Imperial History and Geography.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16411, 3 January 1919, Page 6

Imperial History and Geography.

One of the latest issues of ''United "Empire," prints a verbatim report of the speeches delivered on the occasion of a deputation from the Imperial Studies Committee of the Royal Colonial Institute, which waited on Mr H. A. L. Fisher, President of the Board of Education, to discuss the subject of the teaching of Imperial History and Geography. The deputation, which was introduced by Viscount Bryce, was concernod with a subject of the highest interest and importance to the oversea Dominions. It is necessary that in each part of the Empire there should be a. real knowledge and understanding of the other parts, and the want of knowledge and

understanding is perhaps greater in Britain than in any of the Dominions. In tho nature of things, the peoples of the Dominions cannot help learning most that is vital concerning the United Kingdom, but this knowledge is not reciprocal. Viscount Bryco spoke of the ''great want of knowledge at home "of the geographical conditions, tho " resources, the social, economical, and " political characters of the inhabitants " of our various Dominions, and, what " is worse than a want of knowledge, a " want of curiosity about, and absence " of interest on the part of our people j " in, our vast and splendid heritage."' Accordingly he associated himself with tho deputation's plea for the special treatment of Imperial history and geography in the elementary schools, secondary schools, training colleges for teachers, and universities. Sir Charles Lucas mentioned a very significant fact. He had received a letter from Professor Egerton, who was just then engaged in examining in tho School of Modern History at Oxford, to the effect that while the candidates showed a good knowj ledge of European History, they were liable to make elementary mistakes about oasy questions in regard to the history of the _ Empire. Sir Charles Lucas apparently did not think this very surprising, in view of the small amount of teaching with regard to the Overseas Empire, and, still more, in view of tho fact that the story of the Overseas Empiro was treated as an appendix to, and not an integral part of, English History. This, however, is not the only source of weakness. Another was mentioned by Mr Fisher in his reply to the deputation. Most of the historical text-books in use in English socondary schools, ho pointed out, did not go beyond 1815, and he bo-

lieved .that the schools were few in which the teachers attempted to take their pupils beyond that date. There are difficulties, of course, about the teaching of history right down to the year 1918, because, as one approaches recent times, thcro is more and more upon which people differ very intensely, and a point is reached long bofore the present moment at which the undisputed matter shrinks to bare dates and names; and to teach dates and names is not to teach history. "What is true of the teaching of history is true also of the teaching of geography. There is ample room in this country for a great improvement in the teaching of both subjects, but even more desiroblo is tho spreading of a greater knowledge of the Dominions in Great Britain. The best hope of the world is a strong and durable British Empire, and for this Empire we must have a basis of understanding peoples. This basis of understanding people 3 wo cannot expect to have, unless the boys and girls of Britain and tho Dominions are brought up to know and appreciate the Empire.