Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-12
SCHOOL CHILDREN.
The Educational Department
Has Been Studying Them.
Result Just Made Public in an Inter-
esting Pamphlet
Girls Shown to be More Polite and
Mere Moral Th'" Are The Boys

It is doubtful if there has been issued
q more interesting phamphlet than the
one Just out, giving the results of the
experiment in child study made in
Maine last YEAR under the direction Of
the educational department. Early in
the school year Il blank was sent To
teachers ana school officials throughout
the State with the request that they
make careful study of the pupils under
their charge ANA fill in the blank in ac-
cordance With the results of their Oh
Ser.atiOnS. In the course of the circu
lar :, hich accompanied the blank there
We're many suggestions Of value to the
teachers AMI gave an insight into the
reason why the State department had
decided to make the experiment. 1t
said in part: The motives that iniiu
enCe, the ideals that inspire and the
history that reveals the child'S inher-
tance Of fibre. aptitudes ana tendencies
should be so carefully studied that the
knowledge thus gained will materially
modify methods Of instruction and
systems Of mana cement. The study Of
, the child should have for it's object the
Increase Of the teachers usefulness To
the pupil ana should enable her to pat
him in the way to develop vigorous
body, a well balanced intellect, mtelii-
gent morals ana 4 will that insures
self-control. 70 do this she must know
his history and possessions. physically.
mentally and morally. Then she is pre-
pared To help him 10 make good his de-
, ticiencies and train to Il helpful force
his gifts and, by this nurture. assist
him TO do in the best way the work Ma
| ture has determined he can do best.
Teachers should think less about
their schools ana more about the boy
or girl. The mass viii take care of it
self il the Individual is properly cared
for. one of the great evils Of the pub
lie school is found in the fact that the
child has ceased to be an object Of in
tereSt-hp is lost in the mass; he no
longer stands for anything: he has
ceased TO be an object Of Solicitlde and
the result is that he feels minimized,
dWarfed, swamEed. This study will
help to get us back to the individual;
To Il proper recognition of the impor-
lance Of personality. To make these
estimates Of the children OF the great
est value they must be based on n
street. in public assemblies on the play
ground and i'll the school-room. He
must be studied when he is under re-
straint and When he is free to follow
his Whims, fancies, impulses and the
commands of his will These studies
should include his work and his play;
when h" acts consciously ana when he
is unconscious of what he does; when
actu2ry by worthy and when by
unworthy motives; when the act
is Spontaneous ana when he PLAYS
Il role; when he rules ana when
he is ruled; when he is under survcil-
lance and when he is free to show all
he is; when he IS excited by passion or
enthusiasm and when he is in his nor
nal condition: when the saint holds
the reins and when the sinner does the
driving.
Replies We're received from III of the
teachers to whom blanks had been sent.
Ia these III there We're - men and Al;
women teachers. The answers covered
the following list of subjects: National
1tN, physique. carriage of the body, in
t"llectual capacities. emotional tenden-
c!cs, will power strength of memory.
acutencss of reasoning. vvidncss Of
imagination. kcenesS of observation.
school manners. morals and habits. The
number Of children under. the charge Of
2lo1 were boys and a0o1 were girls. The
following tables shows the numhcr ana
nationality Of the boys and girls studied: