Excerpt from History of Tennessee, Its People and Its Institutions The competent teacher of history demands of the text-book two essential qualities: Firsf. The text-book must contain a clear statement of all mate rial facts, and an adequate discussion of all important topics, arranged in such consecutive order as to cover the subject completely, and to connect all the parts in logical sequence. There must be no missing link in the chain of events. The author of the text-book does not share in the licen>e accorded to the general writer. He has no right to dilate on favorite or sensational topics to the omission or exclusion of essential links in the chain of history. In order to cover the subject in all its parts, it is necessary that the style be concise and the scope be comprehensive. If the text-book be defective in this first essential quality, no rhetorical excellence or charm of style can cure the defect. Second. In connection with the statement of each important fact, and the discussion of each important topic, the text-book must supply carefully selected page references to the sources of information, and to the best authorities in which the subject is treated more in detail than the restrictions of a school-book will permit. The skillful teacher makes this demand of the text-book, because he needs it as an aid to himself and a guide to the pupil, in order to accomplish the best results. He knows that the limitations of the school-term will not permit him to do more than lay the foundation upon which the pupil, himself, in future years must build the superstructure. If the teacher is ambitious that his teaching shall live in the future lives of his pupils, he looks beyond the school-room, and is not content to prepare his pupils only for the next recitation, or the next examination. If he aims to train lovers Of history, or readers of history, or writers of history, he must give his pupils, at least, a glimpse of the rich and varied field of historical literature, with some training towards forming the habit of historical research, and some practice in the methods of historical investigation. The text-book should aid in this work by supplying references. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.