The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-08-03
VALUE OF A LIVING EXAMPLE IN
THE TRAINING OF Chill DREN.
BY COUNT LEO TOLSTOl.

as 1t really IS. and for this reason we put
them away in schools and Institutes where
they do not see anything of the outside life.
and where we. or the educators that We
give them. transfer to the conscious do
main things which ought to be taught them
by unconscious suggestion. We give them
religious and moral rules that we want
them to follow. while if We were honest we
ought to add: do as 1 say; not as 1 do"
The result is, therefore, in modern society
that education stands very high. while en-
lightenment not only stands low. but is en-
tirely absent.
If it does exist anywhere it IS only in the
families of the laboring classes and among
the poor. If the members Of these families
are not yet subject to the vices that very
often result from poverty.
And still If We think of it and compare
the two forms of suggestion. the conscious
and the unconscious. the latter-that is.
the unconscious moral en~lightenment-is by
far the most important. as well for chill
dren and individuals as for the whole human
society.
Let us take the family OF a middle class.
of a landed proprietor. a farmer. a gov
eminent officer. or even Of an author or
painter. 1t lives a quiet respectable life,
does not fall a victim to the vice of drunk
enness, and does not offend the moral
feelings OF any one. The parents think
very much Of their responsibility, and wish
~ SlNo (ACII eli a lIO L OulNGLlAO1A.
But in spite of sincere desire, in spite Of all
efforts, this education Is never q SUCCESS.
The children are taught the rules of
morality, they are taught to respect their
neishbor, but unconscfously they not only
initiate but adopt as a rule the fact that
some people are born to soil shoes and
others to clean them; some people to pre-
pare the meals and others to eat them. It
is just as impossible TO inspire children who
live under such circumstances with the true
conception of morality as it Is to bring up
in love, in sobriety. a child that only sees
~drunkards around himself.
Value of Example.
To give our children a good education
We should first of all set them a good ex-
ample, and l believe that the criterion that
the perfectionists use IS a good one. I
believe it a good idea to look up the most
unhappy men, the most repulsive morally
and physically. and to try to help them. 1
believe it a good idea to try to do well
to your enemies who hate you.
L write this just as Inc IDEAS come TO
my mind. but 1 believe that it Is a very
important and so far untrled part of the
science of education. a thing that Is abso-
lutely necessary to obtain good results, and
the sooner we realize this and carry it
out in practice the better for US all.
This is in broad lines what 1 think OF
education. and 1 shall now try to explain
what I think Of instruction.
l think this. that instruction is nothing
but transmission of the experiences that
the best or the most Intelligent people have
made or of the thoughts that they have
expressed in regard to the different
branches of human knowledge.
The best and most intelligent people al
ways think and express their thoughts in
three different directions:
1. In religious philosopy, on tho i'm
portance of life. In general and on life
ffSalf (-aiIOiop opI pbfIoooDL-N
q In experimental directions. by drawing
conclusions from certain established obser-
vations natural sciences, mechanics. phys
les. chemistry and physiology.
3. In logical directions, by drawing con-
clusions from abstract propositions math-
ematics).
These three kinds Of science are uni
versal and within the reach of all. ana
they are not ~antagonistic to the Idea of
universal brotherhood among men. They
are all true schemes in this: that you can
not transform them according to your
need or purpose. and none OF them sup
ports or allows any half knowledge-you
know or YOU do not know.
Branches of Science.
All sciences that do not come up to this
standard are dangerous and harmful, and
should be excluded.
As there are three different branches of
science. 80 there are also three different
"dS VI IISAi.
The first and the usual one is to trans
init them to others word by word in the
different languages.
The second Icethod IS to show them
through the eye, through the plastic arts,
painting and sculpture.
The third is to transmit your feelings
through music and song.
These are the different branches end
methods of instruction. but besides his L
believe that every child should be taught
a useful trade, such as the trade of car
penter. Of blacksmith or of bricklaycr.
In regard to the length of time that should
be given to each subject. 1 think this way:
When We rise in the morning We have about
sixteen hours before us. and of this 1 think
that the half. with the necessary intervals
OF rest and .lay Ghe younger the person
the longer the intervals). should be given
to enlightenment. 10 cleaning, housekcep-
ing, etc. The other half should be devoted
to study, and I believe the pupil should
have the privilege of selecting the subject.
l know that my IDEAS here are expressed
very crudely. but If God will again give
me health l hope to be able to elaborate
them.
In regard to painting and music. I should
Ike to add q few words. 1 do not believe
in teaching every one to play the piano.
In designing. as in music, children should
be taught using the most simple and
accessible means. In drawing they should
use only chalk, carbon and pencil, and in
music only the very simplest Instruments;
then II they later should show any special
talent they should be allowed to paint in oil
or to use n finer instrument.
Every one should try to master as many
languages as possible, and l consider il
very important that French, English and
German should be taught. The child should
be made to read in the foreign language a
book that he knows. and first learn to un-
derstand the general meaning; then after
that the teacher should draw his attention
to the single words. explaining their derfya-
ton and grammatical terms.
Copyright. 100. by W.. R. HsApA