The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-07-15
Good Audiences At Sessions Of
Simmer School,
COLONEL Parker A KAMAAINA
He Receives Congratulations Mrs
Parker on Vocalizatlon-Belfs
Vocal Table.

euce wednesday morning. Her thor
ough knowledge OF her subject, her
long experience and success give an
additional weight 10 her precepts.
Among her listeners were several
children, whose interest was in the
kindergarten which Miss Allen con-
Quoted during the second three-quar-
ter hour. Miss Allen said that in gov
erning and teaching children, deci-
sion should never be reversed. 1t
could be modified and put in different
form when the wisdom OF after reilec-
ton showed that the child would be
injured by the first decision. But the
greater injury Is in the destroyed con-
fidence which the child has in the par
ent or teacher when he discovers there
is not frmness, exactitude. Some
times 1t requires all the ingenuity the
teacher Is able to command to prevent
the child from discovering the moditi-
cations.
Never nag, said Miss Allen. 1t Is
the bane OF many homes which would
otherwise be happy. Ii destroys the
peace of the household. 1t makes the
child's life perfect misery. The par
ent should make decision. The de-
cisions should be based not on what
the parent or the teacher wishes, but
on what is best for the child, what is
wisest. There should not be too much
reasoning with the child. Often much
time and a great deal of patience Is
wasted by attempting TO reason out
with child something on which 1t is
entirely unnecessary to spend so much
thought. A simple decision is suifi-
cient, as the child can reason in its
own way and will not be convinced
unless he sees things in his own way.
Miss Allen said she did not believe in
punishment, but there were times
when punishment was absolutely nee
essary, when "A child can not be
reached in any other way and con-
WINGED Of superior authority. The
child must recognize, too, the rights OF
other children. The kindergarten
should be an ideal community.
: Without the realization OF a superior
authority the child would not know
that there must be limit TO leniency.
IL the child discovered, as Ia often
the case, that he can get what he
wishes by crying for It, he will con-
tinue to Cry and will get to a point
where he does not know where free
dom ends and license begins. The in
must be treated as If his disobedience
is mental illness.
DO not be weak with the child. said
Miss Allen. The time comes when
some children must be punished. Self
control cannot be secured in day, Il
Is only by infinite patience and Is
sometimes the work of a lifetime.
The lessons of life come through en-
perience, personal experience. never
by precept. For this reason the posi-
ton OF teacher is one of the great
est responsibility 1t comes next to
that Of the mother.
Profound sympathy was expressed
by Miss Allen for the woman who was
a combination OF mother. teacher.
housekeeper and general manager. II
Is too great task to a mother. es-
pecially where there are several child
rem in the family, each with his own
individuality that must be treated diff
ferently. No two children are exact
~ the same in nature. There Is n Diff
Terence and each must have his en-
vironment. II all are treated the
same. part OF the earnest effort is
lost for the hereditary traits of child
rem VIII outweigh and overbalance en-
vironment. Miss Allen said that peo-
pie are too solemn in life. There Is
not enough play and people must play
more. Nothing in life Is so lovely as
a little child. Solemnity. severity
spoil the life of the child and stiiie its
sweetness.
The kindergarten was held on the
platform as usual. Miss Allen an
nounced at the close that at 2:3O
O'Clock on each, Wednesday in the
High school building she would meet
the mothers.
Col. Parker said in opening that he
had tried to study the problem pre-
scented to him here. he had diagnosed
the case, and had found IL much the
same here as elsewhere with some var
iation. 1t might be tentative but he
would give ii. The reason why we may
fail TO arouse enthusiasm in the child
is because we make language an end
in itself and therefore we fail to teach
language as a means. The child must
feel the need OF anything he does.
That must be the motive, the insp'ra-
ton. 1t Is not what the teacher, the
parent feels, but what the child feels
is motive. The great difficulty is
that the energy is not developed so
hat the child feels the need Of the
language. Usually the beginning is
with the language itself. 1t Is a wrong
idea. In these Islands the children
are confronted with the learning OF
thirty new sounds. II Is Almost diff
cult task for them and the difficulty Is
enhanced II the child does not see the
necessity. What motive has the child
in Tearing the language? II he is put
into the drilling as soon as ne comes
10 school he becomes confused, and
loses his interest. The chiIds work
IS governed by his interest and he is
not interested in anything unless he
sees the end, the motive. He must
become thoroughly convinced Of the
need o. language.
During his younger years the child
roams the fields, he becomes intimate