New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1900-09-22

other. However loving teacher
may be, the method of teaching
rarely discloses deep sympathy,
which is the best there is in any
teacher. We tried to make the
children happy, so happy, that they
should love to go to school. The
rod was well-nigh banished. The
doctrine of total depravity will have
much to answer for in the day of
judgment. Flogging is the direct
result of the belief that the child is
innately bad, and must be whipped
into goodness.
We know that the child is good,
if he has a chance, an environment
of goodness. This knowledge came
to us from actual experience. One
beautiful incident threw flood of
light upon the child's soul. Little
Bumpus who was blind, entered
Mrs. Follett's class Of six-year-olds.
Without suggesting, the dear little
folk put their arms around him and
said, "We'll help you" Humanity
begets humanity. Children long
for something to do, and they love
right doing far more than they love
wrong-doing.
The systematic cultivation Of
selfishness by bribery-per cents,
material rewards and prizes-were
banished. The dark clouds were
cleared away, and higher motive,
a nobler ideal, came into view. The
humane treatment Of children can
not be brought about by any par
ticular method. 1t must spring
from deep sympathy, backed by
courage and skill. The old-fashion-
ed, stiff, unnatural order was
broken up. The torture of sitting
perfectly still with nothing to do
was ruled ont, and in came an order
of work, with all the whispering
and noise compatible with the best
results. The child began to feel
that he had something to do for
himself, that he was a member of
society, with the responsibilities
that accompany such an important
position.
We learn that children may be
happy, may love to go to school,
may never have prize, reward or
per cent, and still learn. In fact,
the reason why students manage to
escape knowledge is that knowledge
and skill are made the sole aims
and bribery the means of learning.
The EDUCATION OF THE FUTURE.
We stand to-day at the begin
ming of an educational movement
tina: meaus the salvation Of the
world, and its elements are faith,
spirit, open-mindedness, and work.
The teachers are not responsible for
what wrong ideas may exist, nor
can school committees be justly
blamed. The common school was
born Of the people, it is supported
by the people, aud its faults are
found in the people. The people
must demand, and they will receive;
they must knock, and it shall be
opened upon them. We are bound
by tradition, by medieval ways
and deeply rooted prejudice. The
good that has been done is simply
a foretastc Of what is to come. Our
ideals are low. The future demands
an education into free government,
strictly American education, an
education, to meet the demands Of
these times, with their world
problems that are weighing us
down and the ever increasing duties
Of citizenship. | repeat, not by
the guns of Dewey or the battal-
ions of Roberts or Kruger must
these problems be worked out, but
in the common school, where the
quiet, devoted, studious skillful
teacher works out the nature and
laws OF life, complete living, and
the righteousness that is to be.