The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-16

ratory. In the Medical School the hos
initial ia now an Indispensable adjunct,
and even In the Divinity School the stu
dent is beginning to construct his own
theology.
But the degree to which educaiton is
now regarded as an individuallzinR
process is still more clearly seen in he
extent to which the school ourriculums
have been enlarged and modified in or
der that they might appeal to every vari-
ety of taste and talent. A generation
ago we prescribed our soanty list OF sub
iects and If the pupil failed to be i'm
pressed and attracted BY them, set MN
down as a Ounce. Today we find that
child whose mind remains closed to the
objects and ideas offered by one subJecu
attnins freedom and delightful activity
in the presence of those offered by anoth-
er, and the mind once unlocked often as
serts itself with yigor that amazez u.s.
The modern school course in our best
communities has something among it's
studies or exercises that will find the
most unprom1sing boy Or girl, and bring
whatever mental gems are there to the
surface.
Considered merely from the utilitari-
ans point of view, the rich courses OF
| study offered in the best schools of today
are among the WfseSt investments OF the
peoples money; for they put at the ser
Woe of the community vast and varied
individual enerQy-sometimes OF the
choicest types which otherwise womb
never have. been brought to light. II
this slumbering genius of Edison was
awakened by kind explanation to hlm
OF the ordinary processes OF telegrapny,
and if the genius that presides over the
great Lick observatory was kindied py
work on astronomy casually left IN It's
way, what shall We say of the value OF
the numerous school appliances by who
the whole range of elementary knowledge
is rendered accessible 20 the minds made
to receive ard apply it? We talk much
of our undeveloped resources. but IN finite
ly most important of these are our uDde.
veloped iDtelleots. imaginations ana
wills; and the public school With
sufficient breadth of curriculum is our
greatest factor In practical economics.
1t should be the business OF the school 10
help each TO come into possession his
own. In the application of this truth
we find ample justification OF drawing.
and physical and manual training, now
coming to be regarded as essential to the
complete school.
It has long been an accepted theory
that it is the prime function OF the pu o.
lie school to train its pupils for citizen
ship. But good citizenship is
more than knowledge OF govern
emnt and laws. 1t implies self-respect,
self.support and wise self--assertlon;
aud the first condition for the exercise
of these qualities IL keen sense, dis
tinot consciousness of the worth of
of the particular needs Of society which
that Individuality ia prepared to satisfy.
The school has not reached its goal un-
til it's curriculum and methods bring to
each pupil profound convictions respect
ing the nature and ends of his life work.
1t should not. it is true, attempt to teach
the trade and industries Of the world;
but 1t should enable the individual to
differentiate himeslf from his fellows,
} and should send him into life with the
inspiration and ardor that accompany
the conviction of divine Gala sum-
mons from God to take his appointed
place among the worlds workers.. There
Is noticeable, it seems to me. among col
lege students a growing tendency to
choose their life-work early in their
course. Individual mistakes will be
made, but the general fact is encourage
Ing. It shows that the average student
is coming to an earlier consciousness OF
himself and his relations to society; And
this is just what should be expected flom
the gathering instrumentalities by rs hich
the liberation of the individual Is
fastened.
Still another agency contributing to
the same result is the growing prevalence
lof electives. Ii marks the increasing as
sent to the principle that the man is best
evolved by the exercise of his own choice,
the forming of his own ideals.
| The strength Of the tendency to reooR-
| pize The individual in educational work
ia still further exemplihed in the new
study of child psychology and In the
use of its results in elementsry school
work. In the great Universities, by
methods purely scientific. and in hun
dreds of communities by methods wholly
empirical, children Ct all ages classes
and conditions are subJe ctsd to tests,
bodilyIand mentally, designed to cover the
experiences of the first twelve or fou-
teen years of human life. These Inquiries
re ate to tho contents of children's minds
at differeat ages, to the size and develop
ment of the body and it's organs, 10 devil
stiOns from the normal, whether rhysicnl
or mental, and to the relations OF habit
to health. The answers to these in
quiries shed light upon whole classes OF
children Of like age, temperament, en-
vironment aid training; but they are
specially valuable as indexes &c the needs
Of individuals. They show that in each
child there is definite time for the most
| fruitful exercise CT his powers OF cody
and mind-a time for the deveiopment CT
his trunk and limbs, and for the inner
activities and DETERMINATIONS Ut the nm
gers, the vocal cords, the eyes and the
ears; time, tho, when each SPORT pnr-
suit or study means most In the orderly
development of body. mind and soul; a
time wien each instinct, appetite and
propensity ia at its strongest. 1t shoul Il
b. the function Of parents and teachers
to discover the critical periods and to
supply or to withhold, to curh or tn i've
free rain, according to tie Immediate
demand The most advanced PEDAGOGY
is insisting that the individual shall be
recognized at every step OF his develop,
ment, and that methods, studies and
in ceptives be constantly adjusted to his
changing instincts, tendencies and pow
ers.
Finally, we have individualism in edu-
cation pushed to the extreme In tho re-
cent demand for the abolition of all
grades, the abandonment Of classes. ana
the elimination of competitive ests,
formal promotions, and graduation excl T.
oises. 1t is urged that recitntlrns. IN
clhzses compel fearful waste ct tine
for the reader pupils. while they leave
the radical needs Of the slowal ana drl-
Ter uucared for: that thew suppress org
inality and foster imitation, decaptlon
and concsit; that !the7 teach the pupi! to
uJ,iZD the mere sem h1gpCe OF scholarship