[p3]CONTENTS

[p3]CONTENTSPAGEForeword5Introduction7PART ONEI.Our School11II.The Streets and Roads17III.The Buildings22IV.The Town as a Whole31V.The People36VI.Industries and Occupations42VII.Animals and Plants46VIII.Transportation and Communication50IX.Physiography of the Neighborhood54X.Direction66PART TWOI.The Earth as a Whole73II.The Seasons79III.The Zones82IV.North America93V.Countries of North America100VI.Trips105[p4]MAPSI.The Western Hemisphere74–75II.The Eastern Hemisphere74–75III.The World82IV.Surface Map of North America96V.North America100[p5]FOREWORDOnceupon a time as four blind men sat by the roadside they heard the tramp of an elephant’s feet, and said one to another, “Here comes an elephant; now we shall know what he is like.” The first blind man put out his hand and touched the elephant’s broad side. The second took hold of a leg. The third grasped a tusk, and the fourth clutched the animal’s tail.“Now do you know what an elephant looks like?” asked a friend.“Yes,” cried the first. “The elephant is broad and flat like a barn door.”“What!” exclaimed the second. “The elephant is big and round like the trunk of a tree.”“Not so!” cried the third. “The elephant is hard and smooth like a polished stone.”“What are you all talking about?” cried the fourth. “The elephant is just like a piece of rope.”Much so-called teaching of geography leads to just such incomplete and fantastic ideas about geographical concepts. Very many children have only vague, incomplete and incorrect conceptions of the things they see. Like these physically and mentally blind men we are too often satisfied with mere wordy descriptions of subjects when we might study the subject at first hand if we would.This little book is intended to prevent the giving of information by description, but to suggest ways of directing attention to those things which lie within reach of the child’s senses, things which he might pass by, things which are needed now to stimulate an intelligent interest in his surroundings, things which are needed later for an appreciation and enjoyment of his study of the larger facts and concepts of geography. If the larger geographical concepts are to have accuracy and richness for the child he must have his attention directed to his surroundings. The trite expression[p6]“from the known to the unknown” is good pedagogy, but there must be a “known” on which to build.The book is based upon the author’s actual experience in the class-room studying the children at their geography tasks. It has been her experience that the efforts of the teachers to build broad geographical concepts were of no avail because the pupils did not have accurate intimate knowledge of the necessary home geography upon which to build. To correct this defect she set about collecting and classifying the necessary material. With the use of this material she not only found that the class teachers had much less difficulty in presenting the study of the earth as a whole, but that an interest beyond all expectation was apparent in the children.The following pages are valuable more on account of the things they suggest than for any geographical facts which they incidentally present. The book is not a text-book on geography; it is a compendium of suggestion on the study of the subject. It makes little effort to present facts, but rather it tells how to gather, classify and study facts. It is intended to be used with children during the age when they especially delight in the making of collections, and is intended to turn to a definite use this childish instinct.Map study is based entirely upon the child’s experiences as he makes plans of his schoolroom, schoolhouse, streets and city. The suggestions regarding the study of things foreign to the child are based entirely upon his experience in the study of the types with which he has become familiar in his study of his surroundings.Milton C. Cooper,Superintendent of District Nine, Philadelphia.[p7]INTRODUCTIONGeographicalknowledge should progress from the known to the unknown, from the familiar to the unfamiliar. The world is the home of mankind. We can best understand the larger world by a preliminary consideration of our own small intimate home. We therefore begin to study geography with an account of the child’s immediate environment. The school stands for the common home of the class. From the school we gradually widen out our teaching to include the immediate neighborhood with its buildings, and finally the whole town or community.We study the various types of people whom we meet every day, and the industries in which they engage in their efforts to obtain the three main necessities of human life,—food, clothing and shelter. The animals and plants sharing the world with man and contributing to his sustenance next focus our attention.The home neighborhood has its physiographical features distinguishing it from other places and influencing the life of its inhabitants. The land and water divisions in the immediate environment are studied as types, while those not closely related to our home are reserved for consideration as each one occurs in its local geographical place in the course of study.We must know something of direction in order to conveniently locate the streets, buildings and physiographical features near our home. Finally, we will try to realize the great size of the earth, of which our home is but a small portion, by a consideration of the relationship of our community to the rest of the world and to some of this world’s great diversities.As geography is a study of cause and effect, the early lessons should be mainly oral. Later, in order to obtain a broad knowledge of geographical data, not one but many books should be read. This little book aims to serve as a bridge between the oral lesson and the descriptive text-book. The presentation of many questions leads the pupil to think out cause and effect, and to connect his present knowledge with the realm of the unknown. Special care has been exercised to present facts only when facts are[p8]absolutely necessary, and only after allowing the pupil the opportunity to first exercise his own reasoning faculties in obtaining the information.The excursion is an essential part of every geography course, and every effort should be made to use this effective means of teaching.Four types of valuable exercises may be suggested in the use of this book:1. The pupils may read the questions orally and give the answers orally.2. They may read the questions silently, answering them orally.3. They may read the questions orally and write the answers.4. Finally, they may silently read the questions and write the answers.All definitions have been carefully avoided as tending to hamper the free acquisition of ideas.PART ITOPICS1. Our School.6. Industries and Occupations.2. The Streets and Roads.7. Animals and Plants.3. The Buildings.8. Transportation and Communication4. The Town as a Whole.9. Physiography of the Neighborhood5. The People.10. Direction.PART II1. The Earth as a Whole.2. The Seasons.3. The Zones.4. North America.5. Countries of North America.6. Trips.[p9]PART ONE[p10]THE CAPITOL AT WASHINGTON.[p11]WHERE WE LIVE—A HOME GEOGRAPHYCHAPTER IOUR SCHOOL1Whatis the name of our school?Where have you seen this name?A TOWN SCHOOL.Why was this name given to our school?On what street or road does our school stand?How long have you been attending this school?See how much you have noticed as you came here each day. Tell what you can remember of the[p12]different parts of the building which can be seen from the street or road. Describe each of these parts:WallsRoofWindowsChimneysDoorsFire-escape2As you look at the school from the outside what materials do you see that the builders have used? Where have they needed stone, slate, glass, tin, iron, steel, wood?Now let us think of the garden and playground. Tell about the different parts and the materials that have been used in making them.What great numbers of workmen were needed before a school like ours could be built! Who procured the stone and the slate? Whose work was needed to obtain the iron, the steel and the tin? Who made the glass? Which workmen shall we thank for the wood?Can you think how the bare lot looked before the school was built? Many men with shovels and pick-axes dug out the foundation, and numbers of horses and wagons were needed to carry out the earth. Then came the builders. How were so many materials brought here?31. We will go outdoors together and look at the school building.[p13]2. We will stand north of the school, south, east and west of it. Notice the position of the parts, their number, shape, size and color.3. As we stand at each side, see whether there are any parts which you never noticed before or any parts which we forgot to mention yesterday.4Look at this drawing of a school building and grounds. It is called a plan. Before any school or church or home is built a plan must be drawn. This is to show the workmen what to do. See how much of the ground is used for the building. Find the garden. What are in the garden? Which is larger, the garden or the playground? What shape is the[p14]playground? How many doors are there to the building? In how many ways can you get into the playground?Plan of SchoolTry to draw a plan of your school building and yard, showing the gates, the flagpole, the drinking fountain or pump, and any other parts you think of. Show which door you use most.Note to the Teacher.—The pupils should draw the plan upon paper while the teacher draws it upon the blackboard. Infinite care should be exercised to invest every line with its full meaning. Upon the proper interpretation of this first plan will depend much of the pupil’s future ability to correctly read a map as the representation of a reality.5THE INSIDE OF THE SCHOOLAs you walk from the school door to your room what do you see? Tell all that you have noticed in the corridors, on the staircases, in the cloak-rooms and the class-rooms.6We will go on a little excursion through the school today, walking along all of the corridors and upon all of the staircases. Look especially to see anything that you never saw before, and notice anything that you forgot to mention in yesterday’s description.7Answer the following questions:1. How many stories high is our school?2. How many class-rooms are on each floor?[p15]3. How many other rooms are on each floor?4. How many staircases does our school have?5. What materials have been used in building the staircases?6. What can be seen in the corridor nearest your room?7. By how many doorways can the children leave the building?8. How is your school heated and ventilated?Plan of School Room8Describe everything that you can see in your class-room.9Look at this plan of a school-room. See if you can draw a plan ofyourschool-room.10Make a list of all the materials that have been used in building the inside of your school. Remember all of the following parts:FloorsWindowsCorridor furnishingsCeilingsDoorsClass-room furnishingsWallsStaircases[p16]Now write a list of the kinds of workmen who gathered together these materials. Name as many of the kinds of workmen as you can think of who were engaged on the inside work of the building.11Write a letter to anyone whom you know who has never seen our school. Tell all about our building and the good workmen by whom it was planned and built.[p17]CHAPTER IITHE STREETS AND ROADS1Onwhat street or road does your school stand?On what street or road do you live?What streets or roads do you pass on your way home?What do you think is the finest street or road that you have ever seen anywhere? What makes that so good a street or road?Name a poor street or road. What could be done to improve it?2Why do cities and towns have streets and roads? Where are there no streets?Look at the country picture shown onpage 19. How pretty it is! When would it be pleasant to walk there? When would it not be so pleasant? Why? What must be done to a road to make it into a good street? Tell what you can of the different ways of paving, lighting and draining streets and roads, and ofthe differentkinds of name-signs you have seen.Now what can be done to make a street or road beautiful and pleasant in warm weather?[p18]How can boys and girls help to keep the streets and roads pleasant?Here is a plan of some of the streets in a large city.PLAN OF CITY STREETS.3Draw the shape of the school lot. Now show the street or road that the school stands upon. If you live in a town, draw the streets next to the school. Then draw the next streets, and keep on until you have drawn the street on which your home stands. Place a little cross to show your home. With your pencil start from your house and make a dotted line to show how you come to school.4On your plan of the neighborhood place a circle to show the grocery store or bakery that you pass on your way to school. Make a large dot to show the nearest store to school, and with a dotted lineexplainhow you would go there from school if your teacher sent you to buy ink. Make a circle with a cross in it[p19]to show where there is a church, a bank, a factory, or any other important building near your school. If there is a railroad near, show it upon your plan.A COUNTRY HOME.5Many streets and lanes have names of trees. Some have been named after great and good men. There are some streets with only numbers for names. Do you know of any streets having names of these[p20]different kinds? Can you think of any street or road that received its name for some other reason?Get as many pictures as you can of the streets of your town or any other town and paste them in your note-book. Get some pictures of country roads and paste them also in your note-book.A CITY STREET.(Copyright, 1911, William H. Rau, Philadelphia.)6In some towns the streets are nearly straight and cross each other like the wires of a window-screen.[p21]In other towns the streets run off from the centre of the town like the spokes of a wheel. Some streets and roads are very crooked.How are the streets in our town arranged? Name some of our best business streets. Which streets have the finest homes in which people live? Name some streets or roads with trolley lines upon them. Are our streets paved?A MODERN COUNTRY SCHOOL.7Perhaps you live in the country where there are very few streets or none at all. How different is your walk to school each day from that of the city boy or girl! In town, children walk on paved streets and pass many buildings. What kind of roads do the country children walk upon? What buildings do they pass? A country school.Do you take a pleasant road between broad fields? Do you walk through the cool shady woods? Perhaps you run over a bridge with the clear brook sparkling and babbling beneath. What else do you see or hear in the country which city folks do not know in their built up towns?[p22]CHAPTER IIITHE BUILDINGS1Whatkinds of buildings do you pass on your way to school? Write a list of all the kinds that you have ever seen.Look at the pictures of buildings in this book and see if you know for what each is used. How can you tell?2Of all the many kinds of buildings in town or country, thehousesare the most important. It is more necessary to have good homes to live in than to have the other buildings large or beautiful. What makes a good residence? There must be enough room for the whole family. It needs plenty of light, air, sunshine and water. It must have a good roof to keep it dry in stormy weather. It should be well heated in the cold winter. Tell of other things that are needed in our homes to keep the family healthy and happy. How can you help to make your home pleasant?3Goodschools, too, are very necessary. The school-house must be built to keep the boys and girls[p23]comfortable and healthy while at work. Name some of the things needed for a good school building.A STREET SCENE IN NEW YORK.4The libraries and museums also teach people. A[p24]libraryis like a home where many friendly teachers live. These friends will talk to you and tell you many useful and wonderful things. Have you ever visited them at the library? Have you ever taken any of them home with you? Is there a library near our school?Themuseumsare full of many interesting objects. You may see beautiful pictures and statuary. Some have collections of pretty stones and of stuffed animals. Curious clothing, jewelry, toys and musical instruments used by people in distant lands are shown too. In a museum in Portland you may see the dear little clothing worn by the poet Longfellow when he was a tiny baby. Many books that Washington read are kept in a museum near the city of Washington. Have you ever visited a museum in a city? What did you see there?5No buildings anywhere are more beautiful than thechurches. Are there any churches in your neighborhood? Describe the church which you attend.6In town and country there are many ill people who cannot be cared for at home. They go tohospitalsto be nursed back to health and strength. The good doctors and nurses work day and night to cure the sick people. How can well people help sick people?[p25]Where is the nearest hospital to your home? What is it named?INDEPENDENCE HALL.7Almost every town has aTown Hall. Have you ever seen such a building? What is it used for? Here the mayor has his office. Sometimes the Town Hall or Court House has a high tower, or a fine dome, or a cupola. If you have ever seen a Town Hall tell how it looked.8Think of thestoresthat you have seen. How many[p26]kinds can you name? What does each sell principally? Where are these things made? Have you ever seen a largefactory? What does it manufacture?PITTSBURGH OBSERVATORY.It would be fine if all of the buildings in which folks work were sunny, airy and clean. People employed in comfortable stores and factories are happy and feel like working.Alas! there are many miserable places where the workmen are crowded and uncomfortable. The impure air makes them tired and ill. If you have seen a good store or factory tell what helps to keep the workers comfortable and healthy.[p27]9Old cities have in them many very old buildings that all Americans love. The magnificent Capitol at Washington was built long ago. It is one of the finest buildings in the world. It is built of white marble. In the first picture in this book notice the beautiful dome and the great high stairs. In Philadelphia is the dear old Independence Hall with the Liberty Bell. Boston has the old Faneuil Hall. Here many great Americans of long ago have spoken to the people. Are there any old historic buildings in our neighborhood?LONGFELLOW’S BIRTHPLACE, PORTLAND, MAINE.10Suppose some friends travel on the railroad to visit us. At what railroad station would the train arrive? Are there any other stations? How are they built?[p28]Do you think they give a beautiful, clean, friendly welcome to strangers? All stations should be pleasant and comfortable to cheer the tired travelers that pass through them day and night. At Denver, just outside of the station, there is a great arch stretching across the street. It says, “Welcome,” in bright letters at night and in pretty letters in the day. The visitor is glad to see the friendly word after a long trip.OLD SOUTH CHURCH, BOSTON.11When friends come from another town we like to show them the sights. Plan a nice trip around the town. Write a list of places to which you would take them. You must know where each place is. What could you tell about each place?12One day we should visit some park. Is there any near our school? Are there any interesting buildings or statuary in the park? Is there any water near by?[p29]When we visit our town park we should remember that it belongs to us, for a public park belongs to all of the people. Do you not like to have the things that belong to you as good, as useful and as beautiful as possible? Do you want your home to look sweet and clean and comfortable, or dirty, careless and unpleasant? Do you want your clothing to be strong, neat and pretty, or torn and dirty? We should all take pride in having the things we own just as good as possible. When you are in the street, the school, any public building, or in a park, say to yourself, “This is mine.” Then look around and see whether you like the way it looks. Think how you can help to keep it looking well or make it look even better.WINTER SCENE IN FAIRMOUNT PARK.[p30]How can boys and girls help keep the grass, the paths, the flower-beds, the trees and the buildings beautiful? Where does the money come from to pay the caretakers of the park?Some people visit the park only in spring, summer or autumn. We all love the park in those seasons. Many do not know how beautiful the bare trees look in winter with their gray or brown branches. There is no more exquisite sight in the world than to see these trees coated with glistening ice out to the tiniest twig, or to see them ridged with pearly white snow. It is a merry sight to see the jolly coasters and skaters.13Copy the list of buildings given below and mark each kind that you have seen. Tell where you saw it, of what it was built, or for what it was used.ResidenceSchoolMuseumStoreChurchCar-barnBankHospitalLibraryFactoryRailroad stationOfficeStableGovernment buildingGarageDairyBarnIce HouseWhat building is shown on thecoverof this book?