the whole subject_

Few teachers will deny that too little time is spent in giving the
student a general view of the whole subject, either in its entirety or
in its various phases. The text has been studied by chapters or by
months or by movements. The history as a whole has never been seen. By
the time the student has reached the "Aldrich Currency Plan" in American
history he has forgotten all about the experiments with the first United
States Bank. He could no more outline the financial history of the
United States as given in his text than he could outline the industrial
or political history of the American people. And yet he has studied the
facts given in his textbook; he has supplemented the text by his work in
the library, and in the recitation; he has done everything that may
reasonably be expected of him, except to assemble his historical
information and review it as a whole.

If the student in American history is asked to go to the board at
intervals and write an outline for the work covered on such topics as
the following, he will come much nearer understanding the progress of
our people:--

1. History of the tariff.

2. Political parties and principles for which they stood.

3. Things that crystallized Northern sentiment against slavery.

4. Reasons for the unification of the South.

5. Diplomatic relations of the United States.

6. Additions of territory.

7. Financial legislation.

8. Growth of humanitarian spirit.

There will easily be sufficient topics so that each member of the class
will have a different one. They can all work at the board,
simultaneously. The amount of time used for exercises of this sort need
not be great, and the value received is incalculable.

If the teacher wishes to review briefly on the military, diplomatic,
social, political, or economic history of the people the class have been
studying, it is no difficult matter to arrange a set of questions, the
occasional review in which will clinch in the student's mind what
otherwise would surely be forgotten. Such questions as the following on
the financial history of the United States are each answerable with a
few words and will serve as an illustration of the method which may be
employed in reviewing any other phase of history:--

1. By what means was trade accomplished before the use of money?

2. What are the functions of money?

3. What determines the amount