The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-23
soul.sympathy in the High Schools.

Very likely 1t is not SO easy to be sur
prising in these days as it was once upon a
time, but even in these days surprises do
occur. We copy briefly from q report fur
nished by our neighbor, the Times, of a
meeting Of school teachers recently held in
the University building in Washington
square. DR.. CHARLES B. GILBERT, Superin.
tendent Of Schools in Newark, was the
principal speaker. His subject was "The
Transition from the Grammar School to
the High School," According to the re-
port in the Times DR.. GILBERT said in part:
at is q mistake to suppose that the falling of In
numbers OF those that enter tho high schools from
those who are graduated 10 for tho most part
due to . desire on the pupils part to enter busi-
ness. It II owing to a lack OF sympathy which
tho high school teacher has for tho pupil. The
pupil who has received every attention and a sym
pathetic guardianship at the hands Of his instructors
in the grammar school suddenly finds himself almost
left to shift for himself. plunked into the irresponsi-
bility Of o college course OF department training
when his mind, spirit. and physical state are entirely
Inadequate TO act for themselves It is the soul con-
tact that high school instructors need. I thoroughly
believe in the psychological record; that 1t should be
kept by every teacher for every pupil and passed on
TO the upper grades. where &c would be of Infinite
value to teachers there in marking out rules Of action
in regard to training the individuality and in seek.
ing to touch the divine, which exists in every child.
be IT the beautiful little solden'haired girl under 10
of i.eoeIaace. uslS urcn'no 10
School, Was ON If. seet IN a moment Hs .std. .Tsa
trouble ia that there Is too much OF this "mother.s
sympathy'' teaching. The child is coddied long after
the age when he should be left to shift for himself
ana maze 'o o sen.rehan'' IeacnerS give TOO much
~. d,S,r. =, az ohuS Tsm a. se,,.rnr . ~
survival Of the nttest. Tho fault lies often a, the
door of the grammar school teacher and tho coddIins
method
y sachs pi,ncipai ooiesia'e ineti-
NJ nunr.r 10 s,,d ,h.. = . a.. a. "nn
charts, a more serious afaIction could not happen 10
q child than to be labelled according TO what were
supposed to be his psychic status, and have this
feeo1a lAchea 10 MN ,hIousn ns scnooi career.
ou.s ,hs snh,sot w,,h W. RE- !. . ,h.,r vt.ns
40 entirely different that there was absolutely no
common ground on which they might meet. The
prevailing sentiment was strongly against the spirit
OF DE- diLDEhrs remafks.'
1t will be a surprise to many to hear 1t
said that soul-sympathy, which is 80 widely
distributed, has no place In the high
schools. In one of its aspects at least ii
must be That 1t has a place there. Though
love is not ostensibly and by proclamation
a concern of the public schools. it is never
theless a phenomenon that is Individually
mixed up with them, high schools included,
n it forms an important part of education
whether the school teachers a k ii sys-
tematically In hand or whether they donot.
1t has been remarked, indeed, that love in
Its immediate and active form Is hardly to
be considered as a manifestation of the
pure intelligence, and that a lover Is not
necessarily wise. That, however, is no
great matter, and does not at all involve
the point in question. Plenty of things