tain important periods, such as the settlement of Upper
Canada by the United Empire Loyalists, etc. (See Detailed Course of
Study, p. 5.) We may also study our history along special lines of
development--political, military, social, educational, religious,
industrial, and commercial--but these phases are subjects of study
rather for secondary schools and colleges.

STAGES OF STUDY

There are three stages in the study of history which, though they
overlap each other, yet indicate different methods of treatment for
pupils at different ages. They are the Story stage, the Information
stage, and the Reflective stage. These stages are not exclusive, nor do
they coincide with the first three Forms in the schools.

THE STORY STAGE

This stage is suitable for children in the primary grades and is chiefly
preparatory to the real study of history in the higher grades. The need
for this stage lies in the fact that the child's "ideas are of the
pictorial rather than of the abstract order"; yet his spontaneous
interest in these things must be made to serve "as a stepping-stone to
the acquired interests of civilized life." The definite objects at this
stage are:

(_a_) To create and foster a liking for historical study. It is
impossible, in the public school life of a child, which is usually ended
at the age of twelve to fourteen years, to accomplish all that has been
indicated above concerning the aims of history teaching. The most that
can be done is to lay the foundation and give the pupil a desire to
continue his reading after his school days are over. Serious blame rests
on the teacher whose methods of teaching history, instead of attracting
the child to the subject, give him a distaste for it. If history is made
real and living to children, it is usually not difficult to have them
like it. (For suggestions, see p. 34.)

(_b_) To acquaint the pupils with some of the important historical
persons. We wish to take advantage of the fact that "the primitive form
of attention which is captured at once by objects that strike the senses
is giving place in some degree to appreciative attention, which is
yielded to things that connect themselves with what we already know, and
which implies ability to adopt the reflective attitude towards a
proposed problem."[A] Now children are more interested in people than in
institutions or events; and, if we can give them a knowledge of some of
the striking incidents in the lives of importan