The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-10
might have their weight in Fastening the

might have their weight in fastening tb e
surrender.
But the committees of the association are
entering on the inquiry with much timidity.
for 1t is one i'll which results will be
worthless unless Data are gathered with
the strctest caution and scien tific Spirit
1.-The average mother" says the writer
above quoted, 'fs about as competent to
take scientific notes of her baby as West
African savage to make an anatomical an
alysis of bis fetish" 1t Is probable that
they will not have their schedules of cues
tons for the guidance of observations ready
before fall. The California branch. how
ever, is to begin some experimental observa-
tions for practice at once: A special meet
ing will be held at its headquarters, $50
Suffer street, at 10 o'clock Saturday morn
ing, March 19, to organize a section and Law
out the work. A committee has been at
work for two months preparing schedules
of questions. 1t is expected that the inyes-
tigatiOn will be especially interesting to
mothers, teachers and doctors, but all the
association will doubtless follow it with
general interest.
Schedules are prepared with regard to each
of the senses; to the principal instructive
movements, such as grasping, creeping,
standing. walking; to the development of
the will; of the emotion, pleasure, fear,
attachment, etc; of the mental powers,
memory, comparison. inference, etc, and OF
speech. Soma examples of the kind OF OBJ
-
Under the head of sight, for instance, the
color schedule will run about as follows:
j. Beginning In the first month hang before The
cnld large surfaces OF clear primary color
(PTang's prepared sheets are the standard) and
note the FIRST Instance OF unmistakable demon
stralion OF interest
2. Repeat the test at Intervals there after and
note especially which colOrs are earliest OBJ
served.
3. Hold two sheets of different color together
so that both al once have the child's attention.
and draw slowly apart ana note which is fol-
lowed by the chid's eyes. This test is sug-
gested by Professor Barnes OF the Stanford Uni.
4. After Selling is established hold cards or
ribbons OF The standard c0ors before the child
at equal distances, under equal light, and see
which color Is snatched at. Repeat, Altering
positions, I'LL a clear result is esta blisned.
o. Keep journal OF spontaneous instances OF
Interest and preference in color.
6. As soon as the child understands speech
ask him many times which is the red ribbon,
The yellow ribbon, etc., taking care that they be
alike In all other particulars and that their
positions be changed frequently aud note re-
suits.
20 months varying with the chlldl begin
Preyer's regular color tests, as given In his book
In The Third year these may be followed with tie
simpler ones from Professor Barnes schedules,
now In use In The Oakland schools.
Another type OF question is the follow
lug, from Professor Baldwin of Toronto:
/. Keep record Of strength OF VIII In terms
OF tie number OF times a child will try 10
do thing be wishes TO before giving up
z. What encOuragments induce him 10 renew
effort? This VIII give valuable suggestions 10
the teachers OF beginners Two three years
later.
Another under Pleasure:
J. Keep list OF the things that excited
2. Which of these gave transItory pleasure
and which Continued TO please7
Another under Speech:
Keep list OF the words used by the child up
TO years old. None are 10 be deliberately
taught.
This observation was first taken by Pro-
lessor Holden OF the Lick Observatory,
and but one or two other complete lists are
in existence. They are of the utmost im-
porsance as showing the class of concep-
tions-names of objects, action, ideas, emo
tional ejaculation or so fOrth-that first
clear themselves to the child's mind. Max
Muller, for instance, insists that the orig
inal roots OF language were in very gen.
eral action conceptions; the popular idea
Is that they were in very special object
names. Ii will throw much light on this
lost race history to know how il is with the
young child. Again, TO know how far gen.
eral conceptions are spontaneously reached
In the second year will give much needed
data 10 the klndergartens, who begin work
when the child is 3 or years old.
Another interesting question intended
fol the third year is as follows:
Get The child TO tell you stories. Have some one
else 10 write them down exactly as given. Exam.
Inc them, aud where you lind elements repeated
from stories told lie child append HE original
Tor comparison. Append also any other sources
OF suggestion known, as incidents experienced.
From these elements tie portion due 10 the
chlld's imagination may b. learned; also many
distortions ia his comprehension may be de-
tected, aud The things that interest him espe-
ctally separated from those he passes by aud for