[p31]CHAPTER IVTHE TOWN AS A WHOLE1Thinkof the times when you have walked or ridden about our town.What rivers did you see?CAPITOL AT HARRISBURG.Which buildings did you think were very beautiful?What was each used for?[p32]What buildings have we that are very helpful to the people?What interesting places have youvisitedin your neighborhood?What other places would you like to visit?2PREPARATION FOR A TRIP TO SOME HILLTOP, OBSERVATORY, TOWER OR ROOF-GARDEN FROM WHICH AN EXTENSIVE VIEW CAN BE HADWhat place shall we visit? Why? Draw a plan to include the school and the place to be visited.How far must we go? Shall we ride or walk? In what direction shall we go?When we are up high we can look over the whole neighborhood. First, try to find our school. In what direction shall we need to face? Then let us notice what lies between us and our school. See if you can find any park or large building which you know. Try to find the street or road upon which your home stands. Then look beyond our school for any other familiar building or park, and look for your home if you did not see it before. Notice how far the town stretches and try to see what cuts it off or bounds it.Next we shall turn and look in the opposite direction. What direction will that be? Find any familiar places. How can you know which are homes, schools, churches or factories? See how far the town extends and what cuts off or bounds it on this side.[p33]In what other directions shall we look? Again we shall notice the familiar and unfamiliar places and the town boundaries.3THE TRIP4Was the neighborhood view like you expected? What surprised you? What did we see most of? Make a list of all the places you remember seeing. Think of each view separately; north, south, east and west. Tell of anything you saw as you looked in each direction. Why could we see so much? How could we see even farther?[p34]CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.(Copyright, Detroit Publishing Co.)From a “Thistle” Print.5Do we live in a large city, a small town or in the country? What is the name of our town or the nearest town? Who first settled in the place which has grown to be a town? It is hard for us to believe that two hundred and fifty years ago there were no houses, churches, schools, streets or roads where we now live. All this land was wild country, mostly woods. The early settlers were strong and brave men. They had to cut down the forests and build their first homes of rough logs. Then they planted fields with corn, wheat and vegetables. They killed the wild animals for food, using the skins for clothing. As soon as[p35]possible the settlers tried to build a small plain church and a school-house.COLUMBUS’S SHIP.Now we have our fine towns which have grown from the early work of these first sturdy settlers. All of the people should love our dear home town and try to make it beautiful, healthful and comfortable. We should love our neighbors and treat them all like brothers and sisters. If we are true to our village or our dear town we will be kind and fair to all, rich and poor, Americans and foreigners, white and colored people. That is one way of showing our thankfulness for our comfortable homes.[p36]CHAPTER VTHE PEOPLE1Thinkof the many buildings which you see as you look over the landscape. There are people living in nearly all of those houses. Just think of the many, many people who live here. How many are there? How many schools have we in the town? How many people go to your school?Most of these people look much alike, but some are very different in appearance. Name some of the different kinds of people whom you have seen. How do you distinguish a negro and Chinaman or Mongolian from a white person or Caucasian? Tell about their hair, skin or any other peculiar features.Each kind of people is called a race. The pictures show some of the races we often see—Caucasian, Mongolian and negro. The Chinese and Japanese are called Mongolians.2THE INDIANSThe Indians lived at this place which is now our home long before there were any white people here or any towns at all. Where these many buildings now stand there was wild country, fields and woods. Under the[p37]trees stood the Indian wigwams made of skins and branches. The early settlers came to this country from far across the ocean. After William Penn landed with his companions he began at once to make friends with the Indians. As the red men were living upon the land, Penn thought that it was only fair and honest to buy from them the land that the English people wanted for their homes. The Indians could not use money, so he gave them blankets and other presents[p38]which pleased them very much. The Indians promised William Penn to live in peace with the white men and they kept their promise for many years.AN INDIAN FAMILY.INDIAN CHIEF.Most of the white people who came in those early days to other parts of our land did not act in this noble way. When they wanted land on which to build their homes they drove the Indians away, killing many of them. Thus these unjustly treated Indians became the enemies of the white men, and often treated them very cruelly in return. Let us remember that the Indians were the first owners of this land of ours and that they should be treated as William Penn showed us, with kindness and justice.Those wild Indians of long ago had many noble traits. They were strong and brave and fearless.Read in some of your school books about Indians and their homes.[p39]3THE NEGROESNEGRO.There were no negroes in this country till many years after Columbus and the other white men began to settle here. Some white men went far across the sea to Africa. They stole the negroes away from their homes, carried them to their ships and sailed back to this country. Then these white men sold the negroes to other men for money. The poor colored men had to work terribly hard as slaves and received no pay for their work. At last they were freed by Abraham Lincoln and others who helped him.The negroes have much that is fine in their character. Even when they were slaves they often grew to love their masters so dearly that they would do anything in the world, even give up their lives, for their masters. We should always remember that God made the negro as well as the white man. Fair-minded people will try to be honest, kind and just to everyone.[p40]4THE CHINESECHINESE MANDARIN AND SERVANT.Many Chinamen have come to our country from their distant homes in China. Their country is so crowded, and it is so hard to earn a living there, that most of the people are very poor.The Chinese living in our country are peaceful and quiet. They work very hard in their laundries and other places of business; yet there are many white people so cruel and thoughtless as to ridicule a Chinaman whenever they see one. These white people should remember that God made the Chinaman and that he is a stranger here in our country. Is it not even worse to ill-treat a stranger than one who is at home? The color of our skin and hair is not very important. It matters far more whether we are honest, loving, industrious and fair-minded.Not all of the white people living around us were born in this country. Where did your parents and[p41]grandparents live when they were children? Do you know any people who came from distant lands? Where were their first homes? Find out how many of the parents of your schoolmates came a long journey over the water to reach our land.Yes, we have people from many foreign countries. Some are English, Irish, Scotch or French. Then there are the Germans, Italians, Russians and others. From what country did each of these people come?Here they are all living together, people from all over the great wide world. Our homes stand side by side. We work and play together. Truly we are brothers and sisters, for we are all children in the great human family. It matters not from what distant land our people may have come, we should all be bound together like one family by human love and kindness.[p42]CHAPTER VIINDUSTRIES AND OCCUPATIONS1Whichmembers of your family work? Why do they work? For what is the money they earn spent? Think which of these things are absolutely necessary to keep us alive.We all needfood.We all needclothing.We all needhomes or shelter.Without these provisions we should die.How do we get our food, our clothing and our homes? How did people get them when there were no stores and no money? Do you know of any people who were compelled to get things in this way?In a school reader, read about how primitive people lived.2THE SOILWe have two kinds of food, vegetable food, which grows from the ground, and animal food. Name some foods of each kind. All plants grow out of the earth or soil. The soil is necessary to produce our animal food also. The meat we eat comes from sheep, cows, chickens and other animals. These animals all live on vegetable food. Without good soil[p43]there would be no grass nor hay. No grass would mean no food for cows and sheep. So we see that all of our food really comes from the soil.Our clothing, too, is dependent upon the soil. The cotton plant grows up out of the ground. The wool comes from the sheep, which eats grass which grows from the ground. Even our homes could not be built without products from the earth or soil. Think how much wood is used in the construction of a house. The trees which grow in the soil give us all the wood. Much iron, steel, copper, brass and nickel are used in our homes. Stones and bricks form part of many houses. All of these things come out of the earth. What a wonderful thing is the soil! Out of it come our food, our clothing and our shelter!In one of your books read the wonderful story of how we obtain a loaf of bread.3Write a list of all the kinds of work you can think of which people do.Copy this list of industries and place a cross beside the ones at which any persons you know work:MiningPrinting and bookmakingWeavingIron and steel workShipbuildingGlass-blowingLumberingPottery making[p44]BrickmakingMeat packingFarmingDairyingManufacturing foodsManufacturing clothingIce cuttingManufacturing furnitureWhich are town industries? Which are country industries?4Would you like to go to-morrow to visit a factory in which some food or clothing is manufactured? Look at the map of the town. Find your school. Find the factory. How far must we go and in what direction? What is the name of the place we will visit? Notice all of the things made there. Try to remember all of the materials needed at the factory, and find out where these materials come from. Try to remember just how the articles are made. Find out what will be done with the things that are manufactured. Notice the number and kinds of machines used. See how many workmen are employed.5AFTER THE TRIPWrite a letter to a friend in another class telling all about your visit. Mention these points:1. Where you went.2. What was made.3. How it was made.4. The materials used.[p45]5. The machinery.6. The workmen.7. The usefulness of the factory.8. The care and skill of the workmen.9. Anything else interesting about the trip.6Every town and every village is a workshop. There are many workmen here that do good, careful work. Some of the goods of our town may be sent thousands of miles away to other people who need them. The country people, too, do much useful work. Name some of the things which our workmen do for other people living at a distance from us.Read about the manufacture of the articles which you saw being made at the factory.7There are many workers in the world who do not make things with their hands. Most of their work is done with their minds, though, of course, their hands help too. Name some of these. What kind of work does each of the following do?TeacherLawyerMinisterDoctorAuthorBanker[p46]CHAPTER VIIANIMALS AND PLANTS1Thereare many other living creatures in the world besides people. Write a list of all the kinds of animals that you have ever seen.AMERICAN BUFFALO.Some of these animals live near the homes of men. They are tame. Men take care of them and see that they get food. Many of these animals are very useful to us. Write a list of these tame animals. At the top of the list writeDomestic Animals. Of what use[p47]is each of the following animals when alive? Which are useful after they are killed? Of what use to man is each one?HorsePigChickenCowDogDuckSheepCatPigeon.Read about how our meat is supplied to us.2RACCOON.Write a list of all thewild animalsyou remember ever having seen. Where did you see them? How were they prevented from harming people? Where was the natural home of these animals? How did they get their food? How do they now get their food?Some of these animals so closely resemble the domestic animals that they are said to belong to the same family. Read the names of the animals belonging to the same family and tell in what way they resemble each other. Tell which are domestic and which are wild.[p48]THE CAT FAMILYCatLionTigerLeopardTIGER.THE DOG FAMILYDogFoxWolfTHE HORSE FAMILYHorseZebraTHE COW FAMILYCowBuffaloDescribe some of these wild animals:ElephantFoxSquirrelWolfBearDeerThere are also many fish, birds and insects.Paste in your notebook any pictures of animals.LEOPARD.3Take a trip to the Zoological Gardens and see these animals.4Which domestic or wild animals are useful to us in obtaining food, clothing and shelter?[p49]5PLANTSWe cannot live without food, clothing and shelter. Let us see how plants help us to obtain these three great necessities.ELK.Write a list of all the plants that you can name.Draw a line under each that is useful forfood.Draw two lines under each that is useful forclothing.Draw three lines under each that is useful in making or furnishing ourhomes or shelter.Of what use are the plants that are not underlined? Are they beautiful? How dull the world would be without flowers!We have:1. Food plants.2. Clothing plants.3. Shelter plants.4. Ornamental plants.[p50]CHAPTER VIIITRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION1Thinkof the foods that you had on your dinner table yesterday. Where did each come from? How did it get here? Was there anything which came from our own neighborhood, and which did not have to take a long journey either to the factory where it was manufactured or to the store where it was sold?Examine the clothing you are wearing. Of what material is each article made? Where did the materials come from? Where were they manufactured? Which had to come a long journey before it reached your home?Look around the school-room and name the materials which had to travel a long distance before we could have them for our use.Imagine trying to get our food, our clothing and our shelter materials right near our school. How much could we be sure of having?2Perhaps you have seen products being brought into the city. You may have seen the milk trains unloading their many shining cans. Surely you[p51]have seen the freight cars with their signs painted on the outside telling that they are refrigerator cars, or coal cars, or other kinds of cars. What do they carry?Most of the things we need are brought here ontrains.Where is there in our neighborhood a freight railroad station? Is it near our school?CHINESE TRANSPORTATION.Some products are taken from the country to the town in wagons. You have seen the big hay wagons which go a long way from some farm to take food for the city horses.How else are products carried? Coffee, rubber, pepper, chocolate and much silk are brought here from distant lands in ships. If you go to the harbor of a large city you can see hundreds of busy men unloading the big steamers.3Ships and railroads carry not only foods but people too. There are many ways of carrying people and products. These are some of the ways:[p52]1. On the backs of animals, as horses, camels, elephants.2. In wheelbarrows.TRANSPORTATION IN ARABIA.3. In wagons.4. In automobiles.5. In trolley cars.6. In railroad trains.7. On boats, or ships.8. In sleighs.9. On bicycles.10. In airships.In which of these ways have you traveled? Can you tell what power is used in each case?In order to travel safely and quickly we need more than something in which to carry the people and products. We must have good wagon roads, well built railroads, tunnels through the mountains, and bridges over the rivers. Lighthouses are necessary to warn the vessels of the rocks at night or in the storms.4When people need things from a distance they cannot always go all the way to the place and bring[p53]back the products or articles. It is quicker and easier to send messages asking for what is needed. How would your mother send an order to the butcher for meat if she did not wish to go for it? How could a farmer send a message to the city ordering new milk cans and strawberry boxes? How do messages come to your house?In olden days the persons had to carry all of their messages for themselves or send them by other persons. The messenger would often run for miles without resting so as to deliver the letters as soon as possible. At last the people decided to give all of their letters to a postman who would ride on horseback from place to place with the mail. Stagecoaches were next used. It took a week for a coach to go as far as a train can go now in a few hours. Our mail is now carried from one place to another by trains or vessels, and then the letter carriers deliver it at our city houses or to our town post office or rural mail-box.The quickest way to send a message is by cable, telegraph, telephone or wireless message. Over the electric wires or through the air the words are flashed for miles in a few minutes.[p54]CHAPTER IXFAMILIAR SURFACE FEATURES1.Hilland plain.3. River2. Mountain and valley.4. Ocean5. Island and peninsula.Note to the Teacher.—Consider at this time only such familiar features as belong to the children’s immediate environment in or very near their neighborhood. Defer the study of the other land and water forms until later, as suggested in the Introduction. For further details of these features, see ChaptersIandIVin Part II.1HILL AND PLAINSome streets and roads are flat and level. Others slope likehills. Can you name a street which is level, and one that slants or slopes? Which road is easier to walk on? Why? Do you prefer the level or the sloping street when roller-skating? Why? Which is the best when you are coasting?You may have noticed that some of the fields in the park or in the country are nearly flat. Other fields lie on slopes or hills. We call the flat part of the land aplain, whether it is in the city or in the country. The sloping part of the land forms a hill. Have we mostly hills or plains in the streets of our city?[p55]2Some plains and some hills are covered with trees. If you were in the woods, surrounded by trees, how would you know whether you were on a plain or on a hill?HILLS AND VALLEYS.Some hills look very different from others. Some slope very gradually, while some are very steep. Some hills have city streets on them. Others have great fields of grass for cows to graze upon. Still others are planted with corn, wheat, rye or vegetables. There are wooded hills covered with trees. How do we know that all of these very different forms are hills?[p56]In the same way plains vary greatly. While some have been made into city streets, others are large, flat, grassy fields, with streams sometimes flowing through them. Some plains are covered with forests. Others are planted with grain and vegetables. How can you know when you see a plain if there are so many different kinds?3Look through the pictures in this book and decide which show hills and which show plains. Which is easier for a farmer to plow, a hill or a plain? Why?If you were sent upon an errand, would you choose to go by way of a hilly road or by a level one? Which is the pleasantest place for a summer home, upon a hill or upon a plain?How must a driver help his horses when they are pulling a heavy load up or down a hill?4MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYSSome hills are so very, very high that they have been calledmountains. What are our neighboring mountains named? Have you ever been to the top of one of these mountains? Describe the beautiful view from the summit. Did you see any wild creatures along the way? Tell about any trees and other plants that you noticed.[p57]When people build homes in mountain regions they generally place them in the low land between the high mountains. Why? This lower land is called avalley. The people in the valley town can often look beyond the fields and see the mountains rising high and steep beyond. Some mountains are covered with trees. At places you may see great bare, rough rocks on the mountain side. The scenery is very beautiful. There are often streams and broad rivers down in the valley.THE UPPER DELAWARE.Many lumbermen work on the mountains. Why do they cut down the trees? The mountains give the miners work too. The men go far into the mines to bring out the useful minerals. Are there any mines[p58]in the mountains near our home? What do the miners take from these mines?AN OCEAN STEAMSHIP.

