[BITList] Antony Beevor in defence of history

[HUGH]

John,

I second that.

" .... the history essay teaches students to research and assess material, to marshal facts and develop arguments, and to arrive at logical conclusions."

In a nutshell.  I could never understand why history in the above terms wasn't taught in primary schools. Even in high school, history was mainly recalling bits from books. It tested memory, nothing more - I have a good memory.  At degree level I found a good memory wasn't all that was needed. On TV the other night, I saw a piece on a primary school in Scotland where the children are given local history topics to research for a class presentation.  So maybe things they are achanging. Why drum the Battle of Wherever and the King and Queen of Whichever into young minds while totally neglecting what went on in the past of the place around them, much easier to access? The area in which I live has changed immeasurably since the 50s - housing, roads, industry, local politics - after 100 years of stability, and at least 3 generations are in some ways ignorant of what went before.

Hugh.
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