The Old And New Looks In Geography

Chronicle (Levin), 11 April 1949, Page 3

The Old And New Looks In Geography

Speaking at tlie Marcb- meeting of the sebool Parent-Teaebers' As- ' Sociation, Mr. A. H. Haley of Horoyrbenua College, otitlinecl the scope of geography-teaching in schools. .After - pointing out, with the aid of ani air route map' of up-to-date projection, that aviation had reduce'd the distances on the globe from place to place, Mr. Haley stressed the need for man's greater knowledge of the lives and means of livelihood of people in other countries. The old approach to geography had been mathematical and physical. A mass of facts haa been required to he learned, to which the enlightened teacher of today would give a secondary place. The value of knowing the names of all the rivers; mountains and other physical features of a country came only after one had grasped the idea that geography was primarily a study of people. To distinguish between the "old. look," in geography and the "new look," Mr. Haley spoke of the activities of typical families in various parts of the world and from I those occupations attempted to deduce the climate and physical features of those places, The speaker pointed out that such deductions could not be accurately made on account of economic reasons sometimes 'determininig the type of production in which a country might engage. This disproved the theory that a study of climate and physir cal features would reveal the occupations of people. Such an approach to the subject would not even impose limitations upon occupations, as man had learned to overcome many physical restrictions to production by, for example, irrigation. To provide a new blas to history and geography as school subjects the name "social studies" had been given them, but they were still the same subjects with more emphasis upon "man." At the conclusion of his address Mr. Haley answered numerous questions for his interested listeners. A vote of thanks, proposed hy the presid'enit, Mr. R. R. Lind, was carried by acclamation.