ating and
inculcating moral ideas. It is teaching morals by example. Even
living companions often exert less influence upon children than the
characters impressed upon their minds from reading. The deliberate
plan of teachers and parents might make this influence more salutary
and effective.

It will strike most teachers as a surprise to say that _the chief use
of history study is to form moral notions in children_. Their
experience with this branch of school work has been quite different.
They have not so regarded nor used history. It has been generally
looked upon as a body of useful information that intelligent persons
must possess. Our history texts also have been constructed for another
purpose, namely, to summarize and present important facts in as brief
space as possible, not to reveal personal actions and character as a
formative moral influence in the education of the young. Even as
sources of valuable information, Spencer shows that our histories have
been extremely deficient; but for moral purposes they are almost
worthless.

Now, moral dispositions are a better fruitage and test of worth in men
than any intellectual acquirements. History is already a recognized
study of admitted value in the schools. It is a shame to strip it of
that content and of that influence which are its chief merit. To study
the conduct of persons as illustrating right actions is, in quality,
the highest form of instruction. Other very important things are also
involved in a right study of history. There are economic, political,
and social institutions evolved out of previous history; there are
present intricate problems to be approached and understood. But all
these questions rest to a large extent upon moral principles. But
while these political, social, and economic interests are beyond the
present reach of children, biography, individual life and action in
their simple forms, are plain to their understanding. They not only
make moral conduct real and impressive, but they gradually lead up to
an appreciation of history in its social and institutional forms.

Some of the best historical materials (from biography, tradition, and
fiction) should be absorbed by children in each grade as an essential
part of the substratum of moral ideas. This implies more than a
collection of historical stories in a supplementary reader for
intermediate grades. It means that history in the broad sense is to be
an important study in