Middletown transcript., 1897-02-13
Since the object of education is the build

Since the object of education is the build
ing of character and since mental science is
the foundation of moral science, ought we
not as teachers-to devote more time to the
Study of the Child as an individual We
must know each child to direct intelligently
his moral development.
What has Child Study accomplished in
the few years that special attention has been
paid to itP
Thus far the result has been very marked
in two directions.-1st" Upon the child
He is no longer viewed in wholesale
light-but as an individual, like-yet veryss
unlike others. This has led to better un-
derstanding of his growing powers and nee
essities, his physical and moral defects and
their remedies the motives governing his
conduct End. Upon the teacher-She has
learned the necessity Of adopting instruction
ia both matter and manner to the individ-
uality of the Child.
1t seems strange to look back upon a time
when it was the custom TO administer the
proverbial birch switch as general morn
ing tonic-and yet-may we not be doing
practically the same thing mentality
possibly when we ask our children to all
read the same books.
Best Of all Child Study has brought
teacher and child into closer sympathy
for studying the child-interest is aroused
and in sympathy is but the outgrowth OF
interest.
One does not gain merely in sympathy
but in knowledge and tact for teaching
Child Study in panacea for fruits" in teach
ing and governing.
It has also given the teacher a keene1
sense of his own powers, his limitations
opportunities, and responsibilities.
When Herbart first began his teaching
of two brothers, he was required by the
father of these boys to write monthly de-
tailed account .of the work accomplished.
This is regarded as having laid the founda
ton for his subsequent psychological works
Teachers all over our Country are now
doing, practically, the same thing. DR..
Hall says-"Every effortof this sort-every
we'll kept voc .bulary-every set of draw
ing or teachers hook-every school anthro-
prological chart, may have real value for
science-but will be more likely to be of
much practical value to the child-and is
surest to educate most of all-the record
maker"
Oliver Wendal Holmes says-"The train
ing of child should commence two hun
dred years before it is born" Altho' we
believe much in heredity, we also believe
much in the power of influence.
But if we would acquire influence we
must be able to understand the child's
motives and impulses and be able to share
his feeling. We have all, no doubt, had the
humiIiating experience of witnessing some
one to whom we felt vastly superior ac-
complish, with no apparent effort, what we
had failed to do-in governing a child.
Was it because we did not understand, did
not sympathize with the child! Are we
not apt to be so much taken up with the
idea of getting over certain amount OF
ground, during given time, that we look
upon the child as machine and not an in.
dividual.
1t is right here that Child Study will prove
helpful. We unconsciously, do study the
child to certain extent, but we ought to
do SO consciously.
Take the child as we know him, good
qualities and bad; the good ones may serve
as levers to force out tn bad.
An ambitious, industrious child may be
selfish and envious; give him opportunities
to be generous. Once having tasted the plea
sure of generosity, he is sure to wish to re-
peat that pleasure.
Our child is all memory and has no
power to reach conclusions-one has weak
will or self reliance and power orself direc-
ton are lacking. Opportunities should be
made whereby the child must call into
use self-reliance, reason, self contro
| and power of choice come only from
freedom of action. Create on atmos-
phere of freedom, this means sympathy
with the child.
One of the most common errors into
which teachers fall, is arousing conlbative-
ness by merely sayiig-"don't."
Then, there is the unconscious instruction
of the teacher, which is by no means an in
significant factor. Children are born imi
tators and when we have been with them
long enough for our influence to be felt. we
may, in them. behold ourselves, as in a
| mirror.
Emotions are contagious. If one is happy
or exhilerated, the tendency is for thos'
around to become the same.
If the teacher is studious and reads new
books, not always, in line with he
work-her pupils are usually interested and
enjoy studying anything new for some
time-It was said of Primary teacher
once, that after one term, all of her pupils
were liars. We used to say teachers are
born and not made"-So called "borr
teachers, may and do fail. made teachers
may and do succeed. but it means study
determination, sympathy. A love for hu
manity as humanity.
We may not all "hit' the smark but w
may aim at it.
Ida NJ. KIMBALL.
/ nv