The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1899-06-16
EDUCATIONAL.
CONTRIBUTED BY Mrs. c. NJ. WELLONs,
BOLIVAR, TENS ESsEE.

rection Give him something to work with, not
something to tire of, and destroy.
Place in his hands a medium through which that
restessness, belonging to childhood, may be turned
to profit. PestaIozzi says, First teach the child
FORM" Give him balls to roll bright colOred
beads to string and cubes to build with.
The busy child is the happy child.
When five years of age, call Grandmother Kao-
line in as a valuable assistant Give the little one
piece of plastic clay, work with him, not telling
him to make this, or that; instead, form spheres,
cubes, cylinders, and later, prisms; talking the
while about the work. You will find the child
concentrating mind and energy, in patting and
moIding that which he has read from your work.
He viii not be satisfied with making one, two or
three Ike-objects, but continues adding to his
store, by which he unconsciously climbs the first
steps in number-a bugbear to many in their teens,
simply because their first lessons not ideal
lessons.
They were taught to add, subtract, multiply and
divide, with only dim conception, and in some
cases, none at all Of the why's and wherefOres,
their knowledge being gained through textbooks.
The ideal lesson creates interest and gives pleas
ure. All objects that appeal to children may be
used in teaching number, conveying Through the
sensitive fuger-tips) much to the mind before dry
books are placed in their hands. No child will
grow weary in working with buttons grains of
corn and black eyed daisies.
Col Francis Parker says Form is the highest
manipulation of energy, form is judgment, form i,
the entrance to all truth" Believing the same,we
can understand the theory of Pestalozzi-that Of
teaching the child form first. As the child eats
his morning meal he will tell you the shape of the
orange, if he has moulded spheres He lean be easily
taught and will take pleasure in separating the
luscious fruit into halves fourths Fights and other
partitions, thereby removing obstacles from the
study of fractions in later years.
Inculcate the truth Ruskin says, Teach the
child reverence and truthfulness." child should
learn from every thing with which he comes in
contact; lead him up to the love of nature Walks
| in the woods should acquant him with the habits
of birds, plants and insects. He should be taught
that God is the maker of all, and nothing should
be destroyed needessly. The love of nature leads
to the study Of science, TRUTH some one has
defined science.
Interest him in the structure of the leaf, the
| grass, the beetles wing.
Teach the beautiful myth; twill emphasize the
| truth In teaching him Of Arachpe, you will find
| him learning from the spider and its web. Teach
/ him of ApoIlo's messenger, and you will find him
making study of the crow In anticipation of a
this outline concentration ard observation will
have been taught two very essential features in
! education.
The plan mapped out herein is based upon the
PsstaIozzi and Froeble methods, and has been
found by the writer to enable little children to
think intellgently before they have been burden
ed with textbooks.
Teach children TO love the beautiful. There is
beauty in the feecy cloud, the curve of the swal-
lows fight and the colorng of the dahodil. Some
one has said, "The child is a born artist" Give
hi m a box of colors, and call his attention to a
peach blossom or maple leaf. He will not go into
details, but you will find him interpreting and
telling very intelligently with his brush just what
he sees.
Sing to the child and with him. He loves music
The world is fall OF music and is the better for it,
Let boys whistle. a merry whistler has melody
in his heart when the silent tongue may he the
companion of evil thoughts.
Let brothers and sisters learn side by side. They
are fortunate in having each other. writer has
said, Good comradeship between brothers and
sisters saves the girls from prudery and the boys
from bOOriShness.n
The foundation of education having been placed,
the child OF six years is ready for reading and
writing Do not teach him the letters and do not
allow him to print. few educators claim that
printing is excellent busy-work for little folk; but
the writer having had much to do with children,
has found in the kindergarten material much that
will hold their attention, at the same time giving
the fingers work that will not pave the way for
gular penmanship. Teach reading and writing
simultaneously, and at the end of six months you
will find the child knows his letters and spell
most Of tie words he has learned TO write.
In toocbiurr road fng and uritiug first OIL tba
child words, names of familiar objects showing at
the time if possible the picture of the object,
or the object itself. Write the word. In giving the
child script, write plainly, boldly and rapidly
You will find the child eagerly following your ex-
ample. Give him sentences as follows: l see the
dog see the cow Never give a beginner long
sentences to write. He will accurately copy that
which is placed before him. beginning all sentences
with capitals, ending statements with periods etc.
During the period devoted to learning first reader
and script lessons number should be taught. in-
Guiding the four principles addition, subtraction
multiplication and division, using no number larg-
er than twenty. The number lessons are indelibly
impressed on the learners memory by hearing of
familiar objects during each lesson as follows: If
one bird has two feet, how many feet have two
birdse Three birds? Four birds? If one dog has
four feet how many feet has two dogs? Three
dogs? Four dogs? How many halves in an apple?
Two apples? How many gills in pint? Show
him a gill measure. In dry measure speak of
strawberries, or any article of food that can be
measured and viii tempt him. Let him find halves
of peaches, apples or turnlps.
Each season in the year furnishes something to
be used in teaching the child.
In teaching measurement, do not tell him how
many inches make foot or half foot Give him
a foot measure and let him do the work. after
cutting or drawing true inch.
The first years outline may be extended for the
second and third years course. In writing he has
been learning spelling and language.
During the while, he should have been taught
direction in connection with objects in and around
the home.
When the third reader is given him, the sand
board, and clean white sand, which should have
been among his belongings since bis first acquaint-
ance with form should be subservient in the study
of geography. Dampen the sand and let him with
the same form mountains aud hills scoop out val
leys trace with pointed stick the bed of river.
learn what an island IS a cape, bay, ETC.
When he begins to study the geography of a !
country or section let him also take up history
Of the same.
Little children have been seen in the last year,
delighted in drawing the map of Cuba lin the
moist sand) talking the while about the natives, |
their oppressOrs and beratOrs, the products OF the
island and its nearness to our own country In I
teaching child history, read, read, read to him |
and with him. not endeavoring TO fill his mind |
With lot of dates having interesting back
ground. Teach the geography and history of one
country at a time. Some one has said, ''The child
a hero wershipern See that characters with
which he comes in contact, through books or 9TH
r mediums. are characters worthy of imitation.