topic.

I. POSITION.

II. CONTOur.

III. PHYSICAL
FEATURES.

IV. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.

V. NATURAL
HISTORY.

VI. STATISTIOS.

VII. INDUSTRIAL
PURSUITS AND
PRODUCTS.

VIII. COMMER-
CIAL FACILITIES.

IX. INSTITUTIONS

X. HISTORY.

XI. CURIOSITIES.

1. Zone-Continent-Country.

2. Mathematical-Latitude and Longitude.

3. By Boundaries.

1. Exterior-By Coast Line, Rivers and Mountain Ranges. 2. Surface-By Profile-North and South, East and West.

1. Mountains and Water-sheds.

2. Rivers.

3. Lakes and Indentations.

1. Soil.

2. Climate.

3. Salubrity.

1. Mineral Kingdom.
2. Vegetable Kingdom.
3. Animal Kingdom.

1. Area-Total and Cultivated.

2. Population-Total and by Races.
3. Population to the square mile.

1. Agriculture and Mining.

2. Manufactures, Forestry and Fishing.
3. Commerce.

1. Cities.

2. Canals and Railroads.

3. Marine.

1. Governmental.

2. Educational.

3. Religious.

1. Ancient.
2. Modern.
3. Local.

1. Natural.
2. Artificial.

RATIONALE.

1. POSITION. Not only is place a usual element in forming a conception of any natural object, but in geographical description it precedes everything else, because in a large degree it determines all else.

2. CONTOUR.-After place naturally comes the question of the shape of a country, which aside from artificial or mathematical lines, is determined first by the natural barriers that separate it from other countries, and secondly, by the variations of its general surface from a plane.

3. PHYSICAL FEATURES.-Next the more specific variations from a level surface and the divisions or interruptions of the continuity of the land by water, claim attention.

4. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.-These arise from all the circumstances that precede, and of course determine very largely the eligibility of a country for the occupation of man.

5. NATURAL PRODUCTS of a country have also something to do in determining the occupation of a country, by civilized races, and the character of their pursuits.

6. STATISTICS. Thus far the descriptiion presents a country as a house without a master. In making the transition from the country to its inhabitaats, we note its size and relative capacity for population, and with a glance at the numbers and distribution of the latter, we pass to their

7. PRODUCTS AND PURSUITS.-These again are determined by all the preceding facts; and since the industries of a people are various and involve a division of labor, they lead to exchanges or commerce, and hence require

8. COMMERCIAL FACILITIES.-The extent and perfection of these mark not only the extent and variety of a nation's industry, but in some measure the character of its civilization.

9. INSTITUTIONS.-Thus far we consider man only as a worker and trafficker; but as industry is followed by commerce, so questions of property and right of property thence arise, and first develop the necessity of laws and government; and because a nation rising thus far above barbarism feels the need of culture as well as civilization, and because the personality and dignity of man as man begins to be seen, something more than mere order or even justice is found necessary for human weal. Education and Religion come in to supply this need, and the perfection of these is to be looked for in proportion as the principles of Christianity bear sway. Ancient Greece reached a wonderfully high degree of culture, with imperfect civilization and government; Rome excelled in the two latter. May it be the happy lot of the great American Republic, to throw off many other remaining barbarisms beside that of slavery, and at length stand before the world as her model in all things.

10. THE HISTORY of a country is alas as history has been written in the past, principally a record of struggles caused by man's remaining barbarism; may it come to have no other office than to record the triumphs of peace. We had intended to give as illustrative application of the foregoing to the Geography of Wisconsin, but want of space forbids here, and we will reserve it till such time as a resuscitation of the JOURNAL takes place.

SURE TO FAIL.

Success is the only sure test of ability, and failure argues, with equal force, the want of ability. Yet, success or failure may depend upon circumstances over which the actor has no control; or they may depend upon adaptation, or professional education. A candidate for the profession of Law or Medicine may have ample ability to manage and teach a school, yet fail for the want of interest in his business and attention to its important duties. Banks and Butler are men of unquestionable ability, but they have failed as military commanders. And even Gen. Grant might find it more difficult to manage successfully a Cape Cod district school, than a campaign against Richmond. Failures in school keeping result from various causes, but never without a cause. Some are always sure to succeed; others sure to fail.

I will here attempt to show our teachers the way to success, by telling them how they may be sure to fail. If then, fellow teacher, you would fail to keep a good school, make teaching a secondary object. In that case all your best thoughts, energies and efforts will be lost to your pupils; you will feel no interest in their improvement, no enthusiasm in your work, and no care for any. thing except your wages which you have not earned and do not deserve. Your school room will be your prison, your duties a task and your efforts of course, a failure. To be sure to fail, you must abstain from all reading upon educational subjects, and from attendance upon all educational meetings. I know the lawyer must have his Blackstone, the physician his works on the theory and practice of medicine and the clergyman his books on theology, but you do not need, you must not have our school journals and books on practical teaching. You are to fail and the careful study of these professional works would tend greatly to prevent that result of your efforts. Don't take the SCHOOL JOURNAL. And if you attend the institutes and our County and State Conventions, you would naturally gather up much important information and be inspired by the spirit of the true teacher; you would be likely to go back to your school wiser and better fitted for your duties. This might prevent a failure!

