I'm actually going through articles and such to "situate" my project work. While looking for some historical background, I often find little gems that make me realize how much, I hope, things have changed.
Keep in mind, as you look at these, that I'm one who warns my students against judging Shakespeare, for example, by the standards of our time. You shouldn't assume by looking at Shrew that he's a misogynist or that the character of Shylock is evidence of a streak of racism than was anything more than typical of his day.
That said, I think it best you actually look at them as these were printed in the books where I found them:
This first one is from The Teacher's Technique, which was published in 1949 and is by one Charles Elmer Holley, who worked at the University of Idaho. You probably don't need to enlarge it to read it.
The second is from a book published in 1877 in Montreal, titled The Art of Teaching. This one you'll need to enlarge--it's providing a list of characteristics under the title "Synopsis of Human Nature". It's best if you just have a look for yourself. You'll need to click to enlarge it.
I'd say it's just more evidence of things as they used to be, except I also was reading American Education: Its Principles and Elements which was published in 1851, and can only be described as very enlightened and forward thinking in much of its content. Plus it's just cool to have a book this old to peruse. It has a stamp labelling it property of the "Library of St. Charles College Seminary" Columbus, Ohio. Then in one corner you can see the sticker of a Columbus book retailer.
Since I'm going to be slogging though stuff like this for a while, be warned you might see more posts like this one.
7 comments:
That second one is weirdly fascinating. It's too bad there's no corresponding animal for Clothes, when clearly "horse" would fit best.
Wow. That's just... well, I guess I could get bogged down in trying to figure out the biases and such, but I find it refreshing for the times... I mean, for Thist and it's corresponding "drunkenness" they pick the Swedes rather than the Irish to exemplify that. Given the time period, you'd think they'd totally have gone in that direction with their stereotype. Huh. And how strangely fascinating to see Parisians a seperate class from French. What a peculiar little time capsule of a book you've found.
Of course, the Irish might have to stay sober enough to brawl, according to the chart.
I also have access to every Toronto Globe and Mail newspaper issued since 1843 in pdf format--that's a huge potential timewaster, believe me.
on the first, I suspect the only change is semantics. We use different words today, but hardly different sentiments.
and yet it's true, the world is always improving. thank god. it's about the only thing that keeps me from throwing in my towel and moving to Mars.
well. sort of the only thing.
on the second... eccentricity? inquisitiveness? as vices? madness. madness I say.
It's inexcusably sloppy, as well. Well-organized stupidity is always quite fascinating... but some of the vices are an excess of virtue, and others a lack, and the examples variously illustrate virtues, vices, and both. I should hardly think they upheld Byron as their sample of gallantry, nor that they were accusing Paul of ungodliness.
Still. I admire their guts. I mean, who would in all humble honesty write a book intitled "Synopsis of Human Nature?"
my dad's a professor -- he looked at the first one and said, "yeah. that looks about right."
(-;
hmm--interesting points...
Petunia, I think the problem is often that we are no longer as ignorant of the problems of the world as we once were. Media reports in full colour what was often unnoticed in other times.
On the other hand, change isn't a straight, continuous improvement, but rather there is ebb and flow. For example, I read a biography of W.E.B. duBois, and was surprised by the significant academic opportunities and career advancement available to some African-Americans in the post Civil War period that were lost by the early 20th century. Still, we assume it is better now than in either period.
Magpies unite!!!
Wow! That chart from 1877 is wacky!!! I look forward to more of this stuff.
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