People's guide to the Toronto waterfront

Geoforum

97

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first-hand perceptions upon which policy decisions could be made. The usual role of the unrecognized and unrecorded technician is, in the case of De Brahm, reversed by the publication here and for the first time of his voluminous but readable Report. Hisscientific exploration of the country which today makes up parts of the states of South Carolina; Georgia and Florida was the fruit of his labours there during the middle of the 18th century in performance of his duties as His Majesty’s (George Ill) surveyor general for the Southern District of North America. In order that the story of De Brahm may be told at least three things are necessary: an introduction to the man himsetf and to the times in which he worked, his own written report, and a critical apparatus which will illuminate that report. These three undertakings Louis De VORSEY, Jr., a geographer at the University of Georgia, has accomplished within the covers of this well produced volume An Introduction of 56 pages seems barely to suffice for the tangled tale of De Brahm’s life nor for the bureaucratically labyrinthine details of his working relationships with the British ministers charged by George III with the exploration and colonitation of this distant shore of the New World. The first section of the book concerns, therefore, the stuff of historical perception and behaviour as these can be viewed from a distance in both time and experience. De Brahm’s Report of 1773 as reproduced here is divided into three sections South Carolina 72 pages, Georgia 34 pages and East Florida 92 pages. The encyclopedic nature of De Brahm’s commission is reflected in his list of topics to be covered, for one finds a full range from climates, boundaries, and materia medico to natural produce and settlement forms. This listing is, in fact, a compact recibe for a comprehensive regional geography which the colonial planner could use in his job as decision-maker. Given that De Brahm was 20 years engaged in his survey work, it is not impossible that most portions of his ambitious program of regional description were covered. The exotica which one might expect are here, including his “Compendium of the Cherokee Indian Tongue in English”. However, the solid stuff of historical geography - his topographical descriptions, records of settlement and land use, and his maps - are of most interest to the students of this period of exploration and risky colonial settlement. The maps are reproduced here clearly in black and white although a magnifying glass will be useful at times in reading some of the textual notations in their much reduced form. De VORSEY’s critical apparatus of notes and citations is assembled within the last 58 pages of the voiume. It is here that the historian of exploration in North America and the

historical geographer will find both sage comments which challenge one and intriguing documentary leads to follow. De VORSEY’s long association with and commitment to his subject are reflected here in their technical flowering. The dreams and wishes of decision-makers in the 18th century could be tempered by the hard facts assembled by trained observers sent abroad under contract for that specific purpose The behaviour of the participants in this chapter of the historical geography of North America seems, when viewed within the accumulated experience of our times. amazingly similar to what we have come to expect whenever technicians and scholars attempt to influence bureaucratic policy. More often than not, the man in the field, as also happened to De Brahm, comes out on the short end of things with much less to show for his laborious efforts than be had anticipated. The fate of historical obscurity, which would add insult to injury, has in the case of De Brahm fortunately been turned aside in an agreeable and professional way. We may, therefore, today rejoice in this reading of the life and times of William Gerard De Brahm, explorer, cartographer and reporter of the 18th century New World. Robert M. NEWCOMB Aarhus

GREENBERG, Ken et a!., (1471,1972): People’s Guide to the Toronto Waterfront. I folded map, 1st edn, in black & white, 2nd edn. in 5 colours. Toronto: FORWARD 9, CARRUTHERS, Stephen et al., (1972): Ward 9 Community Map & Directory. 64 pp., 9 folded maps. Toronto: FORWARD 9. An old truism which states that geographers should communicate their knowledge to the public can be combined with a modern persuasion which maintains that members of the profession should perform as concerned activists. Within the present, confusing world of massive professional publication and amid the strident calls for academic involvement in the problem-solving efforts of society, these two distinctive productions by the forces of FORWARD 9, Toronto deserve recognition. In any assessmentof nonviolent activism as an arena for geographical invotvement, examples of exhortations made concrete are rarities which can serve us as a type of achievement measuring-scale. Kenneth GREENBERG, teaching architecture at the University of Toronto, and Roy MERRENS, a geographer at York University,

