The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-13
ALL CHILDREN GOOD.
Dr. Parker Thinks Training Response
BILE For Wickednesz

Col Francis W Parker Of the Chi
cago normal school brought the fourth
annual meeting of the Kansas Society
for Child Study to 4 close with d bril-
liant address on The Practical Ap-
pIicatiOn OF Child Study" at the high
school assembly hall Friday night A
fair sized audience heard Col Parker.
The subject chosen by the Chicago
educator by no means covered the mat
ter contained in his address. He offer
ed prayers, as it were, for a right IN
Outstanding Of child nature and proved
himself UnmercifuI in his criticism Il
parents and teachers who see in the
child but a victim for their varying
moods. And Incidentally. he scattered
among his auditors suggestions Of
great value in the study of the child
Col Parker was particularly earnest
IN his advOcatiOn Of nature studies and
manual training in the education of the
child He said that children were close
" akin to God and therefore akin to
nature and that every child is a born
naturalist and q WOrShIppeF Of nature
from the time the understanding of the
little mind prehends its surround
ings-
NO better Illustration Of this may be
offered said he, than to cite the in
huence of the beauties OF nature on the
children OF the Sums or our great cit
les who see but little Of them Place
these children in the midst Of nature
and they are IN ecStaCy. In the trees
anu the mowers ana the grass they see
something that appeals to their ma
lures and gIaddeus their little souls. It
is their natural element and they rec
ognize it and are happy
I once attended a distri button of
flowers to the children of the Sums Of
Chicago. and there I noted a remark
able demo ustratiCn of the natural pur-
ity of child nature There were flowers
of various cOIOrs, but among all the
white ones were the most sought after.
The purity they represented appealed
to the natural purity of the child With
this purity as a basis, there is nothing
we can do in the cultivation OF the
child that will so well develop the di-
vine as to provide for the practical
study of nature
Like Dr. Chrisman on the night pre-
cediug- Col Parker declared that IN the
hands Of the parents and teachers lay
the future OF the children. and TO them
was assigned the duty OF moulding
child nature as it should be moulded.
Child nature is like a mirror he
said If we go to il with a bright
face. bright face will be the reflection
If We go to il with q frOwn We viii
ind a frOWu-"
The address proved Thoroughly enter
tanning, and the audience was sorry
when the conclusion was reached Col.
Parker has 4 particularly happy style.
and his talk was generously interspers-
ed with hunor and anecdote-
Before the adjournment OF the Soci-
ETY., the following officers were elected
for the ensuing year
President. Miss NJ F. Dolphin sup
erirtendeEC of the Lea veuWOrrh schools
vice president. DR.. Oscar Chrisu1a-n of
the state normal school. secretary and
treasurer, J. H GIOCfeItar. superfntend-
ent Of the AtchisOn schools
1t was decided to hold the next an
nuaI meeting in this city at the time Of
the meeting Of the state teachers" asso-
citation.