The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-03-16

In this case We have no fault to find
with the history which We read on a
tombstone. PestaloZzi was completely
dominated by his overwhelming love
for humanity. This determined the
motive of his life, and of his philoso-
ply of education, if he may be said TO
have had 8 philosophy of education.
Stung by the degradation of the poor,
and the wrongs which they suffered,
he set himself TO devise means OF
helping them. And his conclusion
was: "If We desire 10 aid the poor
man, the very lowest among the peo-
pie, this can be done in one way only,
that is by changing his schools into
true places of education, in which the
moral, intellectual and physical pow
ers which God has put into our nature
may be drawn out, 50 that the man
may be enabled TO live life such as
man should live, contented in him
self and satisfying other people. Thus,
and only thus, does the man, whom
in Gods wide world nobody helps and
nobody can help, learn TO help him
SELF With this view OF his life, We
cannot cry ''csntu when he tells Us,
"For thirty years my life was des
perate struggle against the most
frightful poverty. More than a thous-
and times / was obliged TO go without
dinner. and at noon, when even the
poorest were seated around table, |
devoured morSel of bread upon the
highway; and all that might minis
ter to the needs OF the poor by the
realization Of my principles Ii is
wholesome 10 contemplate such a
character.
HIS PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION.
Fichte tried TO make a philosopher
of PestalOZZi, but he eau scarcely be
said To have succeeded. His heart
was better than his head. In fact his
heart ruled not only his hands but also
his head. Speaking of his Researches
on the Course of Nature in the Devel-
opment Of the Human Race q phil
osOphicsl undertaking 10 which Fichte
urged him on, he says: This book
is TO me only another proof of my lack
of ability. No one understands me,
and il has been hinted that the whole
work has been taken for nonsense"
His most friendly critics srgree with
him in his estimate of this book.
But some sort of philosophy under
of such philosophy the thinker may
be. Pestalozzi got exceedingly clear
views of the outlines of the philoso- |
ply which uuieIlieS his educational |
theories. though be was not able TO |
combine them into 4 philosophical |
system. Even his own assistants at |
Nveriun disputed among themselves |
as TO which one understood PeStaloZZi, |
and the controversy grew so heated /
as TO become a chief cause for the /
eventual failure of the institute. Yet /
his writings contain pregnant SEN |
fences in which the most profound Of /
educational principles are clearly eN-
pressed. When these are sepATted /
from the mass of less pertinent mat
ter which surrounds them. the system |
which lies ~ the base Of such theories
may be readily seen. In order 10 an
swer 10 ourselves the question, "What
i PeStslOZZianiSm?' Il l. necessary 10
examine these most characteristic sen
fences in the light Of his life.
We have seen that the motive OF his
life and thought was philanthropy,
and its purpose 20 draw out the moral,
and physical powers,
which God has put into our nature. Z
But what sire the first and most essen
tisl powers which God has put into
our nature? Let PestaloZzi answer in
his own words: The essential prin-
eip,e Of education i not teaching, ii is
love. The child loves and believes
before il thinks and acts. The forces
Of the hsart-faith and lOve-sre in
the formation OF immortal man what !
the root l. for the tres.n Speaking of
Stanz, he says: Before all things l
was bound TO gain the confidence snd
The love Of the children" And again: |
Il was persuaded that my affection /,
would change the state Of my children
ust - quickly as the spring sun
would awake TO new life the earth
hat winter had beDumbed. l was not |
ieceivinC myself. Before the spring |
sun melted the snow Of our mountains, I
nv children were hardly 10 be recog-
lizeE." Let Professor Nuillemin, al I !
lne time i pupil IN the Institute ST
Tverium, speak Of the manner OF
owe PestaloZZi inspired: Imagine, :
nv children he was writing this
account for his own children, a very {
Igly man with rough, bristliGg hair, .
lis face scared with smallpox and ,
covered with freckleS, an untiCy
beard, no necktie, his breeches not I
properly buttoued and coming down I
o hiS stockings, which in their turn
descended on his great thick shoes
Fancy him painting aud jerking as be /
walked: then his eyes, which Al one
ime opened wide 10 send out 8 fash {
4 lightning, - another were half s
.losed - II engaged on what was GO
DC on within; his features now eN- |
Pressing profound sadness, and now :
gain the most peaceful Happiness;
is spsech either slow or hurried,
ither loft and meloiiOus or bursting
orth like thunder; imagine the msn &
nj YOU have him whom we used 10 '
sII cur Father Pe>taloZZi. Such s. l {
ave sketehed him for you We loved l
i'm: We all loved him, for {
e loved Us all; we loved bin |
o warmly that when some time 7
assei without our seeing him We 4
-ere quite troubled about it, and
rhen be again appeared We could not :
axe our eyes of him." Love and I
af-h then. lie at The very foundation 3