The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-10

study by itself and be allowed not
pushed. to go at It's natural speed. Such, Z
and such only, are those who should
make learning business.
When 1t is plain that q child Is not go
Ing TO DO specially quick ut Notwithstanding,
and It has mustered the three RS, Its !
habt-formlng education should begin. AS /
we have repeatedly sud In these articles |
5hablt-forming Is moro important to the
great majority than Is book-learning.
With most children It will be found that
after they have learned the Language as
above recommended, progress Will be i
slower. and. at ten or twelve years tho
intellectual force that can properly be de-
voted to book-learnlng. will be exhausted.
These children should then begin on their
life-work many precious years ahead OF
the ordinary period.
AT n certain age many children show
that they had rathcrtbe making something
than learning anything. Then is the time
to lot them begin to practice their in
dicated craft or occupation, instead OF
trying to keep them learning what they
cannot assimulatc
The inherited force Of the human race
is luckily not all force that We would
coll intellectual. Certain mental forces
operate through the manual habits and
occupntions. When these forces arc
manifested and begin to unfold, they
should be given rein and cultivated Just
the same as purely intellectual force.
At these developing periods In chid's
life the parent Is in n much better position
than any teacher to learn the fact and
give tho necessary help.
The duties of home-trnining laid on the
pnrent are not excessive. If they are at
tended to at the proper time it IS only q
question Of directing the child little
way, when he will go on himself, If he
has to be pushed he is going wrong.
II no point Is reached where he will
make voluntary progress after fair
start. maybe he is only to be a worker"
as are the majority OF the race. It Is 80
ordained sa@
Just as much attention should be paid
to the forming Of industrial habits at homo
as training In book learning It Is cspec-
tally important that habits Of ideness
should be combatted and general habit
| of Industry formed. It must be UNDER
| stood that habit-forming is really part
| Of true education
In many cases. especially, among farm
/ ers. children learn something Of their
! fathers occupation almost unconsciously.
| Parents should however do far moro
| to give their children the benefit OF their
practical experience and skill in making
a living.
| The son OF q farmer may be enthusiastic
for farming at fourteen, and then he
should not be sent to an agricultural col
| lege. but given an interest in the fathers
| business. and. one by one, the we'll
written elementary text books on agricul-
ture now available. He may then become
scientific, practical farmer. II he is
| sent to agricultural college he will be
/ spoiled as a farmer. and possibly would
| only aspire to be a professor in some such
college where he could wear a white col
| lar all the time. and work" without
1 sweating.
Even where the father claims and the
family needs the services OF children. as
much care as possible should be taken
that the-work of the children should he
a proper beginning of their life-work.
II they cannot work with, and under
their father, they should be put at the
trades. or with the concerns in which
they can work lifetime. A child properly
placed can well afford to give his surplus
wages into the family treasury until his
T. majority or even later.
It is foolish for the child to throw away
what ne has silently and unconsciously
4 lllearned from his father example without
he is very certain that he Is not adapted
Z to his fathers work, or can get into some
thing certainly better. 1t is as natural
and beneficial that son should succeed
to his fathers trade as that he should
succeed to his estates.
4 Our conclusion is that parents should
start the education of their children at
the first CLEAN Of intclligence: see to II
that they always have some ono Interest
Ing subject to read and study at home
+ besides reading the newspapers and
4 above ALL lead them into general habits
OF industry; and at the first practicable
moment put them into the practical work
OF life. a youth Of idleness and desul-
tory study is very harmful. tits raising
q up a great class that cannot be called
intellectual, but Is on the verge Of in
dustrial vagabondage.
W. AhRIcH,
Jefferson. Va.