The St. Johns herald., 1899-10-28
 DEPARTMEN1'.
 -O-
The Government of
 Children.

This is one nf the important. if not
 ti:e t.Inst important suhjprfS in ednca-
 ti,'n. Wher- one teIrher fails from other cause, tnn saiI nn acrnuui nf nunl discipline. .Insi how to proceed sn as not fn govern to much, and yet not
 leave the student open to unneccssa " danger IS great question.
 Nr Spencer w.ilIi have uS follow tra- turp but do $ he not for tn. higher ", spiritual nature and desires ns to fol-
 iow the physical which in many eases
 leads downward instead of upward
 NatuTe he says makes no threats and
 s'' he teacher and parent should eyer
 threaten. huI shnuld rarefnlIr cnnsilpr
 be'ore, and then carry ii out. This is q good ppiut. au one Ih which many parents and teachers fail. The child soon learns that they dn nos intend to carry them out so they will pay but lit- He at tentin.j to what IS sand
 Again he snys that we shnuld he con. sistrnt in our rrqnirments. Ne should not require some' hing unreasonable. f We dn not wish ro have our papiIs lose confidence in nS, and then cease ;o re- spprt us The race he savs. has come mp ,irnugh experience and experiment tation ant the child shonId he left to eXrerIrnre This he Say~ is :he only way. IL seems That he forgcts the an tnprity aud "uuancr that Ina. been working Aiih he racd trom the begin ming Take that away anl what wouId brc"me Of the race M~ Spencer says we shnnld irr the chill experience the rue cons, qnen"rs of lir act he has peril rn'ed Nalnre he says. will pnn- ish II hr"ken laws This is rue, tut when dnes the punishment cnmp. and l" hat will 1T be when il does come. h the first il is so far m tie distance that :he chlld has but lttle fear ot it. and ~lli seek Ina, winch rewards him "r gives llm pl-a>nre immediately TtiS We know to he child natnrc. To win over tie clIlds immediate benefits must be silcwn him He has not the power [" look fa into the future. and calculate what It will hting. Now. if thiS iA true. k II nni logical to suppose. thai II will be ihe sam. with punj>h ment> s.t far in the future Snniething that wili effect him Immediately must step in.
 At times nature fnrn shes immediate ly but in other ca es the evil is work iug slowly. but surely aud irs aplarrnt effects nrr lrf' for in the future. nnr ing all this limo. a viriou< habit has h en gradually srizing upon him with 9 firm clip. II has h-en growing stronger and stronger. hui what has his wlll power been d. ing dlI this tin"? Has II heen growing stranger ar weak tr? Wil hp have pnwer to overcome. n ben th- fleets do dawn u,mn him. or wlli they entirely overpnNcr him anl g" crush him lo the earth so thai hp NiII not have strength enougn To rise again. . Tn let the child experience the true nf his actions is good in . 's far as 1T is p"ssihI" and practical Nr Spencer makes allowance for ger ain eases wherein authority must in rrfrrp. hnt these are only the pxtrcme 'asrs wherein the child iS in danger nf fife or some of the gravest off"nse~. He llSn states that the serohdarv punish nent can assist the nrimarv puni>h- nenf ar natural punishment, bnt that [ must he rsed very cantfnnSIv. He .taiPs that the ci,iI,i shnnIl ba warned 'fromiue danger and iht. results lear Y stated tn him. hut then he shou,d 'P left tO himself t0 choose whether he i'll do it or not. He says: It is the nnciion of the parents tn sec that heirrhilaren tahiiuallv exprrierca the rue rons' qnences of their ccnduct- he natural reactions. nti.Ie ar working hem fl. nor in,ensifvue them. nor 'utting ar'ticial cons, quen 'es III place If them ''
 He also states that when the child las teen warned. and lIen experience he results il wiillncrease his faith in 'areni or teacher sa that he IS more ni to trust him when il Is absolutely 
 O'hcr philosophers differ maierially@,
 ill Nh. Spencer Most nf them how yer agree that t"o mnrh supervision x mt good hnt he child mn-t tHA left pen tn experience hut nni more than e is capable of rising above.
 (Contjnued next week