The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-09

9s
he world and. to get their share of it;
md to give their best through their work
in exchange Now what is to be the
nature of their work? It is chiefly the
production of material things. Hence
since so much of their life will deal with
material objects. the properties Of such
ebjects. form and color, and the manipu-
lation OF these objects. by hand and eye,
are tie first elements Of trair1ng which
these clildrerb who are to be WORKERS
should receive.
IN tr1e simple AGRICULTURAL life OF our
fathers, every boy and girl got this train
ms on the farm, where there were plenty
of things to do, animals and plants TO
tend. tools 10 make and mend ana use.
Next 10 the farm III educating power
comes the seashore,s with Its pefpeludA
battle with tickle and treacflerous ei@
nents. Tho increasing concentration q
population IN cities is raising up d ssu-
grafton OF children who nave. in tnei.
nome life no means OF acquiring this
rough discipline with plough ana nus
against a stubborn soil or with oar ana
sail and rudder against a threatetiiilAs
sea The city, cut off from tielo, iosese,
stream and sea, tends to freed q race U
mental dwarfs and moral crlpples. In
ing In a ready-made world. in which there
is little or nothing left for them 20 60
they como to school with tiaoby Minus
as well as fabby muscles; with ulloe-
veloped wills as the counterpart OF oii-
used hands The city has its compensa-
tons In many respects the city oos
gets the start of his country cousin. buI
in the fundamental quality OF getting TUG
most out of life, and giving his best PACK
to it, the country boy is at sfeae ~
vantage I suppose that is one reason
why the, most successful men II the ousl-
ness and professional life OF the cites
themselves are almost invariably coun-
try born and bred.
The problem OF the city school IS no"
TO stem this tide, how TO put its chi
dren on a level with their country cousins
and save them from the degeneGalloii
which threatens them. Now the Old cur
,4culum, well enough II its Way as
slop!e,rent to the real training Whlcn .i'e
farmers children got in the feid allu eiio
i>aru and the shed and the snop, IS ~
terIy Inadequate to do the WORK REQUIRE
to make the city Toy get inc pest .,'e.e
is in the world, and give The pe7t tue.
is in him. For with its reading OF oe-
tacI,ed sentences from the printed page.
IFS writing in, imitation CT the COPY, 10
rules of grammar CO Tltter 10 Hleihot -
its raonotonous reviewing OF afithnletic'
and its mechanical nlemorizins OF ete
fixed boundaries of geography, a.io 10
history recited by rote from q slus!e a.,
ultimate textbook, it was as arullc.di,
mechanical, ready-nade an ailalt % ~
,,,,iforn1 tenemerts and paved streets
rom which the mass of the city children
come. ~ fret
THE kindergarten has come as the 1lrsl
great gospel of salvation Tor tne cits
child. with its appeal to the ac ,,l ;ls
and the originality of the chllu, VII ar5-
materials for the will to form accoio
Inv to patterns Of its own; with It's reVe-
alton Of the world of order, harmony,
i,aaI,tv and utility; with its introduction
to social activities in which the =, cnl na
may merge his individual self-helpful ana
happy contributions to the Joy ana glt tor,
ness of the whole the hi,loelsat ., .et
stare can the great lesson OF now 70
;et the best. the world has Tor nm, ana
70 give back his own best in return.
WILLIAM D. w. HYDE.