together seized an opportunity when interest was high and funds were available for the undertaking of research in people’s applied geography. The first effort was designed to draw forth and present to the public of Toronto the humane and inexpensive recreational resources characterizing the city’s waterfront, today a zone of revived municipal interest. The second publication of a directory and accompany map is designed to provide the inhabitants of Toronto’s WARD 9, a political subdivision of the metropolis, with information about the existing public facilities and a large-scale map to reveal in bird’s eye perspective their own district. Both ventures are put forward in the firm belief that such knowledge, in large part geographical knowledge, can power the development of community self-sufficiency and self-determination. The workforce employed in these two projects was drawn from members of the WARD 9 Community Association and included students of Geography as well as residents GREENBERG and MERRENS. Federal support via the Canadian Government Opportunities for Youth Program (1971) is acknowledged. The revealed cartographic expertise and the printing are both professional and agreeable in their use of symbols and conventions which suggest ac~ompiished folk-art. GREENBERG and MERRENS have provided a description of the waterfront map project in The Conadiur? Cartographer, Vol. 8, no. 1 of june 1971. The map of the recreational resources of the Toronto waterfront (approximate scale 1 : 22,800) is a handy and legible guide which should be understandable to anyone who can find enjoyment in a lakeshore walkabout. The presentation appears to be broad in the types and amount of information which it provides, and access routes plus facilities for sports, eating, and observing dominate as can be expected. This is a genuine map, disciplined in its lay-out and demanding attention and thought on the part of its users. The printing and colour separation are of high quality and reflect the capabilities of the University of Toronto Press and York Univ. cartography. The Ward 9 folk thereafter proceeded to a more ambitious job in undertaking to produce a comprehensive directory of the public and private services available within the district and to illustrate their placement and the recreational resources of the area upon the large map accompanying the pamphlet. From emergincy contacts for ambulance or counselling services to addressesfor choirs, pet shops, tennis courts, and visiting services, the means whereby an individual can attempt to protect and reward himself within his own section of this large city are made available in a vernacular style of booklet which is designed to be attractive to the young and to the urban family.

Geoforum

98

The nine sheet map of Ward 9, when assem-

Edmund

bled, measures ca. 1.50 m. wide by 1.85 m.

reprinted

long and is produced mately

:

1

2,700.

at a scale of approxi-

The map sheets are each

KING

says in a general introduction

in all of the books that this will

facilitate

easy cross-reference

volume to another.

portant

stage of development

tion of nationhood

from one

was thecrea-

and of course education

plays a significant

As well as for educa-

role. When America

took an international

responsibility

tionalists this series is designed for students

new definition

of civilization

of sociology,

The education

system is decentralized

for sheet overlaps, to provide a comprehensive

this is shown by the title used - Society,

birdseye view of the district.

Schools and Progress,

oblique

units with a legend, but they

representations

The use of

of street frontages

and government

Nigel GRANT’s

and politics;

..

of mankind

coupled with a rich legend should provide

munist countries

potential

adds much to our understanding

users, many of whom may be

unfamiliar

with a map, with an understand-

able vista of their own portion However,

of Toronto.

with no scale presented

on the map

development

came under the control forms of government.

knows his street pattern

governments

to find the location estimate

by name, his ability

of a desired facility

or

its distance from him are both

inhibited. Applied termed

urban research of this type has been “store-front

geography”

by caustic

colleagues, but one should remember store fronts are neighbourhoods people than are university this type of positive,

that

to more

campuses. Out of

people’s geography

there may well develop

instrumentailities

suitable for use in constructive

urban rene-

wal.

monolithic

system, especially

parisons. Questions

of decentralization

experiments

are important

M. NEWCOMB,

Aarhus

on

interpretations.

and

GRANT

but asks whether

J. J. (1971):

Society,

Schools

communist

policy or merely examples of progress to be found in any

Oxford:

Pergamon

GRANT,

Press Ltd. E 2.00.

N. (1969):

Society,

Progress in Eastern Europe. Pergamon

E. J. (1965):

to local religious Iearnings. There conflict

between

and in the South the problem

section on how

best known quotations

American

critics of the system point to the

anti-intellectuation

One of Marx’s

curriculum.

KING

about “American

University

in

if they per-

overseas. KING America

believes that the glories of system are historic.

in shaping human nature.

Room is left, of

Schools and Perga-

education

has, in the past, been

inadequately

serviced in terms of the litera-

are clearly documented

quent chapters. perience,

these in subse-

Much of the Soviet ex-

and recognise the emptiness

relatively 1962,

by people like Anton

who worked

with waifs made

the breakup

of the West Indies Federation.

