Evening star., 1906-03-01
CONSIDERATION ALSO GIVEN TO
MORAL TRAINING.
By Superintendents' Department OF
National Educational Association,
Now in Session at Louisville.


debate, and said in part:
"Al must agree that the most important
duty OF home and school is the fixing of
right principles of character and conduct.
Few will deny that moral training is of
greater importance to the prosperity and
happiness of the individual, as we'll as to
the welfare and life of the nation, than is
knowledge of the common branches. In
spite of this fact but little attention is
given either in school at home to syste-
matte instruction in this subject.
Acts involving moral questions are OF
most frequent occurrence. Facts learned
may or may not be used. Moral acts are
performed almost every minute of the day.
and there is scarcely an intellectual exer-
else which does not include a number of
moral acts This is especially the case In
schools.
Moral Acts Most Important.
Moral acts are not only the most fre-
quent,' but they are also the most impor-
tant. Other acts may determine reputa ton.
Moral acts establish character. Other acts
uiay seem to aid to success. Moral acts
make certain the highest success.
Moral acts are not only the most fire.
quent and most important, but they are
also most difficult to instiil.
IF moral actions are most frequent, most
important and most difficult, surely there
is good reason for demanding that the ele-
ments of morals be taught Systematically to
every child, both in school and at home.
The moral law is imposed not by others,
but by ourselves. Its application is wider
and its aims are loftier than those OF the
civil law. 1t deals with the motives, While
the civil law deals with actions The ori-
gin OF the moral sentiment is in the feel
ings of authority developed in the family,
where the good results IN pleasure and the
bad In pain. The child soon associates
right action with one as the result ard
wrong action with the other. We should
not forget that moral education is broad
er term than the teaching of morals. The
first touches every moment of the child
life, the latter has to do with the school.
The first works principally through exam
pie, the latter more by precept
Right and Wrong.
Conscience gives us the idea OF right
and wrong and leads us to approve the
one and dsapproye the other. 1t does not
teach us what is right or what is wrong.
This must be learned by the exercise OF
reason and by experience. The idea of right
and wrong is primary and cannot be an
aIyzed. In every one of thousand dialects
and languages are found the words right,
wrong, ought and duty.
The whole social life is rooted In con-
science; but for this sense of justice So
ciety could not exist. You say it IS laws
society together? You are mistaken. fhe
law Is for the lawIess, but the great ma
Jority do right because OF the promptings
OF conscience, which has been educated
"Our first duty is to educate the con-
science, but we must not stop there. the
education must continue, and it must also
be trained. The conscience can TO more
be kept healthy without exercise than can
the body. The best exercise for the con-
science is IN training 1t to hold fast to the
right in small things. Society, church and
state all depend upon character, and char
acter depends upon conscience.
1T is, therefore, our highest duty to see
to IL that children are Systematically given
that information which will enable them
to recognize the right Having done this
We should do all in our power to train them
to select the right because it is right. If
we do less we fail miserably.
'Of vital Importance is the character OF
the influence OF the teacher upon the chill
dren. The correct use of punishments and
rewards; the cultivation of habits of obe-
dience; the character of the rules; the per-
sonaI example; the character and the man
agement OF study and play; all these have
an important bearing upon the moral train
ing of the children.
The teacher should not fail to appreciate
the absolute necessity of teaching through
the feelings The children must see that
wrongdoing pains the teacher If there is
the proper bond of sympathy between the
teacher and the child, the child Will share
the wrongdoing.
Force of School Opinion.
Again, the child will be greatly infu-
enced by the force OF school opinion and
other social influences which surround him.
we must not forget that class singing
trains the Will and tends to bring out the
moral virtues and nobler feelings 1t
Will soothe. animate, encourage and con-
frnl yx,l,i hc afrtn
velop patriotism, loyalty, Industry
The teacher must continually consider
the Importance of forming the moral judg-
ment that II may be sound and exact. 10
do this children must observe and under
stand the feelings of others well as their
own feelings and their own motives
For years We have been relying entirely
on the unsupported unconscious influence
or the teacher for the moral training of the
child. Very few will argue that the re-
suits are satisfactory, even though the I'm
portance OF the subject has been fully re-
allied by very earnest teachers. 1t seems
certain that something is wanting and
most are forced to the belief that the
teacher needs some help.
1t would seem unfair, then, to expect
her to measure up to the great demands of
her position and at the same time be able
TO evolve from her inward conscience
complete system of moral instruction
Since she cannot possibly do this 1t is but
fair that the matters of Importance be ONT
Hneu IOf nef IN thlS as In other subjects
Hence arises the absolute necessity FOR
some suggestive book as an aid to the
teacher. In the moral Judgment as has
been said before. there Is a strong tntellec-
tuGl element which must be cultivated DIV
systematic lessons. The weakness of for
NAL lessons. as generally taught, Is their
failure to awaken the feelings. However
they are necessary to the teaching OF what
is right and, knowing their weakness II Is
comparatively easy to guard against H. n
they were as useless as some would nave
us suppose there would not exist any sucn
class as teachers and preachers W1thout
the teacher and the preacher the conscience
Will not be trained
After Character is Set.
This Instruction will not be effective If
given. as at present, In college, after the
character is set. II must be instilled Into
the young child while Its whole nature is
impressiole and easily susceptible to every
moldiDg influence, like clay In the potters
hand
Most people will object to sectarian in
struction In the other than church schools
Less will find fault with religious instruc-
ton, In the broad sense of the word re-
ligious Certainly. not even the atheist or