Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-07-02
HONE EDUCATION.
SUGGESTIONS ABOUT WHAT OUR
CHILDREN SHOULD LEARN.

Home Training Superior to That Re-
ceived While Wearing Book Harness "
Hint. for Thoughtful Parents and
Teachers Beginnings In Science.
My object Is only incidentally To call at
tentiOn TO this still persistent medIevalism
Of education and more particularly 10
call attention to the possibility of escape
from it, If we only begin early enough
and use some degree of determination
about what our children shall learn. |
may be very radical. but l believe that the
children of well to-dO families should
have far more home education on-that
schooling is largely unnecessary
before Il, children Of deCently edu-
Gated parents can do all their studying at
home, that those who have educated pa
rents should never, or rarely be sent To
school; that the time il coming when Al
most all education will be home educa-
tiOI. How about the grand democratic
influence of sending children of all social
grades to associate together | have
heard that argument to surfelt. II you
wish to level society, get the children or
the whole town together for dancing,
for games, for social intercourse. But
just that you will not do. You will not
let your daughter attend a party with her
seat mate. or invite girls of her own grade
TO her home.
TRAINING FOR YOUNG BRAINS.
1t is all stuff! The children will see the
world quite as freely if educated at home.
In this way only can individuality be
thoroughly considered, and each one
trained for what he is especially worth.
thaf THAR hrg ms
either can not grasp a subject, or if at all,
with excessive toll Those who known
how much difference the training OF a
horse has TO do with its power TO draw
loads will understand what | mean by
training brains to do work easily. Two
horses Of equal strength can be 50 trained
that the working ability of one shall be
four times that of the ot.er. One works
easily and enjoys it while the other makes
uphill work of all things. Why say we
should have more home training is because
not otherwise is the child likely to be kept
from wearing the patent book harness.
What want Of my boys is: l. To inveSti-
gate, examine, inquire, underfoOt, over
head, all about them. z. To be ALSO
lutely at the bottom of what they
interrogate B. Never TO become brain
become accustomed from the earliest
years to use their brains discreetly. ) l
wish all their questions answered truth
fully, and on no account false answer
given on the supposition that they can
not grasp the truth As easily as lie. and
| wish their questions answered, not the
questions put into their mouths.
One Of the most repulslve features of
hA sf,,a al 1lSr nv
plan is the positive repulsion which the
pupils manifest TO facts. There Is nothing
TO them so ludicrous as any attempt at
anatomical or bioloZical information. 1t
is quite beneath them to inquire into the
location of the heart and lungs; or to
trouble themselves about the functions OF
the kidneys, liver, pancreas, or digestive
fluids My young lady who is quite up in
French and algebra, recognizes botany as
a possible accomplishment; but flOuts the
idea of being interested in the sections Of
a bullock's stomach, or the habits OF
crawfsh Horrible things! The early
education once biased in the way Of a
fashionable accomplishment, and the
chances for true scholarship are mini
lied.
COLLEGIAN WHO KNEW NO THING.
Three collegians, just about TO gradu-
ate, were in my study, when | asked them
which OF the sciences they had especially
pursued. Two Of them were good chem
lists, one had loose knowledge OF physics,
but none OF them had the least acqualnt-
ance with geology, physiology. biology
zoology, botany, microscopy a. an art, or
indeed professed TO any rea! knowledge ot
the world, of themselves, or the cosmos,
or their relation To the world. sociology