The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1902-12-19
THOUGHTS.

A newborn SPIRIT destined there to stay.
TIN waited once again upon its way
To cold and darkness. or to fairer skies.
A little while In innocence 10 lies
=. In regions rightly ruled by Ell and my.
Where passing clouds but shade the light
ofday.
And night brings only sleep 10 weary eyes,
A happy land with no beyond unknown.
Close-cinciurcd with kind walls by mor;ais
made,
where hang but simple gauds ofquaint de-
vice.
Here dwells the child confentod, yet alone.
And ill-advisod is he who dares invade
The kingdom called The Children's Para
disc.
Not many human beings would will
lngly destroy the paradise Of children
that little word which a child makes
for itself, and in whichit is so innocent
by happy; but the ignorance which
makes it, is also responsible for its de-
istruction.
Most Of us were children once upon
time-we understood as a child, we
thought as a child but, when we be-
came men and put away childish |
things, we forgot childhood so COM
pletely that ever since we have been
surprised and grieved because old |
heads refuse to grow on old shoulders.
How many parents and teachers for
get that play is not only an instinct Of
childhood, but is actually essential to
its natural and highest development.
Small wonder the Jesuits succeeded
where the Jansenists failed, and that
Rousseau aud Pestalozzi made more
impression with their visionary or sim
pie devices than the ready rod Of
Busby.
Everyw here nature seeks to teach us
wisdom. The young of all animals
gambol and play the live long day.
"What a waste Of time" says the
moralist. The philosopher looks more
closely, and finds that these apparently
objectless sports from the ideal curri-
culum ola perfect school Of preparation
for after life, Of which the Principal is
the fond mother. The pupils are per-
fectly happy. Their school is their
playground. Can this be said Of any
human teaching machine? Do you
remember, reader, your old schoolroom,
the hard seats, the long tasks, the irri- (
table pedagogue, the punishments, the
naggng, the deadening discipline? DO
you remember how, when you thought
freedom was yours, the strident voice
from the platform babe you stay to
atone for some fault that you knew not d
10 be a fault till your autocrat told you l
go? If we treated our young dogs and b
horses as some Of US were treated, we J.
should expect them to die. Sometimes d.
,ur children die-die because they are "
lenied their right to play: die mental Sc
md moral death which is far worse sc
ban mere physical dissolution. b'
Children must not only play but they v
must be taught to play. Their is o 0I
Whole character training in a well re- Ii
,ulated game. Self-denial, courage,
and that splendid health II
which alone permits perfect mental p
nd moral balance, are all learned on Fl
he wisely-mauaged play ground. And h
n school, where the mental training n
necessary for a complete education
must be carried on, still children must ri
lay. Information may be driven into l.
he brain with a rod, but culture comes Il
My through the open window Of the
nind A mind aulagonized through
arshness, injustice or an unattractive
outline is incapable Of true deyelope-
lent. Therefore work should be play. Il
n other words the school-master must k'
AXE advantage Of chld's instincts, W
nd, as it were, let the child teach IL y
Elf. The inquisitiveness Of the young be
part Of the play instinct. The skill
NJ pedagogue gives it free scope, and h'
is impaired. The child ar
ives to do things. The clever teacher hi
iakes his self-sought tasks harder and
arder to keep pace with this craving, ID.
nd mental capacity grows. Thus even o.
'ork is play and the schoolmaster is er
ne boys best friend instead Of his hi
atural enemy.
Another universal trick Of memory be
the failure to recall the old adage
nat practice is better than precept. I'
My son, avoid this babit-it is bad. tel
wish had never learnt it," The son
lys Eyes, father" and at once thinks sc
is worth trying. The boy is natur- WI
logician, and unconsciously argues
lat mans true beliefs are those on an
hich he is prepared to act, and that de
is father does not really think the
abit evil, or he would drop it. The tn
ork Of him who says, "Do as / say sh
i'd not as do is in vain. II the
acher have bad habit, let him at sci
asst keep silence thereon, for, by con-
smning that which he still practices,
, will but draw to his pupil's attention,
ID cause him to doubt forevermore
e sincerity Of him whom he was pre- tro
lred to think the embodiment Of truth. Nc
The fault-fnding attitude Of mind N
so is impossible 10 the true educator. an
10 and see what Tom Is doing and tell M'
m not to do it" is the typical saying
the bad teacher or parent Every OF
y is a lineal descendent Of Adam and sol
We, and would try to eat the fruit Of Wis
e Dead Sea itself, if it were forbidden
him. oe'
Ignorance, forgetfulness, and insin- no
lcerity throw down the human
iaven Of childhood and frequently DR.