Ida Cassa Heffron

“ As this new light comes to the student, he looks with interest and eagerness to see the plan of it all. We do not mean to say that he sees in the map before him an actual correspondence to the earth’s surface structure, that [40] is, forms that are reproductions in miniature of mountain range and valley, but he sees a representation of them calculated to arouse his imagination to a lively degree. He is enabled to picture to himself great slopes crowned by lofty mountain peaks, and the meeting of their lower edges where mighty rivers flow. ”

“ Nearly every school-house has some surroundings that may be studied to advantage, except those in closely built city streets; but even in such cases there is always the work of rain, heat, frost, and wind to study, as well as insect life. The drifting of sand and snow, the frost on the window-panes, the forming of ice around doors and windows and the effect of heat in its melting, rain-drops, clouds, puddles of water in the slight depressions of sills and walks, with tiny streams flowing therefrom, are all to be observed. ”

“ In fine, the whole world surface should become a reality to him if the map is rightly taught. This will be an easy matter for a teacher who is alive to the beauty of the world around us and who has a personal knowledge or clearly pictured concepts of the real country. Such an one will readily see the value of the maps as an aid to the pupil in gaining a comprehensive mental picture of the earth’s surface. ”

“ Not only can we say that the Chalk Modeled map has been a great factor in the better understanding of the surface contour and conditions of the continental mass, thus advancing the true study of geography, but that it has also awakened some of the teachers of the public schools of the country, to the lack of interest and lifelessness in the teaching of drawing as it has prevailed in the schools in the past. It has been the means of revealing to them the beauty and desirability of delineating mass without a continuous hard outline. ”

“ All things in the universe are related to each other—nothing stands alone. The mountain is closely related to the valley, it has given of its substance to build and enrich the latter, and its streams have carried nourishment to help swell the river at its base.
In its delineation, therefore, one must keep in mind the relation of its height to the width of the valley, and to the plateau on which it may stand; the declivity of its slopes, and their relation to the vertical direction, which may be seen as an imaginary line drawn from the center of the base to the zenith. ”

“ Everything combined, all the wealth of color, warmth of sunlight, song of birds, hum of insects and breath of growing things, conspire to the unfoldment of the being on all the planes of life’s expression, for, the first and controlling impulse is toward expression; expression on the physical, mental and emotional planes—in fulfillment of the law of growth, for expression is a necessity to growth. ”

“ With every attempt to sketch on your part, additional skill will be acquired, for it is only by repeated attempts that progress is made. By such continued efforts you not only gain the power to express the knowledge you have, but are led to see wherein you are deficient and require closer study of your subject. When we try to express our knowledge of a subject by drawing, we are often greatly surprised to find how little we know of it. ”

“ Each mountain peak cannot be shown, nor every indentation of coast-line, but the general trend or direction of mountain ranges and rivers, and more or less of geological structure can be portrayed in a conventional manner.
It is not difficult to chalk model with reasonable accuracy. The ability to do this, however, with any degree of rapidity as well as accuracy, implies, as has just been said, an adequate knowledge of the subject to be represented. No mere imitation, or acquisition of technique, or copying of maps, is educational, nor has it any vital relation to the true study of geography. ”

“ Our knowledge or ideas of a subject should be arranged in orderly sequence, so logical and clearly defined, that we shall not be obliged to go back and modify or correct any part of our expression. Such corrections in connection with drawing destroy that pleasing quality which marks a sketch as “artistic.” The teacher who appreciates the importance of forming correct mental habits, will encourage in his pupils the practice of accurate and thorough study of a subject, before any attempts at expression are made. ”

“ Their writings are filled with lessons and illustrations, as well as generalizations drawn from close observations of her methods. If, then, a knowledge of structural geography is requisite to the true understanding of man’s relation to man and the world around him, it becomes important that the subject be presented in such a manner as to attract and hold the interest of the pupil; and properly presented there can be nothing more interesting than the study of his immediate environment—that which touches him in his every day experience. ”

“ As the mere existence of mountain range, desert, sea or river, may be essentially the influence which has led to the growth or downfall of empires, it is clearly seen that a sound knowledge of structural geography is absolutely necessary for all intelligent study of history ”

“ It is of great importance to his future growth that the student acquire the habit of freely expressing himself through the art modes of modeling, painting and drawing, since much of his mental power depends upon such expression; for by holding in mind, while in the act of expression, the images acquired through observation, more of the details of the object or scene as well as the generalities are recalled. ”

“ It may not be possible for all students to make a study of the whole of a river or brook basin, yet it may be done by sections—getting a general idea of the slope of the river bed, water-parting, slope and valley. The action of the forces of nature may also be seen in the changes now going on in the different sections—the cutting back of the stream at its source, its eroding power, its carrying power, and its building or leveling power.
If it is not possible to take the children to the field for nature study, they may find fruitful sources of study without. ”

“ The habit of locating the events recorded, of tracing upon the map the route of an army, or the line of an important road or canal, and observing the impediments or natural obstructions to be overcome, with the great advantages to be derived therefrom, together with inferences as to the time and labor required, has the effect of making the study of history of living interest, especially if the map used indicates such surface structure. ”

