The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1893-03-29
THE PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION.
An Interesting Address Bt fore the Teach
ers' Association, by DIR. G. W. Holland.

An Interesting Address he fore the Teach
ers' Association, by DIR. G. W. Holland.
We take pleasure in calling especial
attention to the suljoined paper on
The Principles of Education." No
words from US can add force to the
paper, it speaks for itself. This paper
was read before the Teachers Associa-
ton on Saturday last, hy DR.. G. w.
Holland.
Those of our teachers who were ab-
sent will see what treat they missed
by not being present. Excellent pa
pers were read and talks made on the
bother subjects up for discussion. The
D Association was a splendid success.
We hope that not only the teachers of
Newberry County will read carefully
this paper, but every patron of schools
also. .-......
Come out fel!ow-teachers. Come
and teach and be taught. T. VIZ
A bright-eyed, blithe. hearted little
boy, when reproved by his mother for
his rather boisterous sport at play,
astonisbed her with the question, MA,
were you ever boy?" That boy was
an unconscious philosopher, and in
that question is found the answer to
the question assigned for this morning,
What are the principles of Education?
The philosopher Locke in bis day
could say that there was no such thing
as physical science in existence. For
thousands of years the human race bad
lived in ignorance of the simplest laws
of the world it Inhabited. But the true
Baconian method once introduced,
physical science has made such mar
yelious advances that to-day there are
some philosophers-so they are termed
who are ready to assert that there is
no other science. So we might say Of
the science of education. Until re-
Gently, We may say, there was no such
science-at least not science that was
capable of practical application.
Plato laid down certain principles of
education; he specified certain studies
and certain methods, and SO did other
ancient philosophers. But progressive
educators claim that the principles of
education-such as are practical-is
late discovery-or at least very much
desired rediscovery.
We are all interested in the approach
ing Columbian Exposition. Some of
rs hope to visit ia very few of US
expect to do so. The praises of Colum-
bus, like the notes of the turtle dove in
spring, are heard throughout the land.
All honor to Columbus, of course. Let
the school-boy and the college sopho-
more sound aloud his name and fame.
But would it not be just as proper to
commemorate the names of Froebel
and Postalozzi who made the discov-
ery of a new inner worlG-,be child
soul in its real nature, tendencies, de-
sires, and characteristics? Strange, is
itaot, that a world of snch romantic,
thrillingint should have remained
so long unknown!
This discovery has led to the k2owl-
edge and practice of principles of edu-
cation.
What did Froehel discover in the
child mind? Seven instincts he called |
them
/. The instinct Of activity.
2. The instinct of working in the soil.
8. The instinct Of invention and imi-
tation.
4. The rythmic instinct.
5. The instinct of investigation.
6. The social instinct.
7. The religious instinct.
Upon these discovered characteristics,
after method outlined by Froebel, has
been built the kindergarten system, in
its principles, methods and aims, truly
philosophical. or rather psychological,
system based upon the nature, the
instincts of the child-mind.
We are upon the threshold of very
broad and extensive discussion. We
can take but glance at this capaclous
structure. How does nature proceed
to instruct and train the child-mind?
We cannot improve upon her methods.
let as study. them and follow them.
Proceeding upon true philosophical, or
natural principles, she accomplishes
her purposes in the best and shortest
way. Under her guidance, the infant
learns to see, hear, touch, taste, walk,
to run, jump, and climb, to, know OBJ
jects as round or angular, hard or soft,
to know air, earth, water, fire, to
know the near and the distant, and to
talk-a most wonderful accomplish
ment-to think, to remember, to inn
agine, to Judge and to reason.
How does mother nature so success
fully teach the infant mind? [ can do
nothing better in answ ering this ques-
ton than by quoting some of the pTin-
ciples of education as set forth by the
profound thinker, Herbert Spencer,
who has given US perhaps the lest an
alysis Of the method of nature.
The true method is:
~. From the simple to The complex,
in the subjects taught, and in the way
each subject is taught. Begin with few
subjects. and successively adding to
these, carry all subjects abreast"
The principle of using the known IN
teaching the unknown, is SO simple
that all teachers who really endeavor
to make anything understood naturally
adopt ii. For instance, the traveller
cs#ho would portray what he has seen