The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-17
Although home.trainlng and selt-edu-

cation must bo the lending ideas In all
education, we arc so used to- institu-
tional education that most people VIII I
find that they must rely upon some
"system'' OF education. But the object |
OF school system should be to make
1t an adjunct to self-cducation,. and
make its methods conform to self-holp
as far as possible. 1t should aim to
educate each individual separately ac-
, cording to his needs, with duo weight
on the requirement OF knowledge, the
forming of habits, and tho training Of
tho intellectual force, MS the threo dis
tinct objects Of education.
Manifestly such system cannot DO
a very impressive system. But 1t IS
necessary to point out the opportuni-
I! ties that at present exist for avoiding
the abuses Of tho present system. and
| to Indicate some OF the more plain and
easy means Of supplying necessary sub
stitutes for tho studies and ins...utions
which are Objectionable.
Probably tho worst feature Of the
present system of education Is that
which makes fetish OF residence Mt
school or college, with Its sure growth
! OF habits of dleness and extravaganza.
4 In Europe residence at q university
4 is not regarded as am essential. tho
! university being an cxaming rather
4 than teaching body. Residence at
! university or college Is sought for Its
| social attractions, and such .ANe adVan--
/ tages. But what Is thus to the advan-g
tage of the upper classes. among the
students Is a disadvantage to those or
less means financially.
y At the European colleges and univer-
stiles teaching is largely leic to tutors.
i This is q system OF private indiv.-ual.
! direction. which has many advantages
4 over tho American system, Of classroom
! recitation. Moreover It is plain that
the tutor and his pupil need not be
bin sight OF the university as far as
study is concerned; and, furthermore
tutor and pupil need not beitogether Il
satisfactory method OF intercommuni-
cation between them exists, by mail
or telephone, for example The rise
of the kindergarten system Is q tacit
recognition Of the fact that children
need training before the public school
age. But the present kindergartens at
tempt too much and too little. They
should be confined practically to the
language studies in English which we
have outlined In the, last paper Of this
series.
II parents cannot be induced to train
their children as recommended, the
proper substitute Is, not public kin
dergerten as n prefix to the public
school, but private kindergartens
In every community. especially in the
South, ladies Should qualify themselves
for the work, and open their houses to
the reception of children Of three years
for training in reading and wrls.ng
the language they are then learning
to talk. In many cases those ladies
could attend ut the houses of patrons
e conveniently situated. No such class
should comprise more than six children.
Every child at this age. as at all ages,
is properly class all by himself. A
class not exceeding six allows ntten-
ton to each scholar.
II parents could be made to realize
that this Is the time. II any, at which
to spend money on their chtldrens edu'
cation, such kindergartens might BIZ
we'll patronized without entailinE sc
much expense as at present, on educa.
ton generally.
Such institutions would be more thar
justified If only working to save the
brightest scholars from six to ten
years of q useful life, and possibly CIV.
ing many Of them time for really monu'
mental work, for which q lifetime Il
apt 10 be far too short.
4 When the language kindergarten
showed that a child had genius FOL
language, 1t would be well to send sncl
p child, at about six years, to somt
good specialist, to learn any foreign
s Language his parents might think !
best for him to learn. Such q Ian
guage could DO acquired at ten year
Of age or earlier, and would still leay
time to learn any desirable subjects
and have the help Of the new Language
OF course the graduates of the Ian
Euage kindergartens could go into tn
public schools or into the secondar
SCHOOLS.
But other schools should be establishe
In every community where about 81
scholars would DO taught In certain spe
cial directions in which scholars nee
ofo11, nh,
sizes and chemistry. Such schools woul
present all tho strength OF private In
q struction by tutors with, much less ex
I pense. And when studies are selecte
for their utility rather than for the
Fl time-killing qualities it would be con
paratively inexpensive
Right here we may stop to remar
| that tho bright scholar should have II
4 intellectual contnct with slower one!
The spirit Of comradeship will hold bac
= the ono and only discourage the othe
3, At no point should real scholars be p,
y into a class with billiards. A half doze
"a out OF every college class OF one hundrc
4 could take their course In two nstca
20 Of four years. The habit OF intellectu
- lettering usually spos the mental powc
70 OF many Of the class leaders, while tt
pace has rendered one-hnlf of the hui
m dred indifferent to thnir dullness.
~ AL lnitlHeIIltLtlCs, l'uPiiS AIitiS ~ P'Oii
'd ably assisted. II only those who we
a. good in arithmetic" continue with nlg
or bra. geometry and tho higher mnth
~ mates. the students In small mathemat
On cal schools would BIO good surveyors
g. fourteen and ful-tledged engineers 4
~ about the age most young men arc e.
81 tcring college, The intellectual for
en- which develops in mathematics does n
require time to rpen. Like language,
W. Is a special faculty Which seems natural
~ given, and should be speedily utilize
10 A good mathematician should be bot
- cred with little other learning; and O
~. ~ not good In mathematics should not q
Nv tempt to go beyond his practical art
-, metic.
= : In physics and chemistry small lab
~ ratory would give an enthusiastic teach
W., OF q small class all the means necessa
~ to tho greatest progress. and to tit t
student in chemistry to go Into tho char
80 cul department of some industry, the
- to study and work his lifetime.
~ The author OF every iirst-rate teX
'n as book should stand at the head Of
=, n' school and put life into the study
~. his book by scholars that should cor
al to him, That would be tho one ca
NAV u tND- IL