Copyright, 1899, 1904, by
LEVI SEELEY.
Entered at Stationers' Hall.
HIST. OF EDUCATION
The importance of a knowledge of the history of education was never sofully recognized as at the present time. Normal schools and teachers'colleges give this subject a prominent place in their professionalcourses, superintendents require candidates for certificates to passexamination in it, and familiarity with it is an essential part of theequipment of every well-informed teacher. The history of educationportrays the theories and methods of the past, warns of error andindicates established truth, shows difficulties surmounted, andencourages the teacher of to-day by examples of heroism and consecrationon the part of educators whose labors for their fellow-men we discuss.To the teacher this study is a constant help in the schoolroom, thetrials of which are met with the added strength and inspiration fromcontact with great teachers of the past.
No text-book can be said to contain the last word upon any subject.Least of all can such a claim be made for a history of education, whichaims to trace the intellectual development of the human race and toindicate the means and processes of that evolution. Any individuals orfactors materially contributing thereto deserve a place in educationalhistory. As to which of these factors is the most important, that is aquestion of choice, upon which, doubtless, many will differ with theauthor. Some educators, whose claims to consideration are unquestioned,have been reluctantly omitted on account of the limitations of this[Pg 4]work.
On the other hand, many teachers lack time for exhaustive study of sucha subject. This book is designed to furnish all the material that can bereasonably demanded for any state, county, or city teacher'scertificate. It also provides sufficient subject-matter for classes innormal schools and colleges and for reading circles. The materialoffered can be mastered in a half-year's class work, but, by using thereferences, a full year can be well employed. For those who desire tomake a more extended study of particular topics, the author gives suchauthorities as years of careful research have shown to be most valuable.Every investigator knows the labor involved in finding suitablematerial. To spare the reader something of that labor, the literature isgiven at the beginning of each chapter. By following the collateralreadings thus suggested, this book will be found suitable for the mostadvanced classes.
The plan of references embraces three features: (1) literature at thebeginning of each chapter; (2) foot references to special citations; and(3) a general bibliography in the Appendix. In the first two, titles aresometimes abbreviated because of their frequent repetition. In case ofdoubt the reader should refer to the general bibliography, in which allthe authorities cited are arranged alphabetically, with full titles.
To get the greatest value from this study, classes should be required tokeep a notebook which should follow some uniform plan. I sug