The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1900-03-02

was almost nothing else of the kind
there is no reason we should let oul
| children experience it's coarseness. We
have wider range in this day. Hans
Christian Anderson is the king of ther.
all for the pure and melodious; Charles
Kingsley, George Mcdonald, Mrs Gatty,
Mrs. Wesselhoeft and Mary l.. Morgan
have all written readable and entertain
ing stories for children. Kipling s
Jungle Books Nos. and are interest
ing and instructive as we'll, for the life
and habits of the jungle folk are de-
p1cted true to life. 1t is simply Won
derful the many ways in which the
childs mind expands under this treat
ment. The use and meaning of the new
words they hear, perhaps for the first
time, the imagination, always so active
in children, is set going. Memory and
the gift OF language and expression is
developed. The kindergarten, when
possible, is another great developer, Civ
ing the very best training (manual
principally needed for very young chill
dren. Here the motto is, ''Education
by doing, as it should be in all depart
ments of the school. The physical ma
tlre of the child must not be neglected.
You know the adage, GA strong mind
strong body" etc. Be that as it may,
the strong body helps. A boy at the
age OF six or younger can be taught
horse and bicycle riding and all manly
sports, cultivating especially love of
nature and outdoor Notwithstanding
skating, and other harmless amuse-
ments. Take walks into the woods and
through the fields with the children:
make them oh eryant by asking simple
questions on natural history, botany and
geology. The language lessons which
the primary grades have been given of
late made parent as well as pupil study
up on these common though interesting
subjects.
Little girls (and boys, too, for that
matter can be taught the easy house
hold tasks. Neatness, system, and OF
der in these departments means much
to girls and boys in after years. Some
light task required of each child, each
day, really helps them to the better en-
joyment of their play besides helping
them to become independent and self
reliant A small sum of money in pay
ment for the work is a good plan, giving
the child some idea of the value of
money, and is an incentive for prudence
md saving.
But I hear some one say: II don't
nave time to teach these things to my
children. . To which / reply: "You
iced to take no time from your own
work to talk with the children Work
md talk at the same time Many
lines have | rebuked myself for being
90 engrossed with my own work to
answer my boys question or
)ut him off with short answer. Let
Is be interested in what the child is do
ng, whether it be work or play, taking
/ day off occasionally to go walking or
with them; it will do us as
much good as the children and we will
10 better work next day for the recre-
ltion.
1t would be well to visit the schools
ind see for ourselves what our children
ire doing and what is required of them
hear another one say; "What prodi-
sies our six-year- would be with all
his learningw All this cannot be ac-
before school age, but the
developing process can be begun, and
~ the time the child is ready to start
10 school the teacher will carry on the
work begun. Today, more than ever
before, our educators are awakening to
he fact that the school is not thing
~ itself: The work of the teacher is
made or marred by the influence of the
home. TO accomplish the aims Of each,
he home and school must go hand in
land and each movement which brings
hem into closer harmony is step
higher. The demand for intelligent CO.
operation on the part of parents and
teachers has given rise to these patrons
meetings all over our country. This is
the channel through which our work at
nome and the teachers in the school i
'oom will finally bring to pass what we
Ill so much desire-higher and better
education. nobler and truer manhood
and womanhood When the teacher is
1T heart mother, the mother a teacher,
The school home, and the home school,
of the conditions toward |
which we are striving will have been
F, E. Campbell.