Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-09-25
Educational.

III.
From chapters third and fourth
in Hewitl's new work We quote the
following: The idea that there is
such a thing as Right-that some
things ale right and others are
wrong. seems 10 he iDtuitive. Is it
Iight?" is question that has a
meaning to a very young child; par
ents aud teachers would do better to
ask it more frequently. 1t is judy
meut that determines whether any
particular thing is right or wrong.
ln1espect to what is right aud wrong
men differ widely. Yet regarding
,be right or wrong of many things,
mulder, cruelty, oppression, kind.
ness, truth, hones.y, etc, the judg
menrs of men are nearly harmonious
Tue author classes conscience with
the ieeliu1s or emotions, and d. fines
1t rs "tbe feeling that prompts us
to do what we believe Ia right, and
to avoid What We believe is wrong
and that commeDds us when We obey
1t, and CONDEMNS US when We
dlsobey it," 1t Is said that the HIN
doc mother couscientiou.ly throw.
her babe INTO the GanS.s, while tue
Christian mother conscientiously pr,
serves and cnerlshes her Offspring
and, hence, we are told that con-
science acts very differently in differ
ent cases. Now it seems clear that
conscience is the same, and acts in
the same way in both cases; each
does what she believes to be right
Owing to a difference in education
probably, their judgments lead to
the same conclusions; but in theiI
consciences they agree"
10 The practical lesson applied to
teaching: Is it not the most respon.
slbIe duty devolving upon parents
and teachers to guard the conscience.
Of young children, that the intuitlve
ideas of right may not be scared as
with hot iron, by communicating in
Auences; that they may grow more
and more keen by simple acts Of
obedience to conscience which exists
as a precious germ implanted in the
mind of every child to be called forth
and exercised when Gods time
comes, under the guidance of love
and reason, in acts of religious VOL.
ship? "First the blade, then the
cal, and after that the full corn in
the ear" As a lule our young chill
diem do not remain little innocen,
animals long enough. They are
subjected to intellectual and spirit
ual hot.house forcing too soon
There is 100 much teaching and
preaching above their capacity te
know, feel and will. The true mar
or woman inculcates moral princi
Piles, not in word but in act. 1t il
said of Newton that he removed his
hat whenever he heard tho name Of
the Deity mentioned. Self-con
scious will is the basis of morality
Weakness of will is the great enem,
of all moral culture.
We cannot strengthen the facul
ties of The mind without training the
will by The same operation. When
q man Overcomes his inclinations
and subOrdinates them to his idea OF
right, he is being cultured moral
and spiritually. When a child first
enters the schOol-room bis incIina.
ton prompt him 10 move about a,
will, the natural active, restless i'm
pulses IF his child. nature never hav.
ing been suhordlnated to esta blished
authority. He learns to sit still at
one of the first lessons taught him.
II the laws of cbiid nature are mol
outraged by too long confinement,
aud an active appeal is made to the
observing powers, and if the dawn.
ing faculties of the mind are adj.
dressed in the natural order of un-
foldment, the discipline will prove
au educating factor. An English
professor asserts that" Where young
people are taught as they ought ;o
be. they are qune as happy in sch"ol
as at play. seldom less delighted,
nay, often more, with the well.di.
rec,ed exercise of their mental ener.
gies, than with that of their muscular
powers" Upon the same point
Herbert Spencer suggests that "iu
proportion as education is made
pleasurable, there is q probability
that education will be process Of
self-instruction, and will not cease
when school days end. What par,
ent can afford not to read Spen.
Ger on Education, particularly on
moral education" Many parents
seem over anxious to zee evidences
OF advanced spiritual growth in their
young children; if they could ouly
feel that harmonious physical cui-
ture is an absolute necessity 10 the
desired end, that a guarding of the
powers of body and mind for some
years is better than an attempt to
bend; and believe that innocen,
amusement is worship, and that be-
slowing affec' ion upon pets, parents
and friends is undering love to God
aud have faith that the manifesto
ton of love for the beau iful in bird
or flower is an expression of the
highest conception possible. at that
time, of the beauty of holiness, and
realize that while the child is learn
ing the multiplication table it will
iul uitively feel that there can be uo
real difference of opinion about the
truth of absolute truth, and no pos.
sib'e reason for Disagreement about
the truth that four times four equals
sixteen, and SO on, they would be
far happier and possibly more yigi.
liant about filing themselves to
guard and direct the dawning powers
OF tho immortal souls in,rus;ed to
tbeir keeping.
Spencer says: "There is not
much prospect of rapid moral
rlowih, parents are so impel feet. Il
not forcing religious belief upon
young children, before the mind is
prepared for it, Us unnatural aud I'm