New-York tribune., 1898-01-11
TALK BY JENNIE B. MERRILL.
THE MOTHERS CONGRESS MEETS TO DIS
CCSS CHILD Study.

The Mothers Congress met yesterday afternoon
In the Broadway Tabernacle. Mrs. Barnes. presi-
dent. in the char. After the disposition OF some
routine business. Mrs. Barnes introduced Miss
Jennie b. Merrill. superintendent Of kindergartens
OF New-York City. who had just returned from
tn, meeting Of the New-York State Society for
Child Study In Syracuse
AT this convention" said Miss Merrill. 'promi-
ncnt educators and mothers had discussed In turn
the subject OF growing interest-the mothers look
ing at 1t from the point OF view Of home and the
teachers from the school-a dual study necessary In
order TO know child fully An excellent point
was brought OIL, by old teacher at the conven-
tion. who said that the district school OF the oden
days. with Its boarding round, gave the teacher
OF that time the advantage in knowing fully a
child's environments"
To the members OF the Mothers Congress Miss
Merrill recommended perusal OF the closing
chapters OF book on Education" by Mr.. Ellis.
to be published by the Pedagogical Seminary.
This will be resume OF what is already accom-
plished In child study by psychologists and scien-
lists. In this treatise a chd's life Is divided
into three per.ods-chdhood. adolescence and man
hood One mistake frequently made by we'll
meaning but mistaken educators Is In trying 10
force upon the childhood period certain qualities
and traits that do not appear until adolescence
For instance. in nature study the tendency has
been 10 carry children beyond this depth. until
now reaction has set in and many OF the erst"
while popular nature books have been suppressed
as carrying the work too far
Miss Merrill divides childhood into two periods
from the age Of one 10 seven. and from seven 10
twelve The former Is the period usually studied
until ofttlmes even Kindergarten teachers put too
much upon the child Contrary 20 a general opin-
ion. the best time for n child TO study language Is
from seven TO eleven and II Is not desirable to
begin younger than that.
Among the books recommended for those making
a study OF child nature are lone ! Knew Best"
by Mrs. Burnett; Story OF My Life" by Georg
Ebers; Child Life In Literature" by Horace Scud-
der and Story OF q New England Glrhood" by
Lucy Larcom
At the close OF Miss Merrills address routine
business resumed. An embarrassm OF
riches In the guse OF two offers OF meeting places
and the other at the Grand Central Palace-resut-
ed in decision 10 leave the matter with the COM
mlttee to settle
In the absence Of Mrs Ella Hastings president
OF the S. S. G. L.. New-York. her able paper on
Child Study in One Womans Club was read by
Of the officers Of tho association.
Convention. Referring TO the rapid growth Of the
study Mrs Hastings said that when the New
York society WAS started there was not another
single society. either OF parents or teachers de-
voted to this special phase. To-day such clubs ex-
ist In almost every State especially throughout
Among the prominent members Of the Mothers
Congress present were Mrs Barnes president;
Mrs TYtle Miss Eadrenne AGhnfon l Mn Mr. ra Lionel
sHtro Mrs Seymour Mrs pIrnn Louise rs rhomas'
Seymour. Mrs j. ]. Stein. Mrs. c. S. Stanton and
At the next meeting, on Monday afternoon FEB;
Training The place OF meeting will be an
nounced later.