New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-11-25
sy.tem OF Education in Aasociation.
Third Aricle.}
Education of Earlv Childhood.


We now arrive at the period when the isitiatio
of the child into Industry, or the awakening in it
Of taste for industrial occupations, takes place.
Unless the developement Of Industrial Instincts be
early commenced, the whole System Of Education
will be failure. The FIRST tendency of Man being
10 Rches,-that is, material elegance and sbund-
snce-we may say that the Education of the child
is falsely commenced, il in the outs;arl, ct about
the age of two years it does not devote itself freely
and spontaneously to productive Industry, which is
the source of Riches and if like the civilized child,
il runs into all kinds of mischief and breaks and de-
stroys whatever comes in its way, which foolish
parents think charming.
As soon as the child can walk and run aoout it
passes from the class of the UIeaned to the next
class in age, which we will term the Comm encers.
If it has been brought up .trem lis birth IN the
Nurseries Of an ASSOCIATION, i, will be strong
enough at the age of twenty -one months to join
the children Of this Class There is no distinction
made at this age between the two sexes, as it is
important to misgle and coniound them in order
TO facilitate the free Development of Industrial
tastes or talents. distinction between the sexes
commences with the Class next in age,-with
children from three, te four and half years old
We have before remarked that Nature gives to
each child large number OF industrial instincts
or talents,-aboat thirty; some of which are Pri-
mary or directing instincts, asd should lead to
those which arc secondary
The first object is to discover in the child its
primary instincts: they will be awakened as soon
as it is brought in contact with the occupations to
whc., those instincts direct it. Al as it can
walk and leave the Nursery, it is conhded TO the
care of Class of Teachers who have the instruc
ton of this age, and whom we will term Mentors
Their systems will differ from those of Tutors al
present, who endeavor to smother Nature, and
Substitute their doctrines in place of her true i'm
puses.) They will take the child through all the
workshop. of the Association, and to all industrial
assemblages of children and as it will lind little
tools and little workshops placed alongside the
large ones, where children at the age of thirty-sx
months are taught perform some tritling branch
Of work, it will wish to mingle with them In their
occupations, and handle the tools; it will be easy
in consequence, to discover at the end Of couple
Of weeks which are the workshops that attract it
the most, and for what branches of Industry it
shows taste.
As the branches OF Industry of an Association
are extremely varied, is impossible that the child
surrounded by them should not find the means OF
satisfying several of predominant instincts; the.
will be awakened by the sight ofli1tle tools handled
by children few months older than themselves.
1t. -. II, - I..-~
are lazy little creatures; nothing is more false:
children from Two to three years of age very
active, bu, we must know the means which Nature
employs-in the Passional Series, and not IN
CiriHzation--to attract them to Industry.
The predominant tastes characteristics IN all
children, are:
l.t. Propensity to pry into erery thing, to med
die with and handle whatever they see, and TO vary
continually their occupations
ID Taste for noisy occupations.
Sd. Propensity for imitation.
4h Love of little tools aod workshops.
5th Pro eressiue influence of the older children
upon the younger.
There are many others, but mention first these
i've, which are well known at present. Let US ex-
anime the application to be made of them to direct
the child in its early age to Industry.
The Mentors. or Tutors, will first avail them
selves of the propensity of the child TO pry into
every thing, propensity which is so strong at the
age of two years. 1t wishes to enter every where,
handle every thing, and NEEDLE with Whatever II
sees This instinct in the child is a natural IN
centive 10 Industry. To awaken in it taste tor
he 1;tr.,
shops, where it will see children three years OLD
capable of handling little hammers and other tools.
Its propensity for imitation will be aroused, which
will wish to satisfy little tools will be given
il, but it will desire to take part with the children
a little older than itself, who know how TO work,
and who in consequence, will refuse 10 receive II.
The child will persevere, If 1t has decided In
clination or instinct for the branch OF Industry
As soon as the Mentor perceives this, ne VIII teacn
il some little detail connected with the work, and
it will soon succeed in making ITSELF useful IN some
rifles, which will serve as introduction
In all branches, some trifiing occupations are leit
for childhood as means of initiation into Industry.
For the child two years cid these occupations must
be very easy of execution, but in performing tnem'
it will believe that it has done something OF cense-
ouence, and that tits almost the equal OF children
three or four months older than itself, who are
already members of Groups, and who wear their
little ornaments and uniforms, whicA inspire with
profound respect the young beginner
Means Of Developing VOeGtions IN Children
lst. Little workshops and :ools.
ID Privilege of parade and handling of tools
Sd. Charm of acknowledgements.
4th. Advantage of choosing in each branch OF In
a,ls,ry the detail which the child likes.