[p3]CONTENTSPAGEForeword5Introduction7PART ONEI.Our School11II.The Streets and Roads17III.The Buildings22IV.The Town as a Whole31V.The People36VI.Industries and Occupations42VII.Animals and Plants46VIII.Transportation and Communication50IX.Physiography of the Neighborhood54X.Direction66PART TWOI.The Earth as a Whole73II.The Seasons79III.The Zones82IV.North America93V.Countries of North America100VI.Trips105[p4]MAPSI.The Western Hemisphere74–75II.The Eastern Hemisphere74–75III.The World82IV.Surface Map of North America96V.North America100[p5]FOREWORDOnceupon a time as four blind men sat by the roadside they heard the tramp of an elephant’s feet, and said one to another, “Here comes an elephant; now we shall know what he is like.” The first blind man put out his hand and touched the elephant’s broad side. The second took hold of a leg. The third grasped a tusk, and the fourth clutched the animal’s tail.“Now do you know what an elephant looks like?” asked a friend.“Yes,” cried the first. “The elephant is broad and flat like a barn door.”“What!” exclaimed the second. “The elephant is big and round like the trunk of a tree.”“Not so!” cried the third. “The elephant is hard and smooth like a polished stone.”“What are you all talking about?” cried the fourth. “The elephant is just like a piece of rope.”Much so-called teaching of geography leads to just such incomplete and fantastic ideas about geographical concepts. Very many children have only vague, incomplete and incorrect conceptions of the things they see. Like these physically and mentally blind men we are too often satisfied with mere wordy descriptions of subjects when we might study the subject at first hand if we would.This little book is intended to prevent the giving of information by description, but to suggest ways of directing attention to those things which lie within reach of the child’s senses, things which he might pass by, things which are needed now to stimulate an intelligent interest in his surroundings, things which are needed later for an appreciation and enjoyment of his study of the larger facts and concepts of geography. If the larger geographical concepts are to have accuracy and richness for the child he must have his attention directed to his surroundings. The trite expression[p6]“from the known to the unknown” is good pedagogy, but there must be a “known” on which to build.The book is based upon the author’s actual experience in the class-room studying the children at their geography tasks. It has been her experience that the efforts of the teachers to build broad geographical concepts were of no avail because the pupils did not have accurate intimate knowledge of the necessary home geography upon which to build. To correct this defect she set about collecting and classifying the necessary material. With the use of this material she not only found that the class teachers had much less difficulty in presenting the study of the earth as a whole, but that an interest beyond all expectation was apparent in the children.The following pages are valuable more on account of the things they suggest than for any geographical facts which they incidentally present. The book is not a text-book on geography; it is a compendium of suggestion on the study of the subject. It makes little effort to present facts, but rather it tells how to gather, classify and study facts. It is intended to be used with children during the age when they especially delight in the making of collections, and is intended to turn to a definite use this childish instinct.Map study is based entirely upon the child’s experiences as he makes plans of his schoolroom, schoolhouse, streets and city. The suggestions regarding the study of things foreign to the child are based entirely upon his experience in the study of the types with which he has become familiar in his study of his surroundings.Milton C. Cooper,Superintendent of District Nine, Philadelphia.[p7]INTRODUCTIONGeographicalknowledge should progress from the known to the unknown, from the familiar to the unfamiliar. The world is the home of mankind. We can best understand the larger world by a preliminary consideration of our own small intimate home. We therefore begin to study geography with an account of the child’s immediate environment. The school stands for the common home of the class. From the school we gradually widen out our teaching to include the immediate neighborhood with its buildings, and finally the whole town or community.We study the various types of people whom we meet every day, and the industries in which they engage in their efforts to obtain the three main necessities of human life,—food, clothing and shelter. The animals and plants sharing the world with man and contributing to his sustenance next focus our attention.The home neighborhood has its physiographical features distinguishing it from other places and influencing the life of its inhabitants. The land and water divisions in the immediate environment are studied as types, while those not closely related to our home are reserved for consideration as each one occurs in its local geographical place in the course of study.We must know something of direction in order to conveniently locate the streets, buildings and physiographical features near our home. Finally, we will try to realize the great size of the earth, of which our home is but a small portion, by a consideration of the relationship of our community to the rest of the world and to some of this world’s great diversities.As geography is a study of cause and effect, the early lessons should be mainly oral. Later, in order to obtain a broad knowledge of geographical data, not one but many books should be read. This little book aims to serve as a bridge between the oral lesson and the descriptive text-book. The presentation of many questions leads the pupil to think out cause and effect, and to connect his present knowledge with the realm of the unknown. Special care has been exercised to present facts only when facts are[p8]absolutely necessary, and only after allowing the pupil the opportunity to first exercise his own reasoning faculties in obtaining the information.The excursion is an essential part of every geography course, and every effort should be made to use this effective means of teaching.Four types of valuable exercises may be suggested in the use of this book:1. The pupils may read the questions orally and give the answers orally.2. They may read the questions silently, answering them orally.3. They may read the questions orally and write the answers.4. Finally, they may silently read the questions and write the answers.All definitions have been carefully avoided as tending to hamper the free acquisition of ideas.PART ITOPICS1. Our School.6. Industries and Occupations.2. The Streets and Roads.7. Animals and Plants.3. The Buildings.8. Transportation and Communication4. The Town as a Whole.9. Physiography of the Neighborhood5. The People.10. Direction.PART II1. The Earth as a Whole.2. The Seasons.3. The Zones.4. North America.5. Countries of North America.6. Trips.[p9]PART ONE[p10]THE CAPITOL AT WASHINGTON.[p11]WHERE WE LIVE—A HOME GEOGRAPHYCHAPTER IOUR SCHOOL1Whatis the name of our school?Where have you seen this name?A TOWN SCHOOL.Why was this name given to our school?On what street or road does our school stand?How long have you been attending this school?See how much you have noticed as you came here each day. Tell what you can remember of the[p12]different parts of the building which can be seen from the street or road. Describe each of these parts:WallsRoofWindowsChimneysDoorsFire-escape2As you look at the school from the outside what materials do you see that the builders have used? Where have they needed stone, slate, glass, tin, iron, steel, wood?Now let us think of the garden and playground. Tell about the different parts and the materials that have been used in making them.What great numbers of workmen were needed before a school like ours could be built! Who procured the stone and the slate? Whose work was needed to obtain the iron, the steel and the tin? Who made the glass? Which workmen shall we thank for the wood?Can you think how the bare lot looked before the school was built? Many men with shovels and pick-axes dug out the foundation, and numbers of horses and wagons were needed to carry out the earth. Then came the builders. How were so many materials brought here?31. We will go outdoors together and look at the school building.[p13]2. We will stand north of the school, south, east and west of it. Notice the position of the parts, their number, shape, size and color.3. As we stand at each side, see whether there are any parts which you never noticed before or any parts which we forgot to mention yesterday.4Look at this drawing of a school building and grounds. It is called a plan. Before any school or church or home is built a plan must be drawn. This is to show the workmen what to do. See how much of the ground is used for the building. Find the garden. What are in the garden? Which is larger, the garden or the playground? What shape is the[p14]playground? How many doors are there to the building? In how many ways can you get into the playground?Plan of SchoolTry to draw a plan of your school building and yard, showing the gates, the flagpole, the drinking fountain or pump, and any other parts you think of. Show which door you use most.Note to the Teacher.—The pupils should draw the plan upon paper while the teacher draws it upon the blackboard. Infinite care should be exercised to invest every line with its full meaning. Upon the proper interpretation of this first plan will depend much of the pupil’s future ability to correctly read a map as the representation of a reality.5THE INSIDE OF THE SCHOOLAs you walk from the school door to your room what do you see? Tell all that you have noticed in the corridors, on the staircases, in the cloak-rooms and the class-rooms.6We will go on a little excursion through the school today, walking along all of the corridors and upon all of the staircases. Look especially to see anything that you never saw before, and notice anything that you forgot to mention in yesterday’s description.7Answer the following questions:1. How many stories high is our school?2. How many class-rooms are on each floor?[p15]3. How many other rooms are on each floor?4. How many staircases does our school have?5. What materials have been used in building the staircases?6. What can be seen in the corridor nearest your room?7. By how many doorways can the children leave the building?8. How is your school heated and ventilated?Plan of School Room8Describe everything that you can see in your class-room.9Look at this plan of a school-room. See if you can draw a plan ofyourschool-room.10Make a list of all the materials that have been used in building the inside of your school. Remember all of the following parts:FloorsWindowsCorridor furnishingsCeilingsDoorsClass-room furnishingsWallsStaircases[p16]Now write a list of the kinds of workmen who gathered together these materials. Name as many of the kinds of workmen as you can think of who were engaged on the inside work of the building.11Write a letter to anyone whom you know who has never seen our school. Tell all about our building and the good workmen by whom it was planned and built.[p17]CHAPTER IITHE STREETS AND ROADS1Onwhat street or road does your school stand?On what street or road do you live?What streets or roads do you pass on your way home?What do you think is the finest street or road that you have ever seen anywhere? What makes that so good a street or road?Name a poor street or road. What could be done to improve it?2Why do cities and towns have streets and roads? Where are there no streets?Look at the country picture shown onpage 19. How pretty it is! When would it be pleasant to walk there? When would it not be so pleasant? Why? What must be done to a road to make it into a good street? Tell what you can of the different ways of paving, lighting and draining streets and roads, and ofthe differentkinds of name-signs you have seen.Now what can be done to make a street or road beautiful and pleasant in warm weather?[p18]How can boys and girls help to keep the streets and roads pleasant?Here is a plan of some of the streets in a large city.PLAN OF CITY STREETS.3Draw the shape of the school lot. Now show the street or road that the school stands upon. If you live in a town, draw the streets next to the school. Then draw the next streets, and keep on until you have drawn the street on which your home stands. Place a little cross to show your home. With your pencil start from your house and make a dotted line to show how you come to school.4On your plan of the neighborhood place a circle to show the grocery store or bakery that you pass on your way to school. Make a large dot to show the nearest store to school, and with a dotted lineexplainhow you would go there from school if your teacher sent you to buy ink. Make a circle with a cross in it[p19]to show where there is a church, a bank, a factory, or any other important building near your school. If there is a railroad near, show it upon your plan.A COUNTRY HOME.5Many streets and lanes have names of trees. Some have been named after great and good men. There are some streets with only numbers for names. Do you know of any streets having names of these[p20]different kinds? Can you think of any street or road that received its name for some other reason?Get as many pictures as you can of the streets of your town or any other town and paste them in your note-book. Get some pictures of country roads and paste them also in your note-book.A CITY STREET.(Copyright, 1911, William H. Rau, Philadelphia.)6In some towns the streets are nearly straight and cross each other like the wires of a window-screen.[p21]In other towns the streets run off from the centre of the town like the spokes of a wheel. Some streets and roads are very crooked.How are the streets in our town arranged? Name some of our best business streets. Which streets have the finest homes in which people live? Name some streets or roads with trolley lines upon them. Are our streets paved?A MODERN COUNTRY SCHOOL.7Perhaps you live in the country where there are very few streets or none at all. How different is your walk to school each day from that of the city boy or girl! In town, children walk on paved streets and pass many buildings. What kind of roads do the country children walk upon? What buildings do they pass? A country school.Do you take a pleasant road between broad fields? Do you walk through the cool shady woods? Perhaps you run over a bridge with the clear brook sparkling and babbling beneath. What else do you see or hear in the country which city folks do not know in their built up towns?[p22]CHAPTER IIITHE BUILDINGS1Whatkinds of buildings do you pass on your way to school? Write a list of all the kinds that you have ever seen.Look at the pictures of buildings in this book and see if you know for what each is used. How can you tell?2Of all the many kinds of buildings in town or country, thehousesare the most important. It is more necessary to have good homes to live in than to have the other buildings large or beautiful. What makes a good residence? There must be enough room for the whole family. It needs plenty of light, air, sunshine and water. It must have a good roof to keep it dry in stormy weather. It should be well heated in the cold winter. Tell of other things that are needed in our homes to keep the family healthy and happy. How can you help to make your home pleasant?3Goodschools, too, are very necessary. The school-house must be built to keep the boys and girls[p23]comfortable and healthy while at work. Name some of the things needed for a good school building.A STREET SCENE IN NEW YORK.4The libraries and museums also teach people. A[p24]libraryis like a home where many friendly teachers live. These friends will talk to you and tell you many useful and wonderful things. Have you ever visited them at the library? Have you ever taken any of them home with you? Is there a library near our school?Themuseumsare full of many interesting objects. You may see beautiful pictures and statuary. Some have collections of pretty stones and of stuffed animals. Curious clothing, jewelry, toys and musical instruments used by people in distant lands are shown too. In a museum in Portland you may see the dear little clothing worn by the poet Longfellow when he was a tiny baby. Many books that Washington read are kept in a museum near the city of Washington. Have you ever visited a museum in a city? What did you see there?5No buildings anywhere are more beautiful than thechurches. Are there any churches in your neighborhood? Describe the church which you attend.6In town and country there are many ill people who cannot be cared for at home. They go tohospitalsto be nursed back to health and strength. The good doctors and nurses work day and night to cure the sick people. How can well people help sick people?[p25]Where is the nearest hospital to your home? What is it named?INDEPENDENCE HALL.7Almost every town has aTown Hall. Have you ever seen such a building? What is it used for? Here the mayor has his office. Sometimes the Town Hall or Court House has a high tower, or a fine dome, or a cupola. If you have ever seen a Town Hall tell how it looked.8Think of thestoresthat you have seen. How many[p26]kinds can you name? What does each sell principally? Where are these things made? Have you ever seen a largefactory? What does it manufacture?PITTSBURGH OBSERVATORY.It would be fine if all of the buildings in which folks work were sunny, airy and clean. People employed in comfortable stores and factories are happy and feel like working.Alas! there are many miserable places where the workmen are crowded and uncomfortable. The impure air makes them tired and ill. If you have seen a good store or factory tell what helps to keep the workers comfortable and healthy.[p27]9Old cities have in them many very old buildings that all Americans love. The magnificent Capitol at Washington was built long ago. It is one of the finest buildings in the world. It is built of white marble. In the first picture in this book notice the beautiful dome and the great high stairs. In Philadelphia is the dear old Independence Hall with the Liberty Bell. Boston has the old Faneuil Hall. Here many great Americans of long ago have spoken to the people. Are there any old historic buildings in our neighborhood?LONGFELLOW’S BIRTHPLACE, PORTLAND, MAINE.10Suppose some friends travel on the railroad to visit us. At what railroad station would the train arrive? Are there any other stations? How are they built?[p28]Do you think they give a beautiful, clean, friendly welcome to strangers? All stations should be pleasant and comfortable to cheer the tired travelers that pass through them day and night. At Denver, just outside of the station, there is a great arch stretching across the street. It says, “Welcome,” in bright letters at night and in pretty letters in the day. The visitor is glad to see the friendly word after a long trip.OLD SOUTH CHURCH, BOSTON.11When friends come from another town we like to show them the sights. Plan a nice trip around the town. Write a list of places to which you would take them. You must know where each place is. What could you tell about each place?12One day we should visit some park. Is there any near our school? Are there any interesting buildings or statuary in the park? Is there any water near by?[p29]When we visit our town park we should remember that it belongs to us, for a public park belongs to all of the people. Do you not like to have the things that belong to you as good, as useful and as beautiful as possible? Do you want your home to look sweet and clean and comfortable, or dirty, careless and unpleasant? Do you want your clothing to be strong, neat and pretty, or torn and dirty? We should all take pride in having the things we own just as good as possible. When you are in the street, the school, any public building, or in a park, say to yourself, “This is mine.” Then look around and see whether you like the way it looks. Think how you can help to keep it looking well or make it look even better.WINTER SCENE IN FAIRMOUNT PARK.[p30]How can boys and girls help keep the grass, the paths, the flower-beds, the trees and the buildings beautiful? Where does the money come from to pay the caretakers of the park?Some people visit the park only in spring, summer or autumn. We all love the park in those seasons. Many do not know how beautiful the bare trees look in winter with their gray or brown branches. There is no more exquisite sight in the world than to see these trees coated with glistening ice out to the tiniest twig, or to see them ridged with pearly white snow. It is a merry sight to see the jolly coasters and skaters.13Copy the list of buildings given below and mark each kind that you have seen. Tell where you saw it, of what it was built, or for what it was used.ResidenceSchoolMuseumStoreChurchCar-barnBankHospitalLibraryFactoryRailroad stationOfficeStableGovernment buildingGarageDairyBarnIce HouseWhat building is shown on thecoverof this book?