Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-10-05
SCHOOL COLUMN.
Scientific Teaching
BY c. n CHASE.
PRELIMINARY.

The word education has been derived
from the Latin educere, To lead forth or
draw out This is the derivation given
by Webster and is primarily correct.
But the word does not come directly
from educere. but rather from educare,
TO rear, TO train, 10 bring up. But ed
ucare is frequentative from the same
root. due, and implies continued or re-
peated action, of its primary, educere.
The word then means more than To lead
forth or draw out; it means the contln-
uation of the act, the process of draw
ing ont repeated indefinitely. As this
definition would imply, then, to edu-
cate is 10 draw out or unfold the mind
of the pupil. 1t assumes that all the
faculties of the mind are present, and
that process is merely one of arousing
to activity and of directing the powers
which the Creator has given to every
human being. There can be no better
concise statement of the teachers duty
than implied in this definition of edu-
cation.
With this understanding of the
teachers duty the conclusion is obvious
that he must understand something of
mental philosophy to do his work well.
The teacher who attempts to do his
work without this knowledge, is as
likely to blunder and do incalculable
injury as one would were he to attempt
the operation of delicate machine
without any knowledge of its construc-
ton. There has been more energ.,
wasted by the teacher in attempting
the right thing at the wrong time and
In the wrong way. than has been util-
lied in forwarding the cause of educa-
ton. And this is not the worst feature
of the case; pupils have become veXed
and Disguised with their work, or dis
couraged, and left the school to grow
up in ignorance and vice; for leaving
school often, though not always, leads
to vice. II Is almost sure 10 be the case
if the pupil is not put to some useful
work or trade, to keep him from idle
ness and evil associations. The educa-
ton of the street is very likely to lead
to the prison.
Vice is a monster Of frightful mien
That 20 be- hated needs but 10 be- seen;
But en- 10 Off. familiar with her face,
We first enoure, then pity, then embrace
Such deplorable results may Arise
from the mere lack of knowledge, on
the part of the teacher, of the funda-
mental principles of psychology or
mental philosophy.
THE THREE SCHOOL PERIODS.
The school age of life in this country
is from five to twenty years. In these
fifteen years we are supposed to be pre-
pared for the active duties of life;
though those who wish more complete
spend from four to six
years more in some of our higher IN
situations of learning. The time from
five to ten may be termed the period OF /
childhood: that from ten 10 iif- |
teen, the period of early youth; that
from fifteen 10 twenty. youth. This /
division is quite arbitrary and has been /
differently made by different writer's.
It is mere matter of convenience in
treating the subject. BY some these
periods have been designated the
what, how, and why" periods. This
naming of the periods is on the
assumption tlIat during the first period /
the mind is concerned mostly with /
things and is continually asking what
IS this?" ..what is that?" ETC.; that the
second period is devoted to processes,
and the mind is constantly asking
how: that the third period, that of
reasoning, is devoted to learning the
why" of things. While this state
nent expresses one OF the main char-
acteristics of each period. it is hardly
enough to define them.
70 outline briefly what will be taken
no more in detail in future articles let
as point out few of the Distinguishing
marks of these periods.
CHILDHOOD.
AS all observing people have taken
note. children are always curious to
know the nature of things. They see
,ew object for the first time and they
ire anxious to examine it, handle 1t,
,ick it to pieces, perhaps, in order to
zee what is inside, This curiosity is
Indicative of the faculties most active
he senses, ideas of color, form, size,
weight, number, ORDER or arrange
mont. propertes, such as hardness,