New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-10
PRESENT SYSTEMS WRONG.
WALTER J. KENYONS VIEWS ON
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION.
A LECTURE BY THE CALIFORNIA PEDAGoGrE
READ BEFORE TIE ETHICAL ASSOCIATION
REAp by MISS cARoLINE B. LIE ROW.


READ BY MISS CAROLINE b. LIE ROW.
Walter J. kenyon assistant superintenden OF
public schools of Stockton. Cal. furnished the
thoughts which edited q well-attended meeting OF
the brooklyn Ethical Association at the Pouch
Mansion. in Clinton-aye, last night. While Mr.
Kenyon furnished the IDEAS. he was not present
Miss Clrolne b lie Row Of the GIRLS High School,
delivered Mr.. K"nyons address for him. The sub
jet was Education by Expression and the
lecture was one Of a course on Evolutionary Prn-
cplns Applied 70 Elucaton." The lecture, in It's
important features. WAS as follows:
Surveying the field of expression. the psycholo-
gi-t finds seven different modes In which menta!
activity may be manifested. And az the causal
complement; OF expression. arousing and stimuat-
INK the conscious state, H. places observation
Thes. TWO acts involving respectively receptive and
executive nerve functions. nd be regarded as
essential terminals OF any complete act OF th.hk-
ing The entire circuit. il has been called by
Or Dewey. Is sequence Of events inseparable' oc-
currn, I'm the following order: (a) Sense action
called observation ii directed by the Will In OBJ
s.rva.on one or more ~ the sense organs are d.
r-ciei % phenomena external. whence tAey gather
evidence which = transmitted over their respective
sense nerves 10 the brain 90 That unknown oc-
clrrepce by which this burden OF the senses is
translated into the psychic domain and becomes
possession Of the mind representative OF the causal
externally V) Thence the true mind functions,
called. collectively thinking. which terminate Win
tho decree OF the ego IN Y9ltion 90 Inc answer
| INC message. dispatched alOrg motor nerves anu
giving It's outward effect I'm the act Of one OF an
other Os the modes OF expression .,,
This complete circuit the central act or TANK
ing. with IT. appended phYsloiosi,al "ihIndls o.
nbs.rytfiou and EXPRESSION has been treated ut
~neh boy 9r Dewey ana professor IT, bongS If
Gently on dn"rrnt oc'ts iDn-. ~ my &c - -,
~ an arch with the thinking process. as me KY.
stone ~ once connecting observation ana oppression
IN p.ycho-ph physiological sequence ana depending o"
arranged with regard 70 a possible sequehta! ue-
Nclopment ia thr eNouIom 81 ',t, vcrhai Ian
riiarr and music This order Is not uniformly
accepted II it, however widely agreed mar th51
four art modes. making. modelling. painting anu
diaY''i'1 ar ,ir si,,,es Of deyelopment than
Is verbal language. ami that the latter Nlllr HHu-
INK a degree of usefulness coevialiy win the arr
modes attans its real function as consequent upon
It Is evident that all the fields OF sense are not
equally effective In Wild animals, smell
htellnsg and sisnt play equally important parts,
I"ry value but in man the sense OF touch may
hearing taste and smell combined Indeed, science
has demonstrated that through this chief stewart
OF the ego the human mind may attain a mira aa
ous approach to completeness althoush ."' ss
rhi+ has been notably shown in the cases Of Helen
Keller and Laura Bridgman on me other n''i I'll,
IS beyond the possibility OF cohJ'rlute my ori,i
The lesser sens. might achieve were thcE deprNei
Of the coToDortivr quota o. tnr gan, touJ WA, ne
Man H. not 80 constituiel nteI.ectuaIS' i'o as
can become merely receptive organism. ne mus tI
leads the most universal life who Is m mo Nprss5
| an
Of the inner lIfc Just far as our power Of ex,
pression abates. whatever the organ lnNolNed list
i'm that measure have we succumbed 10 the Hnl''d-
| lions which eliminate In death .s,.,,o,,,
STRANGELY enough IN the modern euucttVnatI
scheme The basis OF the course OF study, instead 81
| being observation and expression has neen reCol-
lection and recital That the young pupil may nor
have the Whercwthal 20 recollect mas NOT Deeh
taken i'm evidence Textbooks have been placed IN
his hlnds which. while having a measuraDle Dur-
Irn 81 thought their authors. have little or no
appeal the contents and tendences Oh thH c'li.
| mind The fatal error has been universally com
mittcl OF rescrvlng laboratory nethodS TOT the
srronJlrv stage OF education. thus completely IN
| verting natural order
In closing his lecture Mr.. Kenyon says
"The laws Of education the laws OF nature
Mother Earth does not grow her tru.ts TO NJ GER
| tain boxes The adjustment Is from the other end
rIuratiop rs to A great degree an exact science.
certain laws have been set in clear re.ief ana TO
transgress these laws is to cease the process OK
| cdurlflon. Manual training. considered as a mode
| of education. must throw aside al unitarian
schemes eXpediency. ana conform Itself 10 me
fixed laws OF educational science. We DO not teach
the child to read that he may earn MS Dreau as
nm clocutlOnis We do not teach him 70 write that
| ne NAV be an arnanuensis. We 10 not ground him
| in mathematics that he may be an expert ac-
| cOuntant II, /, -
| hold the worlds cha mpionshp. We do not incul-
cate mora, rectitude because II Is the best policy
Not any OF these. The child stands before the
| psychic TO be unfodel and nurtured and evolved
| ont Of his present limits into his utmost SELF
This visitation from the Great Source Is not 10 be
! sawed and nailed into the sembance of a carpen-
ter scrubbed and cphered into the estate OF me
| accountant nor yet basted and pressed into the
| cruise of "A seamstress Nor even Is he TO be
| moulded 10 the high craft OF the statesman lie.
| the simple and inscrutable child. Is TO be nurtured
into the common and wonderful ana nop.e man.
| And that Is the entire province Of the common
| sch