Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-15

"a ....ss =, al cd of meeting the de-
"aua'' " WE mands of the future
severance life of the child is
now accepted as indispensable by adj
vanced students and observers OF pub
lie education.
This method has come logically in
the course of our human evolution, not
only as the result of thorough thought
on the question, but as demanded
even forced upon us-by the complex
conditions OF our modern life and the
necessities of self support under the
fierce competitions of the struggle for
existence. 1t was inevitable under
these conditions that the technical
training school either enter the public
schools or be established. separately.
And as the great factor in the success
full working of any school system
whether public or private. is the ideal
educator in charge, we of Los An
geles are to be sincerely congratulated
in the character, scholarship and con-
scientious devotion to their work OF
those now in charge in our city, SUI
perintendent Moore and associates
Their high ideals insure no chance for
"pernicious politics" to enter their do
mains. and we may count on the broad
minded and just president of the school
board as we'll as its members to give
earnest support to these capable Of
ficials.
1t was surely vast gain to the pub
lie school curriculum when the Froe-
bel idea of teaching by doing was
adopted. This system follows and util-
ICES the instinct OF the child for
something to do" which is the hourly
appeal from child to mother and that
appeal is directed by the kindergarten
method into lines of the child's own
developing faculties. This Is done by
the oral word rather than the written.
which, with it's abstract ideas and adult
experience. is far beyond the child's
grasp. and therefore unattractive and
useless.
No doubt much of the truancy and
seeming stupidity of the higher grades
are due to the same cause. A great
change for the better has been found In
the interest awakened at once in these
backward and Indifferent pupils when
put into manual training schools.
Very striking Illustrations were given
me many years ago by President
Keyes from his experience at Throop
Polytechnic and one which was mar
velous in result was as follows: After
long effort, by travel and the skill of
physicians at home and abroad to
rouse one child from confirmed melan-
choly and indifference to all the at
fractions of life, despite the luxuries
which surrounded her, she was brought
to Throop and chose her place in the
foundry, where she was most alert and
faithful and "happy ever after" Her
interest was awakened and her whole
being aroused by the chance for per-
sonal choice, even though an unusual
one.
Another convincing argument for
learning by doing came to me in Wash
ington, D. c., in the early 70s, where
first met our beloved Mrs. Garfield
later, first lady OF the land" in
fine kindergarten watching with de-
light the great progress and pleasure
of her two sons, who were rather be-
yond the kindergarten age, but had
been pronounced by their primary
school teachers Indifferent scholars. All
our world knows by their later and
helpful careers that they never could
have been dull nor backward, but all
our world does not know that the or
dinary primary school had seemed stale
and improbable to them because, no
doubt Of the earlier and sympathetic
training and companionship of the cul-
tured and devoted parents.
A very forcible illustration of the
gain of early denial of books and pleas
ant habits of outdoor life was given in
the case of two brothers who, 1t was
confidently prophesied by neighbors,,
would be backward in their classes
when put to school. Instead they soon
became the leaders in all their studies
and the despair of those below them as
cutting off their chance to reach the
envied goal. The explanation of this
love of duty lay doubtless in the fact
that these young men had not been
set at it when so young that 1t would
have been drudgery to them; and.
when developed to the understanding
of the maturer thought of books, study
became and remained a delight.
An encouraging feature of our edu-
cational progress is the addition of
physical culture to the school program,
which in the end we hope will be given
out OF doors in our generous sunshine
and thus be q safe and sane substitute
for the mad game Of football in our
cities.
Speaking of physical culture, it is to
be hoped that this will, ere long, in
clude the thorough training of the
voice for public reading and speaking,
which has heretofore been lamentably
neglected.
Let me mention as akin to the topic
of education, the presence in our city
of two highly educated gentlemen of
long experience in their professions
and with many titles and testimonials.
Homer B. Sprague, New Englander
by birth, college bred and later a col
lege president, has fine Shakespear-
can program of lectures, opening with
one which should commend him at once
to our many women's clubs, Shakes
peare's Greatest Character-a Wom-
an" A topic which I hope will pique
the active interest of our scholarly
club women.
Mr.. Pritschow is a German with the
thoroughness characteristic of his
countrymen-a student on many lines.
a graduate of the University of Ber-
lin, a teacher for many years abroad
and in our east, and with the highest
recommendations as to character and
ability.