[p31]CHAPTER IVTHE TOWN AS A WHOLE1Thinkof the times when you have walked or ridden about our town.What rivers did you see?CAPITOL AT HARRISBURG.Which buildings did you think were very beautiful?What was each used for?[p32]What buildings have we that are very helpful to the people?What interesting places have youvisitedin your neighborhood?What other places would you like to visit?2PREPARATION FOR A TRIP TO SOME HILLTOP, OBSERVATORY, TOWER OR ROOF-GARDEN FROM WHICH AN EXTENSIVE VIEW CAN BE HADWhat place shall we visit? Why? Draw a plan to include the school and the place to be visited.How far must we go? Shall we ride or walk? In what direction shall we go?When we are up high we can look over the whole neighborhood. First, try to find our school. In what direction shall we need to face? Then let us notice what lies between us and our school. See if you can find any park or large building which you know. Try to find the street or road upon which your home stands. Then look beyond our school for any other familiar building or park, and look for your home if you did not see it before. Notice how far the town stretches and try to see what cuts it off or bounds it.Next we shall turn and look in the opposite direction. What direction will that be? Find any familiar places. How can you know which are homes, schools, churches or factories? See how far the town extends and what cuts off or bounds it on this side.[p33]In what other directions shall we look? Again we shall notice the familiar and unfamiliar places and the town boundaries.3THE TRIP4Was the neighborhood view like you expected? What surprised you? What did we see most of? Make a list of all the places you remember seeing. Think of each view separately; north, south, east and west. Tell of anything you saw as you looked in each direction. Why could we see so much? How could we see even farther?[p34]CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.(Copyright, Detroit Publishing Co.)From a “Thistle” Print.5Do we live in a large city, a small town or in the country? What is the name of our town or the nearest town? Who first settled in the place which has grown to be a town? It is hard for us to believe that two hundred and fifty years ago there were no houses, churches, schools, streets or roads where we now live. All this land was wild country, mostly woods. The early settlers were strong and brave men. They had to cut down the forests and build their first homes of rough logs. Then they planted fields with corn, wheat and vegetables. They killed the wild animals for food, using the skins for clothing. As soon as[p35]possible the settlers tried to build a small plain church and a school-house.COLUMBUS’S SHIP.Now we have our fine towns which have grown from the early work of these first sturdy settlers. All of the people should love our dear home town and try to make it beautiful, healthful and comfortable. We should love our neighbors and treat them all like brothers and sisters. If we are true to our village or our dear town we will be kind and fair to all, rich and poor, Americans and foreigners, white and colored people. That is one way of showing our thankfulness for our comfortable homes.[p36]CHAPTER VTHE PEOPLE1Thinkof the many buildings which you see as you look over the landscape. There are people living in nearly all of those houses. Just think of the many, many people who live here. How many are there? How many schools have we in the town? How many people go to your school?Most of these people look much alike, but some are very different in appearance. Name some of the different kinds of people whom you have seen. How do you distinguish a negro and Chinaman or Mongolian from a white person or Caucasian? Tell about their hair, skin or any other peculiar features.Each kind of people is called a race. The pictures show some of the races we often see—Caucasian, Mongolian and negro. The Chinese and Japanese are called Mongolians.2THE INDIANSThe Indians lived at this place which is now our home long before there were any white people here or any towns at all. Where these many buildings now stand there was wild country, fields and woods. Under the[p37]trees stood the Indian wigwams made of skins and branches. The early settlers came to this country from far across the ocean. After William Penn landed with his companions he began at once to make friends with the Indians. As the red men were living upon the land, Penn thought that it was only fair and honest to buy from them the land that the English people wanted for their homes. The Indians could not use money, so he gave them blankets and other presents[p38]which pleased them very much. The Indians promised William Penn to live in peace with the white men and they kept their promise for many years.AN INDIAN FAMILY.INDIAN CHIEF.Most of the white people who came in those early days to other parts of our land did not act in this noble way. When they wanted land on which to build their homes they drove the Indians away, killing many of them. Thus these unjustly treated Indians became the enemies of the white men, and often treated them very cruelly in return. Let us remember that the Indians were the first owners of this land of ours and that they should be treated as William Penn showed us, with kindness and justice.Those wild Indians of long ago had many noble traits. They were strong and brave and fearless.Read in some of your school books about Indians and their homes.[p39]3THE NEGROESNEGRO.There were no negroes in this country till many years after Columbus and the other white men began to settle here. Some white men went far across the sea to Africa. They stole the negroes away from their homes, carried them to their ships and sailed back to this country. Then these white men sold the negroes to other men for money. The poor colored men had to work terribly hard as slaves and received no pay for their work. At last they were freed by Abraham Lincoln and others who helped him.The negroes have much that is fine in their character. Even when they were slaves they often grew to love their masters so dearly that they would do anything in the world, even give up their lives, for their masters. We should always remember that God made the negro as well as the white man. Fair-minded people will try to be honest, kind and just to everyone.[p40]4THE CHINESECHINESE MANDARIN AND SERVANT.Many Chinamen have come to our country from their distant homes in China. Their country is so crowded, and it is so hard to earn a living there, that most of the people are very poor.The Chinese living in our country are peaceful and quiet. They work very hard in their laundries and other places of business; yet there are many white people so cruel and thoughtless as to ridicule a Chinaman whenever they see one. These white people should remember that God made the Chinaman and that he is a stranger here in our country. Is it not even worse to ill-treat a stranger than one who is at home? The color of our skin and hair is not very important. It matters far more whether we are honest, loving, industrious and fair-minded.Not all of the white people living around us were born in this country. Where did your parents and[p41]grandparents live when they were children? Do you know any people who came from distant lands? Where were their first homes? Find out how many of the parents of your schoolmates came a long journey over the water to reach our land.Yes, we have people from many foreign countries. Some are English, Irish, Scotch or French. Then there are the Germans, Italians, Russians and others. From what country did each of these people come?Here they are all living together, people from all over the great wide world. Our homes stand side by side. We work and play together. Truly we are brothers and sisters, for we are all children in the great human family. It matters not from what distant land our people may have come, we should all be bound together like one family by human love and kindness.[p42]CHAPTER VIINDUSTRIES AND OCCUPATIONS1Whichmembers of your family work? Why do they work? For what is the money they earn spent? Think which of these things are absolutely necessary to keep us alive.We all needfood.We all needclothing.We all needhomes or shelter.Without these provisions we should die.How do we get our food, our clothing and our homes? How did people get them when there were no stores and no money? Do you know of any people who were compelled to get things in this way?In a school reader, read about how primitive people lived.2THE SOILWe have two kinds of food, vegetable food, which grows from the ground, and animal food. Name some foods of each kind. All plants grow out of the earth or soil. The soil is necessary to produce our animal food also. The meat we eat comes from sheep, cows, chickens and other animals. These animals all live on vegetable food. Without good soil[p43]there would be no grass nor hay. No grass would mean no food for cows and sheep. So we see that all of our food really comes from the soil.Our clothing, too, is dependent upon the soil. The cotton plant grows up out of the ground. The wool comes from the sheep, which eats grass which grows from the ground. Even our homes could not be built without products from the earth or soil. Think how much wood is used in the construction of a house. The trees which grow in the soil give us all the wood. Much iron, steel, copper, brass and nickel are used in our homes. Stones and bricks form part of many houses. All of these things come out of the earth. What a wonderful thing is the soil! Out of it come our food, our clothing and our shelter!In one of your books read the wonderful story of how we obtain a loaf of bread.3Write a list of all the kinds of work you can think of which people do.Copy this list of industries and place a cross beside the ones at which any persons you know work:MiningPrinting and bookmakingWeavingIron and steel workShipbuildingGlass-blowingLumberingPottery making[p44]BrickmakingMeat packingFarmingDairyingManufacturing foodsManufacturing clothingIce cuttingManufacturing furnitureWhich are town industries? Which are country industries?4Would you like to go to-morrow to visit a factory in which some food or clothing is manufactured? Look at the map of the town. Find your school. Find the factory. How far must we go and in what direction? What is the name of the place we will visit? Notice all of the things made there. Try to remember all of the materials needed at the factory, and find out where these materials come from. Try to remember just how the articles are made. Find out what will be done with the things that are manufactured. Notice the number and kinds of machines used. See how many workmen are employed.5AFTER THE TRIPWrite a letter to a friend in another class telling all about your visit. Mention these points:1. Where you went.2. What was made.3. How it was made.4. The materials used.[p45]5. The machinery.6. The workmen.7. The usefulness of the factory.8. The care and skill of the workmen.9. Anything else interesting about the trip.6Every town and every village is a workshop. There are many workmen here that do good, careful work. Some of the goods of our town may be sent thousands of miles away to other people who need them. The country people, too, do much useful work. Name some of the things which our workmen do for other people living at a distance from us.Read about the manufacture of the articles which you saw being made at the factory.7There are many workers in the world who do not make things with their hands. Most of their work is done with their minds, though, of course, their hands help too. Name some of these. What kind of work does each of the following do?TeacherLawyerMinisterDoctorAuthorBanker[p46]CHAPTER VIIANIMALS AND PLANTS1Thereare many other living creatures in the world besides people. Write a list of all the kinds of animals that you have ever seen.AMERICAN BUFFALO.Some of these animals live near the homes of men. They are tame. Men take care of them and see that they get food. Many of these animals are very useful to us. Write a list of these tame animals. At the top of the list writeDomestic Animals. Of what use[p47]is each of the following animals when alive? Which are useful after they are killed? Of what use to man is each one?HorsePigChickenCowDogDuckSheepCatPigeon.Read about how our meat is supplied to us.2RACCOON.Write a list of all thewild animalsyou remember ever having seen. Where did you see them? How were they prevented from harming people? Where was the natural home of these animals? How did they get their food? How do they now get their food?Some of these animals so closely resemble the domestic animals that they are said to belong to the same family. Read the names of the animals belonging to the same family and tell in what way they resemble each other. Tell which are domestic and which are wild.[p48]THE CAT FAMILYCatLionTigerLeopardTIGER.THE DOG FAMILYDogFoxWolfTHE HORSE FAMILYHorseZebraTHE COW FAMILYCowBuffaloDescribe some of these wild animals:ElephantFoxSquirrelWolfBearDeerThere are also many fish, birds and insects.Paste in your notebook any pictures of animals.LEOPARD.3Take a trip to the Zoological Gardens and see these animals.4Which domestic or wild animals are useful to us in obtaining food, clothing and shelter?[p49]5PLANTSWe cannot live without food, clothing and shelter. Let us see how plants help us to obtain these three great necessities.ELK.Write a list of all the plants that you can name.Draw a line under each that is useful forfood.Draw two lines under each that is useful forclothing.Draw three lines under each that is useful in making or furnishing ourhomes or shelter.Of what use are the plants that are not underlined? Are they beautiful? How dull the world would be without flowers!We have:1. Food plants.2. Clothing plants.3. Shelter plants.4. Ornamental plants.[p50]CHAPTER VIIITRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION1Thinkof the foods that you had on your dinner table yesterday. Where did each come from? How did it get here? Was there anything which came from our own neighborhood, and which did not have to take a long journey either to the factory where it was manufactured or to the store where it was sold?Examine the clothing you are wearing. Of what material is each article made? Where did the materials come from? Where were they manufactured? Which had to come a long journey before it reached your home?Look around the school-room and name the materials which had to travel a long distance before we could have them for our use.Imagine trying to get our food, our clothing and our shelter materials right near our school. How much could we be sure of having?2Perhaps you have seen products being brought into the city. You may have seen the milk trains unloading their many shining cans. Surely you[p51]have seen the freight cars with their signs painted on the outside telling that they are refrigerator cars, or coal cars, or other kinds of cars. What do they carry?Most of the things we need are brought here ontrains.Where is there in our neighborhood a freight railroad station? Is it near our school?CHINESE TRANSPORTATION.Some products are taken from the country to the town in wagons. You have seen the big hay wagons which go a long way from some farm to take food for the city horses.How else are products carried? Coffee, rubber, pepper, chocolate and much silk are brought here from distant lands in ships. If you go to the harbor of a large city you can see hundreds of busy men unloading the big steamers.3Ships and railroads carry not only foods but people too. There are many ways of carrying people and products. These are some of the ways:[p52]1. On the backs of animals, as horses, camels, elephants.2. In wheelbarrows.TRANSPORTATION IN ARABIA.3. In wagons.4. In automobiles.5. In trolley cars.6. In railroad trains.7. On boats, or ships.8. In sleighs.9. On bicycles.10. In airships.In which of these ways have you traveled? Can you tell what power is used in each case?In order to travel safely and quickly we need more than something in which to carry the people and products. We must have good wagon roads, well built railroads, tunnels through the mountains, and bridges over the rivers. Lighthouses are necessary to warn the vessels of the rocks at night or in the storms.4When people need things from a distance they cannot always go all the way to the place and bring[p53]back the products or articles. It is quicker and easier to send messages asking for what is needed. How would your mother send an order to the butcher for meat if she did not wish to go for it? How could a farmer send a message to the city ordering new milk cans and strawberry boxes? How do messages come to your house?In olden days the persons had to carry all of their messages for themselves or send them by other persons. The messenger would often run for miles without resting so as to deliver the letters as soon as possible. At last the people decided to give all of their letters to a postman who would ride on horseback from place to place with the mail. Stagecoaches were next used. It took a week for a coach to go as far as a train can go now in a few hours. Our mail is now carried from one place to another by trains or vessels, and then the letter carriers deliver it at our city houses or to our town post office or rural mail-box.The quickest way to send a message is by cable, telegraph, telephone or wireless message. Over the electric wires or through the air the words are flashed for miles in a few minutes.[p54]CHAPTER IXFAMILIAR SURFACE FEATURES1.Hilland plain.3. River2. Mountain and valley.4. Ocean5. Island and peninsula.Note to the Teacher.—Consider at this time only such familiar features as belong to the children’s immediate environment in or very near their neighborhood. Defer the study of the other land and water forms until later, as suggested in the Introduction. For further details of these features, see ChaptersIandIVin Part II.1HILL AND PLAINSome streets and roads are flat and level. Others slope likehills. Can you name a street which is level, and one that slants or slopes? Which road is easier to walk on? Why? Do you prefer the level or the sloping street when roller-skating? Why? Which is the best when you are coasting?You may have noticed that some of the fields in the park or in the country are nearly flat. Other fields lie on slopes or hills. We call the flat part of the land aplain, whether it is in the city or in the country. The sloping part of the land forms a hill. Have we mostly hills or plains in the streets of our city?[p55]2Some plains and some hills are covered with trees. If you were in the woods, surrounded by trees, how would you know whether you were on a plain or on a hill?HILLS AND VALLEYS.Some hills look very different from others. Some slope very gradually, while some are very steep. Some hills have city streets on them. Others have great fields of grass for cows to graze upon. Still others are planted with corn, wheat, rye or vegetables. There are wooded hills covered with trees. How do we know that all of these very different forms are hills?[p56]In the same way plains vary greatly. While some have been made into city streets, others are large, flat, grassy fields, with streams sometimes flowing through them. Some plains are covered with forests. Others are planted with grain and vegetables. How can you know when you see a plain if there are so many different kinds?3Look through the pictures in this book and decide which show hills and which show plains. Which is easier for a farmer to plow, a hill or a plain? Why?If you were sent upon an errand, would you choose to go by way of a hilly road or by a level one? Which is the pleasantest place for a summer home, upon a hill or upon a plain?How must a driver help his horses when they are pulling a heavy load up or down a hill?4MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYSSome hills are so very, very high that they have been calledmountains. What are our neighboring mountains named? Have you ever been to the top of one of these mountains? Describe the beautiful view from the summit. Did you see any wild creatures along the way? Tell about any trees and other plants that you noticed.[p57]When people build homes in mountain regions they generally place them in the low land between the high mountains. Why? This lower land is called avalley. The people in the valley town can often look beyond the fields and see the mountains rising high and steep beyond. Some mountains are covered with trees. At places you may see great bare, rough rocks on the mountain side. The scenery is very beautiful. There are often streams and broad rivers down in the valley.THE UPPER DELAWARE.Many lumbermen work on the mountains. Why do they cut down the trees? The mountains give the miners work too. The men go far into the mines to bring out the useful minerals. Are there any mines[p58]in the mountains near our home? What do the miners take from these mines?AN OCEAN STEAMSHIP.

