The Dominion. THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1915. HISTORY AND NATIONAL LIFE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2412, 18 March 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1915. HISTORY AND NATIONAL LIFE

About three weeks ago we pub- f lished an article in these columns 1 in which attention was drawn to the ; fact that the study of history does ( not at present receive the amount of attention in our national education system that its, demands, and wo expressed satisfaction at the 1 .announcement that Mit. G. L. Peacucke proposed to ask the Auckland University College Council to consider the advisableness of establishing a Chair of History. The matter was carried a step further on Monday last, when the Council agreed to Mr. Peacocke's motion expressing the view that the time has arrived for emphasising the importance and extending the scope of the teaching of history, and that the question of establishing a Chair of History and Economics and appointing a professor thereto be referred to the careful consideration of a committee of the Council. It is to be hoped that the reproach that the New Zealand University has not one Professor of History will soon be removed. The Auckland College Council deserves credit for taking action in this matter. A University that does not provide adequate facilities _ for the teaching of history is failing to take full advantage of its opportunities of influencing the national life. Mr. Peacocke has good reason for his assertion that there has-been an inadequate realisation of the_ value of history, both by the public an_d our teaching institutions. The' university colleges and the schools aro not entirely neglecting this branch of education, but they aro not devoting to it the time, the power, or the enthusiasm that the greatness of the subject demands and merits. The war has quickened and increased our appreciation of history as a factor in the formation of the nation's character. The Germans have taught us a lesson in this matter. ' They have shown us the tremendous influence which a system of education may have upon the ideals and aspirations of a virile and progressive people. It is a good tiling sometimes to learn from our enemies. Wo do not for a moment suggest that the minds of young Britishers should be saturated with the grim idea that it is the duty and destiny of the British race to trample the rest of the world underfoot, or to impose its culture on other peoples at the bayonet's point; but it is well to make full use of our glorious national story as a means of putting.now life and vigour into our rather sluggish sense of citizenship, and of enriching our conception of patriotism by a more vivid realisation of the greatness of our heritage. No country in the world has sueh,an inspiring history as the British Empire. Bishop Stubbs, the distinguished constitutional historian, reminds us that the roots of the present are deep in the past. If this is so it must be impossible to have a rational understanding of the political and social movements of our own day unless we have some knowledge of their origin and growth—unless we understand how and why they came into being. Professor Scott, who occupies the Chair of History in Melbourne University, in stressing this point, states that history is not merely a matter of the past; it shows how the present came to be. Every age inherits more than it adds. Professor Scott makes a good point when ho remarks that the man in the street is rather tO9 fond of dwelling on his superiority over primitive m«n, but it_ would be a very difforent matter if he had to start from scratch. He would not begin with top-hats and telephones. Contempt for the past is not merely ingratitude, it is a sign of ignorance ; but it would be equally wrong to imagine that the power of making history died out just before the present 'generation arrived on the ; scone. History is being made' to-day ■ ■ on a tremendous scale, and we are helping to make it—and it is being made in Australia and New Zealand as- well as in Europe. There is ■ ample scope for historical research in this part of the world. Profes- ■ sor Scott strongly urges students to ' devote their attention to colonial | history. It is, he says, a most fast cinating subject. The difference of - method of tno great schools of colo- ! nisation—the Hispano-Portuguese, | the' French, the Dutch, and the English—offer an alluring field for the historian. History must bo taught with real power and insight if it is to appeal to the popular imagination. Mere strings of names and dates can have no inspiration. Tho teacher of history must make the past live again, and must establish a vital connection between the past : and the present. A knowledge of f history should prevent ub from re- ' pcating tho mistakes of our fore- • fathers, and from wasting time with ' social and political expedients which 1 actual experience has already proved t to be either ineffectual or disastrous, i It is quite ccrtain that, as Mr. i Peacocke remarked in commending Ilia proposal to the Auckland University College Council, an intclli--3 gent knowledge of history woud tend 3 to give less importance to many politioal firebrands. If the mass of men aud women knew how often tho " reckless demagogue and the advocato ° of class war have been found out in bygone days these pernicious quacks 0 would soon cease to flourish. His--1 lory has been described as philosophy ' teaching by example. It is one of ' the key-studies. A distinguished , modem educationist (Mn. Thiselton Mark) states that our interpret,a- - tions of life are fashioned by the 15 almost unconscious absorption of his- ' torieal data, and our views, of pubi Ifn jthlihy ■ pl'bli 1 *- dut.V &Vl3 builtuu iii tlw siuw largely uucoutcioub

fashion. It is therefore of the first i importance that this, data should bo < accurate. This can only be the case ( if masters of historical learning de- i vote themselves and inspire others 1 to historical study. ===== 1