The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1899-08-04


Aware of the prevailing idea that the
wisdom pertaining to the rearing OF
children is sort of God-given faculty
that comes with parentage and is with
to have considerable opposition to the
statement that l shall make, which I
believe to be true, and which l shall
attempt to prove, viz, that people who
many respects to care for and educate
children than the parents themselves.
Objection will be made to this state
ment on the ground that nature itself
provides that the child coming into
the world in perfectly helpless state
should be cared for by it's parents
until it reaches an age when it can
care for itself.
But at about two years of age a
noticeable change takes place in the
promising infant. His five senses
have developed and he is beginning
to get his bearings. He has discov-
cred that there is a larger sphere for
his activity than the four walls of the
nursery. He has found out what his
legs are for and has an uncomfortable
desire to use them in exploring the
outside world. He cries to go out
doors. He runs away so persistently
that for year or two, unless he is
81
must run after him from three to twenty
times day.
These new traits are but outward
manifestations of the changes taking
place in his mind as it enters upon it's
first great period of growth. He seems
to think. in his vague. infantile way,
that he has right to see and get ac-
quainted with things away from home.
1t is at this point in the chi1d's ca
reer that other influences than that of
the parents can come into his life with a
beneficial result. 1t is a critical period
and many parents allow misguided af-'
lection to interfere with the child's
best development. 1t is surprising how
men and women of good Judgment and
common sense under ordinary circum-
stances will be so bli ,ied by love of
their offspring as to ;,..t in the most
senseless and foolish III amer when
dealing with them.
Mothers, especially, are given to
overlooking and minimizing evil ten
dencies which, if left to themselves,
often grow with the child's growth and
eventually lead to his ruin. For this
reason it is best for the child, for his
parents, and for society, that large
part of the work of education be done
outside the home.
Do not think I advocate the plan of
taking children from the home at
tepder age and placing them under the
care of strangers. Such scheme
would be inhuman, unnatural and ruin
Gus. The home influence is one of the
tion OF the child. 1t is better for chill
dren to be raised in poor homes-even
homes where poverty and squalOr
abound-than to grow up in the best
regulated asylum in the land. What
l do advocate is that the home train
ing should be supplemented by skilled
instructors. who are not blinded by
love and Influenced by family preju-
dice.
Why were schools established at the
dawn of civilization and why have
they continued to grow in Importance
as civilization advanced? Simply be-
cause society saw that parents We're
MOTTO be trusted with the education of
their children and. for it's own protec-
tien. provided a plan by which they
could be educated by others.
1t may be said that this is only true
of ignorant parents, who are unable
to give their children the instruction
necessary to make them useful men,
bers of society. but it is also a general
truth which may be applied to all
classes.
frequently attempt to educate their
children at home. thinking TO shield
them from the contaminating influence
of the school. but the results are nearly
always Unsatisfactory
Children so educated are usually
shy and unsympathetic with the out
a.