The Washington times., 1894-07-22
Mainly for Children,
PlayrOOm, Schoolroom

The education OF children remains - mud
died a problem as ever, it seems, although in
Germany there is promise of great strides in a
few years. 1t is not the reformation Of the
old that is to give us the ideal policy; it is the
education OF the young. The young Of to-dny
are the seedlidgs of the perfect man and the
perfect woman of tomorrow.
Let us take. for instance, the present sys-
TEN. A boy and girl are fed, petted, and
existence, the years that scientists declare the
most impressionable and most important Of
their existence. Then they are sent to school
to learn to read, to write. to memorize, and
practice mathematics mildly. Logic, instilled
into the chi;d's mind by simple methods, not
as a task but as a pleasant excursion into
new worlds, is not taught. II is not in the
school curriculum. The children's minds are
full of wonder for all about them. but they mere
" wonder. They have been taught to memo
\ rize but not 10 think that is to say, to rea-
son according to their years and capacity.
They are given a smattering of trifles into
which physiology. botany and similar sci
ences are entered like giants. Then the
children graduate. Is this solid basis on
which the house of a mans or woman s
knowledge is to be erected? To be sure
they are given more or less vague ideas of
morality at Sunday-school and more or less
! certain ones at home. But their most i'm
portant faculties are left unframed and un-
awakened. The household cat knows better
than this when she teaches her young TO ex-
ercise the instincts they are given.
Perhaps after this the boy is sent to college
Or taught trade or the girl is sent to board
pc school or married. Or perhaps, as often
not, they are both thrown on the world
18th no more preparation than this to swim
Or sink. They have not been prepared for
: life; they have been taught nothing of it.
kTheir feelings and emotions are unframed.
kIhe way to it has not been smoothed Tor
(them. They blunder along at first blindly,
put experience has now become their teacher,
nd soon i. lashes them in the right way, as
hearty as such thing is now possible. Well,
Surely there is better way-a less blunder-
ing way of training these little waifs-a hap
pier way of ushering them into the great
world. At least, parents. much OF the re-
sponsibility rests with you. 1t is properly by
you that the affections and emotions of your
children should be trained. 1t is by you that
they must be taught 10 think and reason
(since the schools neglect it, from the first
little thought that springs up in their tiny
brains. 1t is from you that they must learn
of the life and strife of the great world be-
yond. and by you that they must be prepared
for the battle in it.
This matter of training the affections and
emotions of children has not yet been discov-
cred by the schools. although it has employed
the attention of scientists. who declare that
the emotional side of child's nature is its
most important-its genius, in fact. Shall it
grow up as a weed or be trained as flower?
This is the impressionable side Of the child's
nature. Let your children, then, be educated
to the highest from their babyhood. Take
them to the woods and fields; let them learn
TO love flowerS and creatures, and let them
imDibe the love of nature. Let them see the
sun rise occasionally as a privilege and
as a scene more beautiful than any ever
caught by a masters brush. Instruct
them in the order of nature and the
good of life as no more necessities than
beauties. Take them to see good paintings.
sing to them, let them hear good music recte
to ihem occasionally beautiful thoughts; lead
them 10 the highest, to the best of your ability,
and that without lesson or so much as the
appearances of a lesson. To the youthful
mind everything must be spontaneous, as it
becomes tiresome. Make appreciation of
beauty part OF their nature. and when they
grow up, housewife or artist. mother or man
of business. they will thank you for it. and in
turn teach it to their children.
There is nothing more refining or moro re-
freshing than the love of beauty. Above all
things teach kindness and humanity. have