[p5]FOREWORDOnceupon a time as four blind men sat by the roadside they heard the tramp of an elephant’s feet, and said one to another, “Here comes an elephant; now we shall know what he is like.” The first blind man put out his hand and touched the elephant’s broad side. The second took hold of a leg. The third grasped a tusk, and the fourth clutched the animal’s tail.“Now do you know what an elephant looks like?” asked a friend.“Yes,” cried the first. “The elephant is broad and flat like a barn door.”“What!” exclaimed the second. “The elephant is big and round like the trunk of a tree.”“Not so!” cried the third. “The elephant is hard and smooth like a polished stone.”“What are you all talking about?” cried the fourth. “The elephant is just like a piece of rope.”Much so-called teaching of geography leads to just such incomplete and fantastic ideas about geographical concepts. Very many children have only vague, incomplete and incorrect conceptions of the things they see. Like these physically and mentally blind men we are too often satisfied with mere wordy descriptions of subjects when we might study the subject at first hand if we would.This little book is intended to prevent the giving of information by description, but to suggest ways of directing attention to those things which lie within reach of the child’s senses, things which he might pass by, things which are needed now to stimulate an intelligent interest in his surroundings, things which are needed later for an appreciation and enjoyment of his study of the larger facts and concepts of geography. If the larger geographical concepts are to have accuracy and richness for the child he must have his attention directed to his surroundings. The trite expression[p6]“from the known to the unknown” is good pedagogy, but there must be a “known” on which to build.The book is based upon the author’s actual experience in the class-room studying the children at their geography tasks. It has been her experience that the efforts of the teachers to build broad geographical concepts were of no avail because the pupils did not have accurate intimate knowledge of the necessary home geography upon which to build. To correct this defect she set about collecting and classifying the necessary material. With the use of this material she not only found that the class teachers had much less difficulty in presenting the study of the earth as a whole, but that an interest beyond all expectation was apparent in the children.The following pages are valuable more on account of the things they suggest than for any geographical facts which they incidentally present. The book is not a text-book on geography; it is a compendium of suggestion on the study of the subject. It makes little effort to present facts, but rather it tells how to gather, classify and study facts. It is intended to be used with children during the age when they especially delight in the making of collections, and is intended to turn to a definite use this childish instinct.Map study is based entirely upon the child’s experiences as he makes plans of his schoolroom, schoolhouse, streets and city. The suggestions regarding the study of things foreign to the child are based entirely upon his experience in the study of the types with which he has become familiar in his study of his surroundings.Milton C. Cooper,Superintendent of District Nine, Philadelphia.[p7]INTRODUCTIONGeographicalknowledge should progress from the known to the unknown, from the familiar to the unfamiliar. The world is the home of mankind. We can best understand the larger world by a preliminary consideration of our own small intimate home. We therefore begin to study geography with an account of the child’s immediate environment. The school stands for the common home of the class. From the school we gradually widen out our teaching to include the immediate neighborhood with its buildings, and finally the whole town or community.We study the various types of people whom we meet every day, and the industries in which they engage in their efforts to obtain the three main necessities of human life,—food, clothing and shelter. The animals and plants sharing the world with man and contributing to his sustenance next focus our attention.The home neighborhood has its physiographical features distinguishing it from other places and influencing the life of its inhabitants. The land and water divisions in the immediate environment are studied as types, while those not closely related to our home are reserved for consideration as each one occurs in its local geographical place in the course of study.We must know something of direction in order to conveniently locate the streets, buildings and physiographical features near our home. Finally, we will try to realize the great size of the earth, of which our home is but a small portion, by a consideration of the relationship of our community to the rest of the world and to some of this world’s great diversities.As geography is a study of cause and effect, the early lessons should be mainly oral. Later, in order to obtain a broad knowledge of geographical data, not one but many books should be read. This little book aims to serve as a bridge between the oral lesson and the descriptive text-book. The presentation of many questions leads the pupil to think out cause and effect, and to connect his present knowledge with the realm of the unknown. Special care has been exercised to present facts only when facts are[p8]absolutely necessary, and only after allowing the pupil the opportunity to first exercise his own reasoning faculties in obtaining the information.The excursion is an essential part of every geography course, and every effort should be made to use this effective means of teaching.Four types of valuable exercises may be suggested in the use of this book:1. The pupils may read the questions orally and give the answers orally.2. They may read the questions silently, answering them orally.3. They may read the questions orally and write the answers.4. Finally, they may silently read the questions and write the answers.All definitions have been carefully avoided as tending to hamper the free acquisition of ideas.PART ITOPICS1. Our School.6. Industries and Occupations.2. The Streets and Roads.7. Animals and Plants.3. The Buildings.8. Transportation and Communication4. The Town as a Whole.9. Physiography of the Neighborhood5. The People.10. Direction.PART II1. The Earth as a Whole.2. The Seasons.3. The Zones.4. North America.5. Countries of North America.6. Trips.