“ The value of Drawing and Modeling as modes of expression cannot be over-estimated. Every subject taught in our schools gains new power and life, as the brush or pencil, the clay or tool, tells its own truth concerning it. Literature, History, Science and Geography gain an immensely added value: each one becomes a living thing if the teacher possess the power to illustrate her subject. In Geography especially, the Chalk-Modeling originated by Miss Heffron, while teacher of Drawing in the Cook County Normal School, is of incalculable value. ”

“ In the measurements of areas, size of fields and gardens, width of ponds, or heights of trees and hills, the pupil has numerical facts from which he judges of other forms and areas; as forests, marshes, plains, the width of rivers and lakes, the heights of mountains and cliffs, or length of rivers and mountain ranges.
Also in the measuring of the deposition of silt in small streams, he may judge of the quantity that large rivers like the Mississippi or Nile must carry; and from measuring the yearly growth of vegetation in his own climate, he judges what might be the growth in other climates. ”

“ In the new education the pupils are thus in the field lesson brought face to face with nature. Through these lessons the powers of the imagination are quickened and strengthened by the continual observation of surface forms, the true basis for all attempts to image the structure of the earth. ”

“ He easily understands that they must act as a source of drainage for wet lands and as channels for the irrigation of dry areas.
In looking upon the great bodies of water, oceans, seas, lakes and gulfs, as represented on the maps, he questions the relation of these waters to the land, their depth and what place they fill in the economy of nature. Indeed, the relief map has an awakening effect, quickening the imagination and stimulating to mental effort—earnest thought.
They are invaluable in their place and have come to stay ”

“ A structural map suitable to all grades of pupils, the lower as well as the higher grades, seems highly essential; especially should it be one that is adapted to the teacher’s use while before the class—one to teach from. This should be entirely different from a reference map. It should plainly show the great facts of physical geography or surface structure, as well as some detail, and this in a simple form. For the lower grades there should be no lines to mark the political divisions, neither should there be any names of countries, states, or cities to designate localities. ”

“ We have learned that to memorize names and locations of mountains, rivers and lakes, without seeing their relation to a whole, or to make only superficial observations of extended areas of land, results merely in indefinite mental impressions, leaving out the very basis of all concise and clearly defined geographical knowledge. ”

“ Light dawns upon the pupil as he studies. He sees that environment has been an important factor in the development of the human race. He traces step by step in imagination the growth of civilization, from the time that man in his nomad stage first drove his herds into the valley in search of food and water. There, finding the soil productive, water unfailing in supply, and the valley protected from marauders by natural barriers, as desert or mountain walls, he fixes his home ”

“ One can often determine what the prevailing wind of a section may be and the regions of greatest rainfall, and can judge of the [47] climate and vegetation; in short, very rational conclusions concerning the life and habits of a people may be formed from a study of the map alone, and the student can picture, in imagination, the growth or advancement of nations under the given conditions.
He will be enabled to see, as has been remarked in substance before, that the mighty influences bearing upon civilization have always been largely dependent upon the geographical structure of a country ”

“ Nearly, if not equally necessary is it in the study of literature. In order to properly appreciate the works of our best writers, both of prose and poetry, an acquaintance with nature, a scientific and geographical knowledge, local and general, is very essential. It forms a basis for the correct understanding of books, since the best writers and thinkers of all ages have been students of nature. ”

“ The powerful influence which the physical features of [11] the earth’s surface have exerted in shaping the current of historical events, can hardly be realized, until thoughtful investigation of the subject has been made. The knowledge of geographical conditions, as climate, mountains, valleys, rivers and seas, with vegetable and animal life gives us the theatre of action for events in history. ”

“ An instructor whose eyes are open to truth, can generally tell from a pupil’s representation whether it is the result of his own individual thought, the expression of his own knowledge of the subject, or the reflex of another’s thought. ”

“ We read how the truths have appealed to his own consciousness. It stands where the relief map itself stands, as representing the delineator’s own mental image of such structure.
There are no lines drawn in this map that contradict or confuse the meaning; all is direct, truthful and clear in statement of fact. Each line has its own particular meaning. If represents direction. Applied to land surface, a vertical line means a perpendicular mountain or side wall of plateau, horizontal lines indicate level areas, and oblique lines a sloping surface. ”

“ The artist when inspired with his subject masses his material in boldly and each stroke counts for the thing he wants to say—it tells of the direction of surface, or edge of mass, or detail.
In the new map, the representation of solidity and land continuity as mass, with no hard and fast limitations of land and water, such as the outlines so prominent in the old reference maps, is a noticeable feature. ”

“ Inferences are made at every step of the way as to the history of the physical features observed, and the nature of the forces that have acted upon them to shape and distribute. Areas and forms of land are constantly being compared as to shape, size, width, length and height, and simple generalizations, formed from direct observations, are combined with other generalizations, to form those that are higher or more comprehensive. ”