The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-03-25


which IL still conducted on the sntioustsd
notion that the function Of the school consists
primarily II not entirely in crowdinR into the
msmory Of the child certain number Of cut
and-dried facts. or. In other words that the
school exists simply for the purpose OF giving
the child = certain amount OF Information. AZ
in such schools the manner In which the mind
acquires ideas is naturally dlsreRarded. II
follows that the teachers are held responsible
for nothing beyond securing certain memo
rizsd results. The aim OF the Instruction is
limited mainly to drilling facts into the minds
OF the children and to hearing them recite
lessons that they have learned By heart from
text books Such methods are termed anti
ouAted because they represent instruction as
II was practised before the time OF the great
educators, when q science OF education was
unknown. Moreover. as the way In which the
mind acquires ideas IL not taken into account,
the teacher makes no attempt to study the
needs Of the individual child. and conse-
auently no bond OF sympathy 10 formed be-
tween the pupil and the teacher. In schools
Of this kind the attitude Of the teacher toward
the child lie. as q rule. cold and unsym-
pathetic. and at times actually cruel and
barbaroua The institutions conducted on
scientific principles differ widely from the
mechanical schools While the aim Of the old
process lie mainly to give the child certain
amount OF information, the purpose OF the
new education is to lead the child to observe.
to reason. and to acquire manual dsxtsrity, as
we'll as to memorize facts; in q word. to de-
velop the child naturally in all its faculties. in
tellectual. moral. and physical As in these
schools the teacher IL guided In his or her
work by the nature OF the chld's mind. that
TO- by the laws OF mental DEVELOPMENT. he or she
Is constantly in search OF such light as will
afford guidance In giving the pupil the
benefits OF what Is known Of the nature
Of the child and Its mode OF develop
ment One finds. therefore. widely dis
tributed among the scientific teachers q
truly progressive spirit. much enthusiasm.
and q desire to become conversant with the
laws OF Psychology and the PRINCIPLES OF ed
ucation. We are told that II IL almost exclu-
siyely in the cities where the teachers con-
stantly pursue professional studies under the
guidance OF thoroughly qualified srperin-
tendsnts. that schools OF this order are found.
As It is no longer the text book or the arbi-
trary will Of the superintendent. but the laws
Of psychology that In such cases become the
ruling spirit OF the school. the order Of things
becomes reversed. and. In consequence. the
atm osphsre OF the school room 10 entirely
changed. The teacher who endeavors to In
struct In accordance with the nature Of the
child, so that he may understand him. and
know how to minister to his needs. In this
manner true bond OF sympathy Is formed
between the instructor ana the pupil The
attitude Of the teacher shifts from that OF lord
and master to that OF friend and suide. He
ceases to DO cold and harsh. and becomes In
terssted and sympathetic. The school room
loses It's prison aspect. and acquires that Of q
refined and refining home Whom. too. the
teacher 10 guided In his work By the laws Of
psychology. there lie a revolution in the meth
DDS Of instruction. as we'll as In the spirit OF
the class room. While In the mechanical
schools tho recitation periods are devoted
either to hearing children recite lessons that
they have learned By heart. or to drilling
the pupils in facts. such procedures are
not tolerated In the schools conducted
on scientific principles. the teachers being
obliged to devote these periods to actual teach
ing, In accordance with methods approved by
educational science. In fine. the new educa-
tion recognizes that. aside from measurable
results. there are elem ents which REQUIRE con-
sidsration in educating the child. Foremost
among these elements Is the child himself.
The cid system Of education, with its ere fast
ensd exclusively on results. forgot the child:
whereas the new system ls. In large part,
guided BY the fact that the child Is . frail and
Rice submits that tho provsrb by their fruits
shall 70 know them" is not applicable to
schools because II leaves out OF consideration
tho fact that the child lives while he 10 being
educated. Who. he asks. would argue that
the stserage 10 as good as tho cabin
because the Storage passenger travels as
quickly and as safely rs the cabin passenger
When natural methods are philosophically Ap-
piled by the teacher. the child becomes inter-
ested 10 his work and the school Is converted
into house Of pleasure. On the other hand.
when the child Is taught By mechanical meth
DDS. his mental food Is given to him In the
most unpAlatabls and indlgsstible form. In
consequence Of which he takes no interest In
his work. regards learning rs drudgsry and
the school as house Of bondage. 1t should
further be noted that under the new educa-
tionAl system. factors are brought into play
which By reason OF their refining nature can
scarcely fail to exert q favorable Influence
on the moral character OF the child.
Among these factors are irst the bond Of
sympathy that is contracted between the
child and the teacher. who strives to UNDER
stand him. to interes, MIN. and to make him
happy. Tho atmosphere OF the mechanical
school IL chilly. whereas that OF the progress
siys school is glowing with life and warmth.
second important factor Is the pursuit OF
studies that tend to develop the sympathetic
and aesthetic faculties Of the child. among
which may bs mentioned natures studies. the
study OF plants. whsA regarded from the SYM
pathetic and poetic side. and the study Of ami
mails from the viewpoint OF sympathy; with
these should be coupled the purely artistic
studies. namely. music. poetry. drawing. and
painting from nature. the designing OF beau
tiful forms and work with beautiful colors
HI.
How does IL happen that the old-fashionsd
or mechanical schools continue to exist In an
age. and In a country so progress
siys as the United States2 1t Is sometimes
asserted In support OF the unscisntific system.
that the old education 10 more practical than
the new As m after OF fact. experience shows