We tend to regard them as being part of the

homeless by the Civil War, have found a

underdeveloped

permanent

and economically

of educa-

tion in a wide range of societies and cultures.

The details of school organization

Apart from the above titles other areas

important

covered in the series are England, Tanzania,

reforms designed to suit both political

tempt

Israel, Australia

and national

studies, an at-

made between

is made to have a common

theme and

purpose and a uniform

pattern;

begins with a historical

and institutional

background, influences

each volume

then they proceed to describe

administration,

the school system, family

and background

than the content

social forces.

are less

and the numerous needs

desires. Useful contrasts are countries

like Albania

and

Yugoslavia. Edmund

States of America

volume on the United makes an interesting

trast to the above. Here is a country ancient traditions personality

provision.

world,

of European

Education

find new expressions.

just being part of this.

Little specialist literature ed, especially

material

has been develop-

which could be useful

for those taking teaching qualifications

in

the areas covered by the books. is very brave in attempting

to cover as wide an area as the West Indies, con-

where

liberty

not just industrially

but also in terms of social

John FIGUEROA

KING’s

Nigeria in

the West Indies at varying dates since

under review provide the basis for a systematic appraisal of the development

and

become members of the

states of the world.

ture available for advanced study. The books

place.

tone of her basic

deal with areas which have,

recently,

the years after 1917, Makarenko

to transform

The volumes by John FIGUEROA

independent

theories of education,

of ab-

States, we simply re-

turn to the universalistic

is based on the trial and error policies of with the result that

KING

Declarations.”

L. J. LEWIS

and as a result Eastern Europe’s,

When will

come to terms with big-business

the role of the United

Comparative

Canada,

in that body’s work

stains: “We do not attempt

160 pp. Oxford:

individual

indeed moderate

but

course, for various interpretations,

Extremists

work for UNESCO,

work

policy,

was very clear about man’s productive

but

despite the official

any blue prints for educational

Society,

School”

still hound experts as “communists”

the American

have only inter-

and

schools” each with dif-

the old legend of “freedom”?

mon Press Ltd. f 1 .OO.

and India. Unlike

in methods

reminds us that we must

sons have little interest

is inscribed over the

of the Humboldt

variations

China, Scandinavia,

in colleges and fears of

monoliths

Perga-

schools

of segregation

and race hatred has yet to be solved.

preted the world in various ways, but the

Schools and

is constant

state and parochial

real task is to change it”; Marx never laid

1.40.

Progress in Nigeria.

of religious community, hire teachers according

Schools and

Society,

L. J. (1965):

assumptions

local communities

263 pp. Oxford:

Progress in the USA. 241 pp. Oxford: mon Press Ltd. E

The school system is secular but it operates on.the

ferent characteristics

society.

East Berlin: “Philosophers

Press Ltd. f 1.75.

of a free

view that the system is universal.

is an interesting

entrance

and the rhetoric

talk not about “the American

educational

Marxists view education. FIGUEROA,

in social pro-

with the technical

progressive developments

the successes are the result of deliberate

and Progress in the West Indies. 200 pp.

and inadequacy

achievements

the

in leading to de-

finds much to admire and still more to

There

LEWIS,

com-

mands for various kinds of adjustments indeed dissonant

of

in

as the countries

for educational

developing

KING,

characters

which are important

of

world.

levels of development

evaluate sympathetically Robert

and poli-

to many outsiders as a

survey are at different

search

the consciousness

vision contrast strangely

investiga-

He discovers diversity

what has appeared

of inequality

of their present

tions go deep into the national these countries.

ambitions

continually

upsurge of black power,

Since all of these

insist that education

Americans

their actions, but the war in Vietnam,

in these areas

tics cannot be devided GRANT’s

since the eyes of the world are

for some purpose, some justification

of the

since World War II, when most of them

and with no grid system, unless the local user

but

to the needs

focussed on her achievements, and failures.

of Eastern Europe and

of education

was required.

must provide responses central

volume considers the Com-

later

then a

all may be easily assembled, with allowances

self-sufficient

14173

and

One im-

not only in terms of distance (1 100 miles between Trinidad

and Jamaica) but also in

terms of the different backgrounds

-

French,

historical

and cultural

British, Dutch,