The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-08-19

] Thus it will be seen that the work
which he did, implied, in addition to
| industry and energy, large mental
| powers. A man of strong convictions
of deep piety, of enduring faith, of
/ hope which knew no disappointment
Of almost superhuman energy, indus
| try and mental power, such was Come
Mus.
In trying to discern the chief educa-
tional reforms which Comenius advo-
Gated one is struck at once with the
classes into which he proposed that
schools should be divided; 1st, the
School of Infancy; I'd, The Mother
Tongue School,; Bird, the Latin School;
4th, the University. These suggest the
kindergarten, the Elementary School,
the High School and College, and the
University. And the more one studies
his scheme the more Overwhelming be-
comes the evidence that Comenius was
simply two hundred and fifty years in
advance of his times, and that his
system of schools would correspond
very closely with an ideal system for
our own day.
Let me read you Quicks summary of
Comenius's discussion of his proposed
School of Infancy, not stopping to in
dictate all the quotations-which form
clDOut hcliI VI IllS
Very interesting are the hints here
given, in which we get the first ap-
proaches to kindergarten training
Comenius saw that, much as their
elders might do to develop chiIdren's
powers of thought and expression, yet
children of the same age and the same
manners and habits are of greater ser
vice still. When they talk or play
together, they sharpen each other more
enectually; for the one does not sur
pass the other in depth of invention
and there is among them no assump-
ton of superiority of the one over the
other, only love, candor, free question
ings and answers" The constant acti-
witty of children must be provided for !
1t is better to play the mind is intent |
on some object which often sharpens
the abilities. In this way children |
may be early exercised to an active |
life without any difficulty, since nature |
herself stirs them up to be doing some |
thing I'm the second, third, fourth |
years, ETC., let their spirits be stirred |
up by means of agreeable play with |
them or their playing among them
selves. Nay if some little occupation |
can be conveniently provided for the
child's eyes, ears or other senses, these
and body"
We have the usual cautions against
forcing. EARLY fruit is useful for the
day, but will not keep; whereas late
fruit may be kept all the year. AS
some natural capacities would fly as it
were, before the sixth, the fifth, or
even the fourth year; yet it will be
beneficial rather to restrain than per-
NIT this; but very much more to en-
force it, 1T is safer that the brain be
rightly consolidated before it begins to
sustain labors; in a little child the
whole bregma is scarcely closed and the
brain consolidated within the fifth or
sixth year. 1t is sufficient, therefore,
Tor this age to comprehend spontane-
0usly, imperceptibly as it were in play,
so much as is employed in the domestic
circle"
One disastrous tendency has always
shown itself in the school room-the
tendency to sever all connection be-
ween studies in the school room and
ife outside. The young pack away their
as it were, in water tight
compartments, where it may lie con-
yeniently till the scholastic voyage is !
over and it can be again unshipped. =,
against this tendency many great tea
hers have striven, and nome more Wig :
)rOuSly than COmeniuS. Like PeStalOZ- :
i, he sought to resolve everything into
is simplest elements, and he finds the
.ommencements before the school age.
n the School of Infancy he says (speak-
ng of rhetoric): MY aim is to show,
this is NOT generally attended
%, that the roots of all sciences and
arts in every instance arise as early
is in the tender age, and that on these
foundations it is neither impossible nor
lifficult for the whole superstructure !,
o be laid; provided always that we act ,
'eaSOnably with a reasonable creature. ;
This principle he applies in his chapter, !
How Children Ought to Be AccustOm-
I'd to an Active Life and Perpetual En-
)lOyment. In the fourth and fifth years
heir powers are to be drawn out, but
n mechanical or architectural efforts,
n drawing and writing, in music, in
arithmetic, in geometry and dialectics
For arithmetic in the fourth, fifth or
sixth year it will be sufficient if they
count up to twenty; and they may be
aught to play at 'Odd and even" In
geometry they may learn in the fourth ,
rear what are lines, what are squares,
What are circles; also the usual meas
lres-foOt, pint, quart, etc, and soon :
hey should try to measure and weigh
or themselves. Similar beginnings are I
Ound for other sciences, such as phys
cs, astronomy, geography, history, eco /
lomics and politics. The elements of l
will be during the course of
he first year. and thence forward, when :
children begin to distinguish between :
heir cradle and their mothers BOSOM
rs this geographical knowledge ex-
ends they discover what a field is.
What mountain, forest, meadow and [
liver. The beginning of history will I
'e to be able to remember what was
lone yesterday, what recently, what I
ear ago. q
In this book Comenius is careful to I
provide children with occupation for
mind and hand" ct matters not " l