Onceupon a time as four blind men sat by the roadside they heard the tramp of an elephant’s feet, and said one to another, “Here comes an elephant; now we shall know what he is like.” The first blind man put out his hand and touched the elephant’s broad side. The second took hold of a leg. The third grasped a tusk, and the fourth clutched the animal’s tail.

“Now do you know what an elephant looks like?” asked a friend.

“Yes,” cried the first. “The elephant is broad and flat like a barn door.”

“What!” exclaimed the second. “The elephant is big and round like the trunk of a tree.”

“Not so!” cried the third. “The elephant is hard and smooth like a polished stone.”

“What are you all talking about?” cried the fourth. “The elephant is just like a piece of rope.”

Much so-called teaching of geography leads to just such incomplete and fantastic ideas about geographical concepts. Very many children have only vague, incomplete and incorrect conceptions of the things they see. Like these physically and mentally blind men we are too often satisfied with mere wordy descriptions of subjects when we might study the subject at first hand if we would.

This little book is intended to prevent the giving of information by description, but to suggest ways of directing attention to those things which lie within reach of the child’s senses, things which he might pass by, things which are needed now to stimulate an intelligent interest in his surroundings, things which are needed later for an appreciation and enjoyment of his study of the larger facts and concepts of geography. If the larger geographical concepts are to have accuracy and richness for the child he must have his attention directed to his surroundings. The trite expression[p6]“from the known to the unknown” is good pedagogy, but there must be a “known” on which to build.

The book is based upon the author’s actual experience in the class-room studying the children at their geography tasks. It has been her experience that the efforts of the teachers to build broad geographical concepts were of no avail because the pupils did not have accurate intimate knowledge of the necessary home geography upon which to build. To correct this defect she set about collecting and classifying the necessary material. With the use of this material she not only found that the class teachers had much less difficulty in presenting the study of the earth as a whole, but that an interest beyond all expectation was apparent in the children.

The following pages are valuable more on account of the things they suggest than for any geographical facts which they incidentally present. The book is not a text-book on geography; it is a compendium of suggestion on the study of the subject. It makes little effort to present facts, but rather it tells how to gather, classify and study facts. It is intended to be used with children during the age when they especially delight in the making of collections, and is intended to turn to a definite use this childish instinct.

Map study is based entirely upon the child’s experiences as he makes plans of his schoolroom, schoolhouse, streets and city. The suggestions regarding the study of things foreign to the child are based entirely upon his experience in the study of the types with which he has become familiar in his study of his surroundings.

Milton C. Cooper,Superintendent of District Nine, Philadelphia.

Geographicalknowledge should progress from the known to the unknown, from the familiar to the unfamiliar. The world is the home of mankind. We can best understand the larger world by a preliminary consideration of our own small intimate home. We therefore begin to study geography with an account of the child’s immediate environment. The school stands for the common home of the class. From the school we gradually widen out our teaching to include the immediate neighborhood with its buildings, and finally the whole town or community.

We study the various types of people whom we meet every day, and the industries in which they engage in their efforts to obtain the three main necessities of human life,—food, clothing and shelter. The animals and plants sharing the world with man and contributing to his sustenance next focus our attention.

The home neighborhood has its physiographical features distinguishing it from other places and influencing the life of its inhabitants. The land and water divisions in the immediate environment are studied as types, while those not closely related to our home are reserved for consideration as each one occurs in its local geographical place in the course of study.

We must know something of direction in order to conveniently locate the streets, buildings and physiographical features near our home. Finally, we will try to realize the great size of the earth, of which our home is but a small portion, by a consideration of the relationship of our community to the rest of the world and to some of this world’s great diversities.

As geography is a study of cause and effect, the early lessons should be mainly oral. Later, in order to obtain a broad knowledge of geographical data, not one but many books should be read. This little book aims to serve as a bridge between the oral lesson and the descriptive text-book. The presentation of many questions leads the pupil to think out cause and effect, and to connect his present knowledge with the realm of the unknown. Special care has been exercised to present facts only when facts are[p8]absolutely necessary, and only after allowing the pupil the opportunity to first exercise his own reasoning faculties in obtaining the information.

The excursion is an essential part of every geography course, and every effort should be made to use this effective means of teaching.

Four types of valuable exercises may be suggested in the use of this book:

1. The pupils may read the questions orally and give the answers orally.

2. They may read the questions silently, answering them orally.

3. They may read the questions orally and write the answers.

4. Finally, they may silently read the questions and write the answers.

All definitions have been carefully avoided as tending to hamper the free acquisition of ideas.

[p10]THE CAPITOL AT WASHINGTON.

Whatis the name of our school?

Where have you seen this name?

A TOWN SCHOOL.

Why was this name given to our school?

On what street or road does our school stand?

How long have you been attending this school?

See how much you have noticed as you came here each day. Tell what you can remember of the[p12]different parts of the building which can be seen from the street or road. Describe each of these parts:

As you look at the school from the outside what materials do you see that the builders have used? Where have they needed stone, slate, glass, tin, iron, steel, wood?

Now let us think of the garden and playground. Tell about the different parts and the materials that have been used in making them.

What great numbers of workmen were needed before a school like ours could be built! Who procured the stone and the slate? Whose work was needed to obtain the iron, the steel and the tin? Who made the glass? Which workmen shall we thank for the wood?

