The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-10

I he first three years. For instance, in this
period the senses are developed, and stu
dents Of optics have thus far discussed the
nature of the color sense, and Undergraduates
have made much of it in their system with
out a single record being in existence of the
process of its development until very lately,
and but single one is known TO exist at
present. The power Of attention has already
reached quite an advanced stage, and may
have undergone serious vtiations before the
beginning Of the earliest kindergarten work,
but no intelligent observation of its first
stages Is known 10 have been made. The
habit OF falsehood appears to originate in
the first three years of life, but its causes
and the means OF avoidance are very vaguely
understood.
The man of science Is at disadvantage
in the nursery. lacking the necessary famil-
iarlty with the baby and its ways; and the
women that know the baby best lack the
scientific training for observations. Obvi-
-nusiy some woman of science should tackle
tie problem as specialist. Pending the
appearance OF such woman, few valuable
partial observations will be made by men
OF science, and more extensive aud intimate
though less expert studies can be made by
women not specialists. but of high general
training. A mass of data collected by such
women, in consultation with specialists in
psychology, physiology. education. etc,
would be the most important contribution
women have so far made to science.
Some efforts in this direction Lave already
been made. but nothing of consequence has
been accomplished. The Association of
Collegiate Alumn8 now proposes to try the
work. 1t has prOved-Somewhat unexpect
edly to both friends and enemies of college
education for women-that the most mar k ed
effect of it so far has been the dcvelopme Mt
OF devoted and unprecedentedly successful
type of mother, who saves Is per cent more
babies alive than other mothers; and it is
therefore natural that the subject of babies
should be this year the principal one in the
association, The health of college women,
the opening OF graduate courses, the i'm
provement of preparatory schools, the
questions Of labor and wages, poverty and
charity, have in turn taken the lead in the
work of this association, but this year babies
are at the front.
The idea Of the college mother is that the
bearing and bringing up of children is as
much e profession as law or journalism and
more important than either. She thinks it
| as unwise to trust to primitive instinct for
succe ss in it az to DEPEND on raw common
sense Tor success at the bar. She thinks ii
calls for not only her blind maternal attach
ment but all the intellect and knowledge
she can bring to bear. Problems of the de-
velopment of the senses. the brain, the rea-
son. the emotions, from the almost auto
matte condition Of the new born infant are,
therefore, peculiarly attractive to her.
IL Is well enough established already that
the baby comes into the world with but the
rudiments of senses. He has no sight be-
yond perception of light and darkness-no
perspec tive; nothing is nearer or farther to
blm-he sees only vague surface of indis-
tlnct light and shadow, with here and there