Yesterday & today = Gister & vandag: 1981 No 1

 

Contents

No. 1, April 1981

Articles


Book reviews

Editorial

A team effort

Ages ago the famous Cicero alleged that he who does not have knowledge of what has happened in the past will stay a child forever. Somebody else emphasized the same point by claiming that children who know their history are in a certain sense wiser than their parents. Naturally it depends on "how" and "what" one knows about the past. Indeed, the fact is that only man has the past as potential experience to build a future on. If man does not make use of this arsenal of human wisdom he is in quite a great danger of committing an absurdity. Unfortunately we live in such a dangerous age. History as a school subject is almost on the verge of disappearing as an essential subject in the education of children. For this there are naturally many reasons, some of which little can be done about, for example the spirit of the age, materialism and urbanization. On the other hand the curriculum design, instructional techniques and ways of evaluation can be considerably improved to enhance History's claim to be a subject with formative value. To realise this ideal one must obviously evaluate the practice of history teaching honestly and thoroughly.

We believe that the renewal and improvement of the quality of History teaching on both primary and high school level offers the opportunity to revive History as a subject. Naturally the efforts of a few individuals will not provide the required dividends. If the History teacher and pupils do not realize that a team effort is essential, then this initiative is doomed to fail.

To get the reader involve9 with the activities of Yesterday and Today, it will be endeavoured to provide the pupils as well as the teacher with relevant articles and discussions. Although the editorial staff at present consists of local enthusiasts - the reason is merely of an organizational and financial nature. As soon as contributions are received from elsewhere and funds allow it, the editorial staff will be extended.

Serious efforts will be made to think creatively about the teaching of History in this magazine. Because this publication is not bound by any official point of view it is possible to debate in a honest and scientific spirit issues such as curriculum design, evaluation and creative pupil activities. Without your active participation this aim will not be achieved.

In every edition it will be attempted to award at least a book-prize or a cash prize. Furthermore the first two copies will be distributed free of charge to all primary and high schools. We trust that Yesterday and Today will continue and extend the good work done by Historia Junior through the years. The challenges seem vast but with your co-operation they can be overcome.

Redaksioneel

'n Spanpoging

Reeds eeue gelede het die vermaarde Cicero beweer dat hy wat nie kennis dra van wat in die verlede gebeur het nie, vir ewig 'n kind sal bly. Iemand anders het dit ewe treffend gestel dat kinders wat hulle verlede ken in 'n sekere sin wyser as hulle vaders is. Uiteraard hang dit natuurlik af van "hoe" en "wat" jy van die verlede ken of dit werklik enige nut vir jou sal hê. Feit is egter dat slegs die mens die verlede as potensiële ervaring tot sy beskikking het met die oog op die ontwerp van sy toekoms. Maak die mens nie gebruik van hierdie arsenaal van menslike wysheid nie, voer hy 'n verskraalde dialoog met sy toekoms en loop hy 'n groter risiko om dwaashede aan te vang. Ongelukkig leef ons in juis so 'n tydvak. Wêreldwyd word Geskiedenis as skoolvak op die verdediging gedwing. Uiteraard is daar baie redes hiervoor, soos bv. die tydgees, materialisme, verstedeliking en dergelike meer waaraan min verander kan word. Andersyds kan daar aan ander sake soos kurrikulering, werksvorme, evalueringswyses en dies meer, tog heelwat verbeter word om die aanspraak van Geskiedenis as vormingsvak uit te bou. Om hierdie ideaal te vermag moet daar eerlik en indrigend na die praktyk gekyk word.

Ons glo dat die vernuwing en verbetering van die kwaliteit van Geskiedenisonderrig op sowel die laer- as hoërskool die sleutel tot die herlewing van Geskidenis as vak bied. Uiteraard sal 'n poging van slegs 'n paar individue nie die nodige dividende kan lewer nie. As die Geskiedenisonderwyser en die leerling nie ook besef dat 'n spanpoging nodig is nie, is hierdie inisiatief tot mislukking gedoem. lnderdaad - eendrag maak mag.

Om die leser te betrek by die aktiwiteite van die tydskrif, sal daar gepoog word om vir sowel die kind as die onderwyser lesenswaardige artikels en rubrieke te skep. Verder moet daarop gewys word dat alhoewel die redaksie tans basies 'n provinsiale kleur het, die rede hiervoor bloot organisatories en finansieel van aard is. Sodra fondse dit toelaat en bydraes van elders ontvang word, sal die redaksionele net wyer gespan word.

Daar sal ernstig gepoog word om in hierdie tydskrif kreatief en vernuwend oor Geskiedenisonderrig te dink. Omdat die redaksie uiteraard nie gebonde is aan een of ander amptelike standpunt nie, kan daar op 'n eerlike en wetenskaplik-verantwoorde wyse debat gevoer word oor sake soos bv. kurrikulering, evalueringswyses, kreatiewe leerlingaktiwiteite, en dergelike meer. Maar sonder u deelname aan hierdie gesprek sal ons nie ons doel bereik nie.

Daar word in elke uitgawe gepoog om 'n boekprys of kontantprys vir een of ander saak uit te loof. Boonop word die eerste twee eksemplare gratis landswyd aan aile laer- en hoerskole versprei. Ons vertrou dat Gister en Vandag die goeie werk wat Historia Junior oor die jare gedoen het, sal kan voortsit en uitbou. Met u samewerking lyk die uitdagings groot maar oorbrugbaar.

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