The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-07-13
CHILD STUDY.

In another column there appears. an
interesting communication on child
study.
If Professor Marsh is correct in
saying that man has lived on the
EARN about 100000 years, he certain
Iy has not been very active in study
ing up his own condition. Even in
the comparatively recent period Of the
Adam and Eve era the study of child
life was not thought of. In the majo-
rity of homes in civilized lands it is
still neglected. The women and
mothers have been AFFECT slaves TO
traditions of all kinds. In many cases
their devotion tC. and self sacrifice
for their children. is OF no greater
value morally than that of the Chinese.
mothers who teach their children to
worship an assortment of little gilded
wooden gods.
But at last there is an awakening
among the American women at least.
There is in New York City a club of
earnest, educated women, who have
advanced beyond the tea party stage
of social education, and have come to
the belief that the child world is in
deed a marvellous one, and requires
the most serious study. This club,
without publicity, or fireworks" quiet
~ moves about organizing other
clubs. for the thorough study of child
n Of c11 no
original Investigators. No knowledge
taken Immediately from books, or what
may be called knowledge at second
hand is allowed to be presented. The
members go behind books, and do orr
ginal work Questions are seriously
discussed, because women are at last
beginning to realize their immediate
responsibility in child education.
Here is an illustration of the ques-
tions discussed by one of these clubs:
"Obstinacy, whether due to incapacity
or to sensitive temperament" An
other: '"The germ and nature of vari-
Gus falsehoods, whether due to fear,
to love of gain, or to exuberant ina
ginations" In considering these
questions the members are required
to tell what they actually see and
know, and not to waste the time given
up to the meeting, in giving their
crude opinions.
In one instance the study of toys
for children was thoroughly made,
with the final result that a majority
of the members resolved to prevent
the use of extravagant toys, and dis
countenance the practice of presenting
such toys to children.
The insight into child nature, gain
ed by the keen, and close observation
of so many women, becomes of the
utmost value. To the mothers them
selves it is a higher education. They
are gradually led from garrulous7-
gossipy, vague and valueIess talk about
children, to a patient and thorough
analysis, and diagnosis of child de-
velOpment.
With this method of study, the
mother becomes a scientist. AS she
becomes educated herself in this en-
vironment of club life, she begins to
record in detail the facts in he'child's
growth, uncolored with her affections.
These facts, gathered up in the course
of years, become of inestimable value.
Without estimating the value of pray
err in the education of the child, it
may be said that the labor involved
in prayer is trif1ing compared with
that of the earnest study of child life.
AS the study of man is the highest
of all studies, and woman is the ma
tural student of man in his early
growth, it follows that, in the coming
years, women should be the most
valuable of all scientists.
The value of these CLUBS is in their
dealings with facts, and not traditions
and loose opinions. The old school
men, the philosophers, the theologi-
ans, hated facts, because they killed
theories. No men have been regarded
with more suspicion than Francis
Bacon and Herbert Spencer, because
they dealt with facts. which are as
dangerous to theories, as dynamite is
to ships. But these women clubs are
learning how to handle the facts of
child growth, so that like dynamite,
they will break up the absurd tradi-
tions about education.