The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-30
CHILD STUDY EXPLAINED.
BY DIR. G. STANLEY HALL.

S~SSSSSSSSSSS SSSSSSSSSSS
WE are now living in the midst of a
genuine educational renaissance, which
future historians will recognises rena-
issance of the love of nature. Go to
any book store or publishers establish.
ment and ask what kind OF books sell
best, and he will tell you of new edi-
tions of Thoreau, and the old nature
lovers and new books by new writer's on
nature study. In spite of this less time
is being given to nature study in schools
as compared with ten years ego. This
is sad and significant fact. 1t is doubt.
less because of the increasing Difficult
ties of getting at nature under the con-
ditions of city life. But we find now
that the child is calling us back to ma.
ture. We stunt the development of the
child when we refuse him free access to
natures delights.
We have now got, to syllabi which we
have sent out, about $1,000 returns
showing how children feel toward the
objects of nature. These returns show
clearly that we have, out of this num-
Der, at Leaf 200 or 300 children who con.
fess to being in love with space. They
realize the immensely of space and their
own insigniicance. The same thing is
true of time. Children love to think
backward and even grow dizzy in con-
sidering the reaches of space. l think
the feeling is what Swedenborg meant
when he spoke of getting "vastaled," as
he realized the great realities of time
and space, upon the background of
which the universe is laid out.
They See God in Nature.
We found many interesting facts rela-
ting to the love of children for the
clouds. They found in them maps, bat
ties, professions, and angelic hosts. and
saw God and the devil fighting over the
world. Scores and scores of children see
God sitting in judgment there, and spir-
its-even the countenances of dead
friends. What would become of the
child's imagination without the clouds?
Our narrow city glimpses of the sky
narrow the child's very SOUL
So, too, the stars. Nations worship
the stars-astrology was one form of
this worship. Take the moon. How
many parents realize that the moon is
very God for children? I do not believe
that any child can love and worship
God truly who has not loved the moon.
From our returns we find that many
think the moon is Gods face. which
grows dim when they do wrong and
brightens st sight of their right doing.
Plato, in his Apologize. admits that he
has, at some time. doubted everything,
but he never went so far as to doubt
that the sun and moon were gods. Who
has not felt himself poised and steadisd
by his view Of the starry spaces, his up
ward glance at the moon, his thought Of
the sun, those great objects which are
divine at least by one remove?
Again. take stones. Many children
make amulets for themselves, to which
they ascribe magic powers. They de-
scribe themselves as thinking that there
is something in common in the souls Of
child and stone,. which darkens and
brightens in sympathy with the owners
condition.
Deep forests repress and solemnize
children and impose reverence, which is
the best foundation for religious senti-
ment. Celia says that the best infiu-
ences in his life came from the forests.
In regard to hills. psychologists tell US
that hill climbing is the most healthful
of exercises possible. UP high on the
hills you get inspiration, Gods breath,
the divine affiatus. In Chicago the chill
dren in pity ought to be allowed to climb
something or other.
So, too, the meadows. Never do chill
dren go into great open spaces without
jumping and rejoicing. The effect is
the opposite of the solemnizing forest.
1t sets free and yields sense of power.
1t is in this connection that Hamlin
Garland speaks of "vsstness of soul and
exurberance of inspiration
The Love of Flowers.
And then the love OF flowers! Frebe
tells US OF his lying on his stomach one
day and looking into little yellow,
spotted flower until he either hypnotized
the flower or the flower hypnotized him.
The soul of the flower seemed to pass
into him and he rose up different man.
He had felt the soul OF nature and her
heart beating under his own. Compare
the technical teaching of botany with
real flower love and ask yourself which is
the way to teach hate of nature and
which love of her.
And trees. Children believe in dryads
who dwell in trees; they hear voices and
think that the song of birds is the voice
of the leaves, and that the trees liter
ally clap their hands with Joy.
| pity children who have no pets.
Where can they get such an idea of
shrewdness as from Reynard. the fox, or
OF strength as from the OK? Slyness and
timidity the rabbit helps them to appre-
ciate, and what should we do for patriot
ism without the eagle? 1t is a remark