Visual Education (Jan-Nov 1920)

Book Reviews 41 glimpse; he cannot read on without learning; and the authorities who have produced the work have made sure that what he learns will be invariably worth-while. Visual Education is glad to express its approval of "Pictured Knowledge." NEW GEOGRAPHY— Book II Wallace W. At wood Published by Ginn & Co. To the question, "What, in his study of geography, interests the average child most?" the experienced teacher replies unhesitatingly: "People — their modes of life, their surroundings, their occupations." Dr. Atwood's treatment of his subject is based on human geography: the life of the peoples of the earth as controlled by their environments. More and more have we come to realize that bounding countries, naming capes and bays, and locating cities no longer suffice. Geography can never again be, thought of as material for memory tests on isolated facts; its great concern must be to acquaint the child with the life of other peoples of the earth and the geographical conditions under which they live; it must furnish him with a background and basis for judging his opportunities for making the best use of the natural resources of his own environment. Scarcely do we need to say — so often has the fact been brought home to us during the last few years of concern over world problems — that our national outlook has been wrenched from its narrow limits to a world view. Our days of "splendid isolation" are past — the American child of today and tomorrow is a world citizen. He can understand the problems of other peoples only in direct proportion to his knowledge of the conditions under which they live. The study of human geography is the biggest' factor in ultimate world peace. The first book of the series (New Geography, Book 1 — Alexis Everett Frye — Ginn & Company) treats home geography and a simple view of world facts very charmingly for the child. Dr. At wood carries out the idea for the child in the upper grades by establishing certain units of study — natural regions — which differ from each other in soil, climate, surface features, and hence in resources; and so have produced groups of people different in occupations and modes of life. The Malay in the jungle-like forests of southeastern Asia is forced by his environment to an existence quite different from that of the herdsman on the open pampas of Argentina. The regional treatment of geography has long been recognized as sound in principle; but never has it been so thoroughly developed in text form as here. In Dr. Atwood's hands, material becomes concrete. A considerable portion of the text is given up to map studies, general review questions, and problem studies. Illustrations are ever made to suggest their own little problems; a bird's-eye view of the city of Panama, with the gulf beyond, carries the explanation, "This is the city of Panama. Can you explain how it is that the Pacific end is the eastern end of the canal?" A picture of Dutch fishing vessels says: "Along the shores of the Zuider Zee are little Dutch fishing villages. The fishermen build their trim little houses along the water-front and moor their boats close by. What kinds of fish do the Dutch fishermen catch? Why is the North Sea such an excellent fishing ground?" The point of view and the natural curiosity of the child are refreshingly recognized. Another illustration says, "Here is a section of one of the great railroads of the state of New York, where six tracks run parallel to one another. Above each track is the signal which tells the engineer whether to go ahead or to slow down. If it is upright, the track is clear; if it is down, there is a train ahead." Scarcely a text on the market today carries such a wealth of illustrative material: colored maps of each natural re