The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-03
CHILD-CULTURE FADDISTS.
Much of the Talk of New Methods Is
Rehash OF Old Ideas.

Much OF the Talk of New Methods Is
a Rehash OF Old Ideas.
Katherine Morgan. in New York Advocate
Child culture, instead of being serious
study, is fast becoming a fad of the day.
Lectures on new methods of training the
young idea how to shoot are thick as black
berries, and attending them is fast beeom-
ing dissipation with a certain class of
sentimental women and young mothers
They really desire to learn. If there be
any new way of getting at the heart of her
child and building up his character, the
young mother wants to know it. If there
be any new and better plan for drawing
out, or on occasion REFRESHING the true in
wardness of the "enfant terrible the pri-
mary teacher desires to learn of it,
They attend a lecture on child culture by
young woman perhaps just out of her
teens, and come away with a dazzling ar
ray of pictures of child life in the abstract,
of possible situations which never have oc-
CURED, and never will occur, in their expe-
rience, and an endless list of rules and
theories of no use whatever in the daily
walks of life, either in the schoolroom or in
the house.
The horse lived, moved and had his being
and played his part in the affairs of men
long before the instantaneous photograph
was produced which enabled us to anaIyze
his movements and watch the play of his
feet in walking, pacing or galloping, and
it may be questioned whether he is more
swift in the race, more gallant in battle, or
more agile in the circus ring because every
motion and fraction of a motion is now re-
produced by q process of continuous pho
Biography, and exhibited to an admiring and
wondering public on the screen of a kline
matograph.
Neither is it likely that the horse trainer
of the future will make use of this analy-
sis OF the horses movements to secure the
greater speed, better disposition or more
graceful department of the horse of the flu
ture. In fact, the photograph of the horse
Ia motion is but picture analysis of what
the horse has been doing from prehistoric
times to the present moment, and no train
er of horses seems to think that the ex-
haustive study of such Photographic anal
yslS will enable him to produce a horse of
superior merit in character or action to
those produced by the practical trainers
of bygone years
But some such idea seems to have taken
hold of certain class of the child cultur-
lists of the present day. They seem to be
speak, OF the various phases in the life of
a child from the moment when he first
opens his eyes upon. the world right along
until he enters the doors of a college, per-
haps, and his primary education, at least
is finished, and, holding UP these pictures
as studies, without the proper mastering
of which no one may hope to properly train
a child fit him for the duties of life.
They are not studies in training at all;
they are but picture analysis of the
natural development of a normal, or per-
haps an abnormal, child Such an analysis
is interesting. 1t is as interesting it
would be to look at a series of SNAPSHOTS
Of ourselves in various stages of a trip
through Europe. They serve as pleasant
"reminiscences OF our voyage and subse-
quent travels, but help us not at all to pack
our trunks. procure our passage or pilot
US on our journey; nor do we believe that
the STUDY of these SnapShOtg Of child life
IS essential TO practical training. We are
losing ourselves in a labyrinth of meth
starting points" and gradual leadings'
takes the place Of the old plain Bible pre-
c sept Train Ii up a child Ia the way he
words and Understanding phrases, and, aft
er listening to one of these modern lee
lures, we wonder if ever there was a child
properly trained since the world began
Doubtless there is great room for i'm
provement in the rearing of children, but
ling AFTER the manner OF many so-called
modern child culturists? Is it not rather to
be gained by presenting a few plain, prac-
teal rules on the health, manners, mind
and morals which every mother and teach
er may elaborate for herself?
l am moved to these remarks by attend
ing lecture on starting points in the
training of child. An extended list of
rules" for mothers formed the skeleton of
this lecture, among which were the follow
ing: I. always give the thing before the
name" Show something of an orange color
to the child, and then tell him that it is
oranges; or, show him an apple or peach,
after which tell him that it is an apple or
peach, etc. z. Presentation before rep
resentation which is the same as the
ccmprehension'-that is a child can appre-
bend it's father and mother long before it
can comprehend their nature their affec-
ton, their anxiety etc. We should not ar
bitrariy force development by trying to
make a child comprehend before it apple
hends:. A. Present the whole before the
parts
There is nothing Objectionable in all this
as an interesting study; If one has the time
a picture analysis, as it were, of the pro-
cesses or education and child development
which have been. going on since the world
began, and exhibiting them on the platform
and in books as quite new-labeling them
modern methods" new theories, ETC.,
without the study of which no child can
be properly trained or educated. 1t is the
substitution of the theory and analysis of
training for training itself. Is it a new
Did ever mother or teacher first describe
color, an apple. or a peach to a child be-
fore showing it the color of the fruit? Did
ever any mother or teacher give an exhaus-
tive description of a locomotive to a small
child, and then have one drawn to the house
and say: THAT is the thing l have been
motive?" Does she not rather wait until
the locomotive passes the door, and then,
lest she should arbitrarily force develop
ment,'' does she not allow the little fellow
to call it a "choo-choo" until he compre-
herdS that there is more to 1t than sound?
Apprehension and comprehension" Did
any mother ever attempt to tell new
born infant that she who was holding him in
her arms was his mother, that she loved
him with q deathleSS love- that he owed all
his happiness and comfort to her tender
care and all this before he had ever once
fixed his eyes upon her and cOmprehended
that there was something in the universe
besides himself? Or did she ever show him
parts of dog or tree before showing
him the whole2
Is not this so-called new method" then,
largely a series of snapshots alorg the line
of the natural development and education
of even the humbest child, rather than a
new method of child culture?
1t is interesting as study. but does 1t
lead to practical training? / believe not.
While the child culture faddist is attend
ing this style of modern lecture the old
fashioned practical mother is at home
training in the fear of the Lord the men
and women who shall fill our positions OF
trust and influence in the high places of
life in the years to come. We have too
much method-too little result. We theorize
and talk too much about training, and train
too little.
| wondered as / came away from this lee
ture whether the young lecturer would ever
rear such family as did the mother of the
Gracch or the old-school mother of John
and Charles Wesley.