Jesse Olney
Encyclopedia
Jesse Olney was a geographer
. He was particularly active in the improvement of school textbook
s on this subject, and was amply rewarded by substantial sales, second only to Webster
's American Spelling Book.
, became a teacher at Whitesborough and Binghamton
, and was for twelve years principal of the Stone School in Hartford, Connecticut
, resigning in 1831. In 1828, he brought out A Geography and Atlas, which was at once accepted as a standard work, and for thirty years was used in almost every public and private school of the United States
. It was many times enlarged and revised, and ran through 98 editions, some of the editions numbering 80,000 copies. Millions of copies were sold, and the popularity of Olney's Geography was surpassed only by that of Webster's American Spelling Book.
Olney's Geography has the distinction of having caused a complete revolution in the methods of teaching geography. Olney was a practical instructor, and was dissatisfied with the existing textbooks and treatise
s, which began with an exposition of the science of astronomy
, and, making the centre of the solar system
the initial point, developed the scheme until it finally included the earth. Olney reversed this method. He began with the scholar's own continent — in fact, in the very city, town, or village in which he or she lived, and made clear by lucid definitions the natural divisions of land and water, illustrating each instance by the use of maps. His plan was to familiarize the child with the surface of the earth by going from the near to the distant, and from the concrete to the abstract, and this system at once overthrew theoretic geography, and initiated the modern practical and descriptive science.
The immediate success of the work led Olney to give up teaching and devote himself to authorship. Leaving Hartford in 1833, he settled in Southington, Connecticut
, until 1854, when he moved to Stratford
. His text-books (1831-52) included other geographies, a series of readers, a Common School Arithmetic, and a History of the United States. He also compiled A Family Book of History, Psalms of Life, poems, and other works.
After discontinuing to teach, he devoted himself to the cause of popular education. He was for many years a member of the legislature, afterward comptroller of the state for two terms, and used largely his legislative and official powers to build up the system of Connecticut
common schools. In 1840, he had become a Unitarian
, and for the next fourteen years he gave sympathy and much practical aid to the liberal religious movement that was then agitating New England
.
Geographer
A geographer is a scholar whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society.Although geographers are historically known as people who make maps, map making is actually the field of study of cartography, a subset of geography...
. He was particularly active in the improvement of school textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
s on this subject, and was amply rewarded by substantial sales, second only to Webster
Noah Webster
Noah Webster was an American educator, lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author...
's American Spelling Book.
Biography
He was educated at Whitesboro, New YorkWhitesboro, New York
Whitesboro is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. United States. The population was 3,943 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Hugh White, an early settler.The Village of Whitesboro is inside the Town of Whitestown....
, became a teacher at Whitesborough and Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
, and was for twelve years principal of the Stone School in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, resigning in 1831. In 1828, he brought out A Geography and Atlas, which was at once accepted as a standard work, and for thirty years was used in almost every public and private school of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was many times enlarged and revised, and ran through 98 editions, some of the editions numbering 80,000 copies. Millions of copies were sold, and the popularity of Olney's Geography was surpassed only by that of Webster's American Spelling Book.
Olney's Geography has the distinction of having caused a complete revolution in the methods of teaching geography. Olney was a practical instructor, and was dissatisfied with the existing textbooks and treatise
Treatise
A treatise is a formal and systematic written discourse on some subject, generally longer and treating it in greater depth than an essay, and more concerned with investigating or exposing the principles of the subject.-Noteworthy treatises:...
s, which began with an exposition of the science of astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, and, making the centre of the solar system
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
the initial point, developed the scheme until it finally included the earth. Olney reversed this method. He began with the scholar's own continent — in fact, in the very city, town, or village in which he or she lived, and made clear by lucid definitions the natural divisions of land and water, illustrating each instance by the use of maps. His plan was to familiarize the child with the surface of the earth by going from the near to the distant, and from the concrete to the abstract, and this system at once overthrew theoretic geography, and initiated the modern practical and descriptive science.
The immediate success of the work led Olney to give up teaching and devote himself to authorship. Leaving Hartford in 1833, he settled in Southington, Connecticut
Southington, Connecticut
Southington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of Connecticut's 1st congressional district. It is situated about 20 miles southwest of Hartford, about 80 miles northeast of New York City, 105 miles southwest of Boston and 77 miles west of Providence...
, until 1854, when he moved to Stratford
Stratford, Connecticut
Stratford is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic River. It was founded by Puritans in 1639....
. His text-books (1831-52) included other geographies, a series of readers, a Common School Arithmetic, and a History of the United States. He also compiled A Family Book of History, Psalms of Life, poems, and other works.
After discontinuing to teach, he devoted himself to the cause of popular education. He was for many years a member of the legislature, afterward comptroller of the state for two terms, and used largely his legislative and official powers to build up the system of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
common schools. In 1840, he had become a Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
, and for the next fourteen years he gave sympathy and much practical aid to the liberal religious movement that was then agitating New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
.