Again, to be sure to fail, you must not seek to become acquainted with your patrons, nor interest yourself in their affairs. Parents like to be noticed by the instructor of their children, and their confidence in him and interest in his school, will be measured by his manifest interest in them, their families and their business. And if you seek an early acquaintance and indulge in social intercourse with the families of your district, you will be in danger of securing their confidence and co-operation, and this may change your promised failure into a success.

And to be sure of a failure, you will need to be careless in the organization and management of your school. Allow your pupils to occupy any seats they choose; to take as many or as few. and such studies as they wish, and to recite at any time when they happen to have their lessons. Have no time for anything, and nothing in time. For good order depend solely upon arbitrary laws and the

"pains and penalties" that you have the power to inflict upon the transgressor.

Take no pains to prevent crime but punish severely. And even when you do not design to punish, threaten loudly and thus keep criminals constantly under the fear of the rod. Show your pupils that you have no confidence in them and watch them closely, at all times and everywhere. Be careful and not associate with your pupils out of school; take no interest in their sports; avoid any expressions of sympathy or kindness that may reach their ears. In this way you will gain, as you deserve, their utter contempt, and will place them in a favorable position to annoy you in every way possible; to undermine your authority, destroy your influence and ruin your school.

During class recitations you should allow any pupil to ask any question that may occur to him, and to come to you at any time, for individual instruction. This will create a scene of confusion and defeat every effort for improvement. In teaching, you should adopt the plan of old Socrates. Dont allow the pupil to recite, but only to answer leading questions; do all the talking yourself, and leave upon the impression, if possible, that it will make no difference whether they learn their lessons or not. I might go on with these specifications to any length, but I pledge myself, fellow teacher, if you will follow my directions, you will be sure to fail.-C. in Vt. School Journal.

For the Journal of Education.

RECORDING RECITATIONS.

A correspondent of the JOURNAL inquires for the best method of marking recitations. I will therefore present a method that I think will answer in any school.

1. Have a class book in which a page or more may be devoted to each class. In it write the names on the left side of the page, and have vertical colums ruled for each day's lesson; dates being placed at the top. Opposite each name make figures or characters to denote the quality of each one's recitation. Absence may be indicated by no mark, or any character that the teacher chooses; a failure, by a cipher (0); a barely passible lesson by the figure 1; and the higher figures (2, 3, 4, 5 &c.) according to the teacher's judgment, may be used for different degrees of merit.

2. In the same manner a record of deportment may be kept. Absence from school may be denoted by a blank; excused absence, by a letter, a dot, (.), a straight mark (—); or cross (X); and absence requiring investigation may be left unmarked till the cause of it is ascertained. Conduct which is merely indifferent may be marked by a cipher (0), and the figures (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c.) may be used for different degrees of meritorious demeanor. The negative numbers (-1,-2,-3,-1,&c.) may be used to show different degrees of illconduct.

3.

At the end of the week, month or term, the average standing of each one may be ascertained, and placed in a column marked for it.

4. In the Teacher's Register, attendance in the forenoou may be marked thus; afternoon \; attendance the whole day Ʌ; tardiness, by dots on the outside of the marks, thus-tardy in forenoon '^; afternoon ^'; both '^'. Meritorious deportment may be recorded by a dot inside of these marks, or the figures may be used as represented above.

If the register have a column for tardiness, it will be much better. A record kept in this way will not require much time from the teacher.

G. D. HUNT.

For the Journal of Education.

HOME GEOGRAPHY-MAP DRAWING.

During last winter I was engaged in a rural school, in which the pupils possessed only a common capacity for learning, and their parents were not so much afraid of innovations as to oppose any of my peculiar plans, merely because they had never heard of such things before. My pupils took interest in their studies, and, like other children, were pleased with novelty. I therefore addressed myself to teaching them Home Geography. And this I did in a manner that I have not known any other teacher to use. I procured a county map and suspended it in the school room, where all could have a good view of it. I commenced by pointing to the town in which my school was, its situation, the neighboring farms, and other objects of which my pupils had some knowledge; then I explained the situation of neighboring towns, villages, and other objects of interest in the county. Thus I brought them into such a familiarity with all these, that they could describe the location of any of them. How many adult persons there are, who do not know the names and boundaries of more than half of the towns of their own counties!

I also encouraged my pupils to draw maps of the county. This was easily accomplished as the towns are in most cases exactly square, and most of the counties are of such shapes as to be easily drawn on paper, or on a blackboard. Map drawing when commenced with the town or county in which the pupil resides, will interest him more than any other plan. In his first attempts, the pupil may make only the county and town lines. Afterwards he may proceed to other things as he gains proficiency.

The county being learned in this manner, the pupil may next learn its boundaries, the locations of neighboring counties, and thus continue till he learns all the counties of the state, their capitals, the rivers, lakes, railroads, and objects of interest throughout the State. In teaching these I used Chapman's sectional map. There is nothing better than this to illustrate the plan of the State surveys. By it I showed to my pupils how the state is surveyed into ranges, and how the sections are numbered; and then how the ranges are di