The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-06-14

ever human being weighed with a
graver responsibility than he or she
who under the complex and difficult
task Of terminating, growing and fruit
ing the faculties of the child? How
much depends upon our appreciation
of the laws governing their separate
development? We see and appreciate
in the plant kingdom that the seeds
need differing conditions for the best
results during the cycle of their life
termination, growth and fruitage have
an order of progression peculiarly char
acteristic of the variety. An effort to
reduce them to any uniform scale
must inevitably end in lamentable fail
ure. No less is this true of the seeds
of the human mind. l cannot empha-
size this thought better than by quot
ing for your appreciation the following
from the great French Educator Com
poyre, whose lectures on teaching have
been brought within ready access OF
all who love the profession, in trans
lation by w. II Payne, our brother in
the teaching fraternity.
He says: ''Intellectual education
must take account OF the successive
development of the faculties. 1t will
be progressive; it will not forget that
in its slow evolution the mind changes
its identity from moment to moment.
That there are ages for the intelligence
as we'll as for the body; that little by
little the primitive dispositions are re-
newed and transformed; that the moral
nature springs insensibly into existence
consequently. in the aid which it will
bnngthe child, either for exciting or
for moderating-his faculties, education
will adapt itself exactly to the condi-
tions of Nature and with the changes
which occur in the soul with the march
of Time; it will accompany the mind
in all the stages OF its progress, and
will adapt itself to all its movements;
it will be as has been we'll said, the
objective counterpart of the subjective
development of the mind"
1t is claimed that we must realize
the differences which nature has estab-
lished with respect to the degree of
development among the faculties Of
the child. We must not on this ac-
count come to forget the unity of the
human soul. Education must be pro-
gressive, not successive as Rosseau
has suggested. No! the mind of the
child is already an organized and COM
plete whole, which contains in germ all
the faculties; and, if 1t is not possible
to put them all upon the same footing,
to make them all march abreast, at
least there is not single instant in
life when We should not try to culti-
vate and develop them all, though in
different degrees. The independent
training Of each faculty should not
make us lose sight of tn" final aim,
which is their fruitage in a perfect
harmony.
Again it has been we'll said "any
faculty strong enough to suspend ~.
cripple the action of any other faculty
is despot." This should not be, for
the mind in order to be sound, must
be free. Kant further emphasizes this
idea. He claims with much reaon that
we should not cultivate faculty sole
ly for itself, but should cultivate each
in view Of the support it gives all the
others. Here we see that the one idea
of education liz these master minds is
culture, cultivation, training. The task
is difficult one.
The microscope is used for the ex-
animation of vegetable life whereby we
become conscious of the hidden forces
at work for the final development of
the end in view; why, then, in our
great work should we be content with
a perfunctory relation to the child?
Why not, metaphorically, use the mi
croscopc of a deep and abiding inter
est in all that effect the nature vf
child "a microscope constructed with
an eye piece of tender love, and an
object glass of gentle sympathy and
focus screw of a youthful feeling.
With such an instrument, SO con-
structed, what wonderland of posi-
bilities will be opened up to us, unseen
without its aid! Such an instrument
ality has no purchase price. 1t is OBJ
tanned alone by keen appreciation Of
the fact that our work is for mankind;
that every faculty by training is de-
veloped to its full capacity; that afro
ply is the inevitable end of inactivity
The Latin poet has we'll put the
thought which must be the guiding
star for every successful teacher, in
these words:
81 am hnman being, and therefore
every thing that affects humanity is of
interest to me-" What can affect our
children more vitality than their edu-
cation? It's our responsibility. To
be true to this is our duty, "and he Or
she who is false to duty breaks
thread in the loom and will find the
flaw when the cause may be forgotten,'
and all remedies unavailing.
The man who loves the applause of
the world is not fit for a leader.