Can you think how the bare lot looked before the school was built? Many men with shovels and pick-axes dug out the foundation, and numbers of horses and wagons were needed to carry out the earth. Then came the builders. How were so many materials brought here?

1. We will go outdoors together and look at the school building.

[p13]2. We will stand north of the school, south, east and west of it. Notice the position of the parts, their number, shape, size and color.

3. As we stand at each side, see whether there are any parts which you never noticed before or any parts which we forgot to mention yesterday.

Look at this drawing of a school building and grounds. It is called a plan. Before any school or church or home is built a plan must be drawn. This is to show the workmen what to do. See how much of the ground is used for the building. Find the garden. What are in the garden? Which is larger, the garden or the playground? What shape is the[p14]playground? How many doors are there to the building? In how many ways can you get into the playground?

Plan of School

Try to draw a plan of your school building and yard, showing the gates, the flagpole, the drinking fountain or pump, and any other parts you think of. Show which door you use most.

Note to the Teacher.—The pupils should draw the plan upon paper while the teacher draws it upon the blackboard. Infinite care should be exercised to invest every line with its full meaning. Upon the proper interpretation of this first plan will depend much of the pupil’s future ability to correctly read a map as the representation of a reality.

As you walk from the school door to your room what do you see? Tell all that you have noticed in the corridors, on the staircases, in the cloak-rooms and the class-rooms.

We will go on a little excursion through the school today, walking along all of the corridors and upon all of the staircases. Look especially to see anything that you never saw before, and notice anything that you forgot to mention in yesterday’s description.

Answer the following questions:

1. How many stories high is our school?

2. How many class-rooms are on each floor?

[p15]3. How many other rooms are on each floor?

4. How many staircases does our school have?

5. What materials have been used in building the staircases?

6. What can be seen in the corridor nearest your room?

7. By how many doorways can the children leave the building?

8. How is your school heated and ventilated?

Plan of School Room

Describe everything that you can see in your class-room.

Look at this plan of a school-room. See if you can draw a plan ofyourschool-room.

Make a list of all the materials that have been used in building the inside of your school. Remember all of the following parts:

[p16]Now write a list of the kinds of workmen who gathered together these materials. Name as many of the kinds of workmen as you can think of who were engaged on the inside work of the building.

Write a letter to anyone whom you know who has never seen our school. Tell all about our building and the good workmen by whom it was planned and built.

Onwhat street or road does your school stand?

On what street or road do you live?

What streets or roads do you pass on your way home?

What do you think is the finest street or road that you have ever seen anywhere? What makes that so good a street or road?

Name a poor street or road. What could be done to improve it?

Why do cities and towns have streets and roads? Where are there no streets?

Look at the country picture shown onpage 19. How pretty it is! When would it be pleasant to walk there? When would it not be so pleasant? Why? What must be done to a road to make it into a good street? Tell what you can of the different ways of paving, lighting and draining streets and roads, and ofthe differentkinds of name-signs you have seen.

Now what can be done to make a street or road beautiful and pleasant in warm weather?

[p18]How can boys and girls help to keep the streets and roads pleasant?

Here is a plan of some of the streets in a large city.

PLAN OF CITY STREETS.

Draw the shape of the school lot. Now show the street or road that the school stands upon. If you live in a town, draw the streets next to the school. Then draw the next streets, and keep on until you have drawn the street on which your home stands. Place a little cross to show your home. With your pencil start from your house and make a dotted line to show how you come to school.

On your plan of the neighborhood place a circle to show the grocery store or bakery that you pass on your way to school. Make a large dot to show the nearest store to school, and with a dotted lineexplainhow you would go there from school if your teacher sent you to buy ink. Make a circle with a cross in it[p19]to show where there is a church, a bank, a factory, or any other important building near your school. If there is a railroad near, show it upon your plan.

A COUNTRY HOME.

Many streets and lanes have names of trees. Some have been named after great and good men. There are some streets with only numbers for names. Do you know of any streets having names of these[p20]different kinds? Can you think of any street or road that received its name for some other reason?

Get as many pictures as you can of the streets of your town or any other town and paste them in your note-book. Get some pictures of country roads and paste them also in your note-book.

A CITY STREET.

(Copyright, 1911, William H. Rau, Philadelphia.)

(Copyright, 1911, William H. Rau, Philadelphia.)

In some towns the streets are nearly straight and cross each other like the wires of a window-screen.[p21]In other towns the streets run off from the centre of the town like the spokes of a wheel. Some streets and roads are very crooked.

How are the streets in our town arranged? Name some of our best business streets. Which streets have the finest homes in which people live? Name some streets or roads with trolley lines upon them. Are our streets paved?

A MODERN COUNTRY SCHOOL.

Perhaps you live in the country where there are very few streets or none at all. How different is your walk to school each day from that of the city boy or girl! In town, children walk on paved streets and pass many buildings. What kind of roads do the country children walk upon? What buildings do they pass? A country school.

Do you take a pleasant road between broad fields? Do you walk through the cool shady woods? Perhaps you run over a bridge with the clear brook sparkling and babbling beneath. What else do you see or hear in the country which city folks do not know in their built up towns?

Whatkinds of buildings do you pass on your way to school? Write a list of all the kinds that you have ever seen.

Look at the pictures of buildings in this book and see if you know for what each is used. How can you tell?

Of all the many kinds of buildings in town or country, thehousesare the most important. It is more necessary to have good homes to live in than to have the other buildings large or beautiful. What makes a good residence? There must be enough room for the whole family. It needs plenty of light, air, sunshine and water. It must have a good roof to keep it dry in stormy weather. It should be well heated in the cold winter. Tell of other things that are needed in our homes to keep the family healthy and happy. How can you help to make your home pleasant?

Goodschools, too, are very necessary. The school-house must be built to keep the boys and girls[p23]comfortable and healthy while at work. Name some of the things needed for a good school building.

A STREET SCENE IN NEW YORK.

The libraries and museums also teach people. A[p24]libraryis like a home where many friendly teachers live. These friends will talk to you and tell you many useful and wonderful things. Have you ever visited them at the library? Have you ever taken any of them home with you? Is there a library near our school?

Themuseumsare full of many interesting objects. You may see beautiful pictures and statuary. Some have collections of pretty stones and of stuffed animals. Curious clothing, jewelry, toys and musical instruments used by people in distant lands are shown too. In a museum in Portland you may see the dear little clothing worn by the poet Longfellow when he was a tiny baby. Many books that Washington read are kept in a museum near the city of Washington. Have you ever visited a museum in a city? What did you see there?

No buildings anywhere are more beautiful than thechurches. Are there any churches in your neighborhood? Describe the church which you attend.

In town and country there are many ill people who cannot be cared for at home. They go tohospitalsto be nursed back to health and strength. The good doctors and nurses work day and night to cure the sick people. How can well people help sick people?[p25]Where is the nearest hospital to your home? What is it named?

INDEPENDENCE HALL.

Almost every town has aTown Hall. Have you ever seen such a building? What is it used for? Here the mayor has his office. Sometimes the Town Hall or Court House has a high tower, or a fine dome, or a cupola. If you have ever seen a Town Hall tell how it looked.

Think of thestoresthat you have seen. How many[p26]kinds can you name? What does each sell principally? Where are these things made? Have you ever seen a largefactory? What does it manufacture?

PITTSBURGH OBSERVATORY.

It would be fine if all of the buildings in which folks work were sunny, airy and clean. People employed in comfortable stores and factories are happy and feel like working.

Alas! there are many miserable places where the workmen are crowded and uncomfortable. The impure air makes them tired and ill. If you have seen a good store or factory tell what helps to keep the workers comfortable and healthy.

Old cities have in them many very old buildings that all Americans love. The magnificent Capitol at Washington was built long ago. It is one of the finest buildings in the world. It is built of white marble. In the first picture in this book notice the beautiful dome and the great high stairs. In Philadelphia is the dear old Independence Hall with the Liberty Bell. Boston has the old Faneuil Hall. Here many great Americans of long ago have spoken to the people. Are there any old historic buildings in our neighborhood?

LONGFELLOW’S BIRTHPLACE, PORTLAND, MAINE.

Suppose some friends travel on the railroad to visit us. At what railroad station would the train arrive? Are there any other stations? How are they built?[p28]Do you think they give a beautiful, clean, friendly welcome to strangers? All stations should be pleasant and comfortable to cheer the tired travelers that pass through them day and night. At Denver, just outside of the station, there is a great arch stretching across the street. It says, “Welcome,” in bright letters at night and in pretty letters in the day. The visitor is glad to see the friendly word after a long trip.

OLD SOUTH CHURCH, BOSTON.

When friends come from another town we like to show them the sights. Plan a nice trip around the town. Write a list of places to which you would take them. You must know where each place is. What could you tell about each place?

One day we should visit some park. Is there any near our school? Are there any interesting buildings or statuary in the park? Is there any water near by?

[p29]When we visit our town park we should remember that it belongs to us, for a public park belongs to all of the people. Do you not like to have the things that belong to you as good, as useful and as beautiful as possible? Do you want your home to look sweet and clean and comfortable, or dirty, careless and unpleasant? Do you want your clothing to be strong, neat and pretty, or torn and dirty? We should all take pride in having the things we own just as good as possible. When you are in the street, the school, any public building, or in a park, say to yourself, “This is mine.” Then look around and see whether you like the way it looks. Think how you can help to keep it looking well or make it look even better.

WINTER SCENE IN FAIRMOUNT PARK.

[p30]How can boys and girls help keep the grass, the paths, the flower-beds, the trees and the buildings beautiful? Where does the money come from to pay the caretakers of the park?

Some people visit the park only in spring, summer or autumn. We all love the park in those seasons. Many do not know how beautiful the bare trees look in winter with their gray or brown branches. There is no more exquisite sight in the world than to see these trees coated with glistening ice out to the tiniest twig, or to see them ridged with pearly white snow. It is a merry sight to see the jolly coasters and skaters.

Copy the list of buildings given below and mark each kind that you have seen. Tell where you saw it, of what it was built, or for what it was used.

What building is shown on thecoverof this book?

Thinkof the times when you have walked or ridden about our town.

What rivers did you see?

CAPITOL AT HARRISBURG.

Which buildings did you think were very beautiful?

What was each used for?

[p32]What buildings have we that are very helpful to the people?

What interesting places have youvisitedin your neighborhood?

What other places would you like to visit?

What place shall we visit? Why? Draw a plan to include the school and the place to be visited.

How far must we go? Shall we ride or walk? In what direction shall we go?

When we are up high we can look over the whole neighborhood. First, try to find our school. In what direction shall we need to face? Then let us notice what lies between us and our school. See if you can find any park or large building which you know. Try to find the street or road upon which your home stands. Then look beyond our school for any other familiar building or park, and look for your home if you did not see it before. Notice how far the town stretches and try to see what cuts it off or bounds it.

Next we shall turn and look in the opposite direction. What direction will that be? Find any familiar places. How can you know which are homes, schools, churches or factories? See how far the town extends and what cuts off or bounds it on this side.

[p33]In what other directions shall we look? Again we shall notice the familiar and unfamiliar places and the town boundaries.

Was the neighborhood view like you expected? What surprised you? What did we see most of? Make a list of all the places you remember seeing. Think of each view separately; north, south, east and west. Tell of anything you saw as you looked in each direction. Why could we see so much? How could we see even farther?

[p34]CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.

(Copyright, Detroit Publishing Co.)From a “Thistle” Print.

(Copyright, Detroit Publishing Co.)From a “Thistle” Print.

Do we live in a large city, a small town or in the country? What is the name of our town or the nearest town? Who first settled in the place which has grown to be a town? It is hard for us to believe that two hundred and fifty years ago there were no houses, churches, schools, streets or roads where we now live. All this land was wild country, mostly woods. The early settlers were strong and brave men. They had to cut down the forests and build their first homes of rough logs. Then they planted fields with corn, wheat and vegetables. They killed the wild animals for food, using the skins for clothing. As soon as[p35]possible the settlers tried to build a small plain church and a school-house.

COLUMBUS’S SHIP.

Now we have our fine towns which have grown from the early work of these first sturdy settlers. All of the people should love our dear home town and try to make it beautiful, healthful and comfortable. We should love our neighbors and treat them all like brothers and sisters. If we are true to our village or our dear town we will be kind and fair to all, rich and poor, Americans and foreigners, white and colored people. That is one way of showing our thankfulness for our comfortable homes.

Thinkof the many buildings which you see as you look over the landscape. There are people living in nearly all of those houses. Just think of the many, many people who live here. How many are there? How many schools have we in the town? How many people go to your school?

Most of these people look much alike, but some are very different in appearance. Name some of the different kinds of people whom you have seen. How do you distinguish a negro and Chinaman or Mongolian from a white person or Caucasian? Tell about their hair, skin or any other peculiar features.

Each kind of people is called a race. The pictures show some of the races we often see—Caucasian, Mongolian and negro. The Chinese and Japanese are called Mongolians.

The Indians lived at this place which is now our home long before there were any white people here or any towns at all. Where these many buildings now stand there was wild country, fields and woods. Under the[p37]trees stood the Indian wigwams made of skins and branches. The early settlers came to this country from far across the ocean. After William Penn landed with his companions he began at once to make friends with the Indians. As the red men were living upon the land, Penn thought that it was only fair and honest to buy from them the land that the English people wanted for their homes. The Indians could not use money, so he gave them blankets and other presents[p38]which pleased them very much. The Indians promised William Penn to live in peace with the white men and they kept their promise for many years.

AN INDIAN FAMILY.

INDIAN CHIEF.

Most of the white people who came in those early days to other parts of our land did not act in this noble way. When they wanted land on which to build their homes they drove the Indians away, killing many of them. Thus these unjustly treated Indians became the enemies of the white men, and often treated them very cruelly in return. Let us remember that the Indians were the first owners of this land of ours and that they should be treated as William Penn showed us, with kindness and justice.

Those wild Indians of long ago had many noble traits. They were strong and brave and fearless.

Read in some of your school books about Indians and their homes.

NEGRO.

There were no negroes in this country till many years after Columbus and the other white men began to settle here. Some white men went far across the sea to Africa. They stole the negroes away from their homes, carried them to their ships and sailed back to this country. Then these white men sold the negroes to other men for money. The poor colored men had to work terribly hard as slaves and received no pay for their work. At last they were freed by Abraham Lincoln and others who helped him.

The negroes have much that is fine in their character. Even when they were slaves they often grew to love their masters so dearly that they would do anything in the world, even give up their lives, for their masters. We should always remember that God made the negro as well as the white man. Fair-minded people will try to be honest, kind and just to everyone.

CHINESE MANDARIN AND SERVANT.

Many Chinamen have come to our country from their distant homes in China. Their country is so crowded, and it is so hard to earn a living there, that most of the people are very poor.

The Chinese living in our country are peaceful and quiet. They work very hard in their laundries and other places of business; yet there are many white people so cruel and thoughtless as to ridicule a Chinaman whenever they see one. These white people should remember that God made the Chinaman and that he is a stranger here in our country. Is it not even worse to ill-treat a stranger than one who is at home? The color of our skin and hair is not very important. It matters far more whether we are honest, loving, industrious and fair-minded.

Not all of the white people living around us were born in this country. Where did your parents and[p41]grandparents live when they were children? Do you know any people who came from distant lands? Where were their first homes? Find out how many of the parents of your schoolmates came a long journey over the water to reach our land.

Yes, we have people from many foreign countries. Some are English, Irish, Scotch or French. Then there are the Germans, Italians, Russians and others. From what country did each of these people come?

Here they are all living together, people from all over the great wide world. Our homes stand side by side. We work and play together. Truly we are brothers and sisters, for we are all children in the great human family. It matters not from what distant land our people may have come, we should all be bound together like one family by human love and kindness.

Whichmembers of your family work? Why do they work? For what is the money they earn spent? Think which of these things are absolutely necessary to keep us alive.

We all needfood.

We all needclothing.

We all needhomes or shelter.

Without these provisions we should die.

How do we get our food, our clothing and our homes? How did people get them when there were no stores and no money? Do you know of any people who were compelled to get things in this way?

In a school reader, read about how primitive people lived.

We have two kinds of food, vegetable food, which grows from the ground, and animal food. Name some foods of each kind. All plants grow out of the earth or soil. The soil is necessary to produce our animal food also. The meat we eat comes from sheep, cows, chickens and other animals. These animals all live on vegetable food. Without good soil[p43]there would be no grass nor hay. No grass would mean no food for cows and sheep. So we see that all of our food really comes from the soil.

Our clothing, too, is dependent upon the soil. The cotton plant grows up out of the ground. The wool comes from the sheep, which eats grass which grows from the ground. Even our homes could not be built without products from the earth or soil. Think how much wood is used in the construction of a house. The trees which grow in the soil give us all the wood. Much iron, steel, copper, brass and nickel are used in our homes. Stones and bricks form part of many houses. All of these things come out of the earth. What a wonderful thing is the soil! Out of it come our food, our clothing and our shelter!

In one of your books read the wonderful story of how we obtain a loaf of bread.

Write a list of all the kinds of work you can think of which people do.

Copy this list of industries and place a cross beside the ones at which any persons you know work:

Which are town industries? Which are country industries?

Would you like to go to-morrow to visit a factory in which some food or clothing is manufactured? Look at the map of the town. Find your school. Find the factory. How far must we go and in what direction? What is the name of the place we will visit? Notice all of the things made there. Try to remember all of the materials needed at the factory, and find out where these materials come from. Try to remember just how the articles are made. Find out what will be done with the things that are manufactured. Notice the number and kinds of machines used. See how many workmen are employed.

Write a letter to a friend in another class telling all about your visit. Mention these points:

1. Where you went.

2. What was made.

3. How it was made.

4. The materials used.

[p45]5. The machinery.

6. The workmen.

7. The usefulness of the factory.

8. The care and skill of the workmen.

9. Anything else interesting about the trip.

Every town and every village is a workshop. There are many workmen here that do good, careful work. Some of the goods of our town may be sent thousands of miles away to other people who need them. The country people, too, do much useful work. Name some of the things which our workmen do for other people living at a distance from us.

Read about the manufacture of the articles which you saw being made at the factory.

There are many workers in the world who do not make things with their hands. Most of their work is done with their minds, though, of course, their hands help too. Name some of these. What kind of work does each of the following do?

Thereare many other living creatures in the world besides people. Write a list of all the kinds of animals that you have ever seen.

AMERICAN BUFFALO.

Some of these animals live near the homes of men. They are tame. Men take care of them and see that they get food. Many of these animals are very useful to us. Write a list of these tame animals. At the top of the list writeDomestic Animals. Of what use[p47]is each of the following animals when alive? Which are useful after they are killed? Of what use to man is each one?

Read about how our meat is supplied to us.

RACCOON.

Write a list of all thewild animalsyou remember ever having seen. Where did you see them? How were they prevented from harming people? Where was the natural home of these animals? How did they get their food? How do they now get their food?

Some of these animals so closely resemble the domestic animals that they are said to belong to the same family. Read the names of the animals belonging to the same family and tell in what way they resemble each other. Tell which are domestic and which are wild.

TIGER.

Describe some of these wild animals:

There are also many fish, birds and insects.

Paste in your notebook any pictures of animals.

LEOPARD.

Take a trip to the Zoological Gardens and see these animals.

Which domestic or wild animals are useful to us in obtaining food, clothing and shelter?

We cannot live without food, clothing and shelter. Let us see how plants help us to obtain these three great necessities.

ELK.

Write a list of all the plants that you can name.

Draw a line under each that is useful forfood.

Draw two lines under each that is useful forclothing.

Draw three lines under each that is useful in making or furnishing ourhomes or shelter.

Of what use are the plants that are not underlined? Are they beautiful? How dull the world would be without flowers!

We have:

1. Food plants.

2. Clothing plants.

3. Shelter plants.

4. Ornamental plants.

Thinkof the foods that you had on your dinner table yesterday. Where did each come from? How did it get here? Was there anything which came from our own neighborhood, and which did not have to take a long journey either to the factory where it was manufactured or to the store where it was sold?

Examine the clothing you are wearing. Of what material is each article made? Where did the materials come from? Where were they manufactured? Which had to come a long journey before it reached your home?

Look around the school-room and name the materials which had to travel a long distance before we could have them for our use.

Imagine trying to get our food, our clothing and our shelter materials right near our school. How much could we be sure of having?

Perhaps you have seen products being brought into the city. You may have seen the milk trains unloading their many shining cans. Surely you[p51]have seen the freight cars with their signs painted on the outside telling that they are refrigerator cars, or coal cars, or other kinds of cars. What do they carry?

Most of the things we need are brought here ontrains.Where is there in our neighborhood a freight railroad station? Is it near our school?

CHINESE TRANSPORTATION.

Some products are taken from the country to the town in wagons. You have seen the big hay wagons which go a long way from some farm to take food for the city horses.

How else are products carried? Coffee, rubber, pepper, chocolate and much silk are brought here from distant lands in ships. If you go to the harbor of a large city you can see hundreds of busy men unloading the big steamers.

Ships and railroads carry not only foods but people too. There are many ways of carrying people and products. These are some of the ways:

[p52]1. On the backs of animals, as horses, camels, elephants.

2. In wheelbarrows.

TRANSPORTATION IN ARABIA.

3. In wagons.

4. In automobiles.

5. In trolley cars.

6. In railroad trains.

7. On boats, or ships.

8. In sleighs.

9. On bicycles.

10. In airships.

In which of these ways have you traveled? Can you tell what power is used in each case?

In order to travel safely and quickly we need more than something in which to carry the people and products. We must have good wagon roads, well built railroads, tunnels through the mountains, and bridges over the rivers. Lighthouses are necessary to warn the vessels of the rocks at night or in the storms.

When people need things from a distance they cannot always go all the way to the place and bring[p53]back the products or articles. It is quicker and easier to send messages asking for what is needed. How would your mother send an order to the butcher for meat if she did not wish to go for it? How could a farmer send a message to the city ordering new milk cans and strawberry boxes? How do messages come to your house?

In olden days the persons had to carry all of their messages for themselves or send them by other persons. The messenger would often run for miles without resting so as to deliver the letters as soon as possible. At last the people decided to give all of their letters to a postman who would ride on horseback from place to place with the mail. Stagecoaches were next used. It took a week for a coach to go as far as a train can go now in a few hours. Our mail is now carried from one place to another by trains or vessels, and then the letter carriers deliver it at our city houses or to our town post office or rural mail-box.

The quickest way to send a message is by cable, telegraph, telephone or wireless message. Over the electric wires or through the air the words are flashed for miles in a few minutes.

Note to the Teacher.—Consider at this time only such familiar features as belong to the children’s immediate environment in or very near their neighborhood. Defer the study of the other land and water forms until later, as suggested in the Introduction. For further details of these features, see ChaptersIandIVin Part II.

Some streets and roads are flat and level. Others slope likehills. Can you name a street which is level, and one that slants or slopes? Which road is easier to walk on? Why? Do you prefer the level or the sloping street when roller-skating? Why? Which is the best when you are coasting?

You may have noticed that some of the fields in the park or in the country are nearly flat. Other fields lie on slopes or hills. We call the flat part of the land aplain, whether it is in the city or in the country. The sloping part of the land forms a hill. Have we mostly hills or plains in the streets of our city?

Some plains and some hills are covered with trees. If you were in the woods, surrounded by trees, how would you know whether you were on a plain or on a hill?

HILLS AND VALLEYS.

Some hills look very different from others. Some slope very gradually, while some are very steep. Some hills have city streets on them. Others have great fields of grass for cows to graze upon. Still others are planted with corn, wheat, rye or vegetables. There are wooded hills covered with trees. How do we know that all of these very different forms are hills?

[p56]In the same way plains vary greatly. While some have been made into city streets, others are large, flat, grassy fields, with streams sometimes flowing through them. Some plains are covered with forests. Others are planted with grain and vegetables. How can you know when you see a plain if there are so many different kinds?

Look through the pictures in this book and decide which show hills and which show plains. Which is easier for a farmer to plow, a hill or a plain? Why?

If you were sent upon an errand, would you choose to go by way of a hilly road or by a level one? Which is the pleasantest place for a summer home, upon a hill or upon a plain?

How must a driver help his horses when they are pulling a heavy load up or down a hill?

Some hills are so very, very high that they have been calledmountains. What are our neighboring mountains named? Have you ever been to the top of one of these mountains? Describe the beautiful view from the summit. Did you see any wild creatures along the way? Tell about any trees and other plants that you noticed.

[p57]When people build homes in mountain regions they generally place them in the low land between the high mountains. Why? This lower land is called avalley. The people in the valley town can often look beyond the fields and see the mountains rising high and steep beyond. Some mountains are covered with trees. At places you may see great bare, rough rocks on the mountain side. The scenery is very beautiful. There are often streams and broad rivers down in the valley.

THE UPPER DELAWARE.

Many lumbermen work on the mountains. Why do they cut down the trees? The mountains give the miners work too. The men go far into the mines to bring out the useful minerals. Are there any mines[p58]in the mountains near our home? What do the miners take from these mines?

AN OCEAN STEAMSHIP.

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