The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-02
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The CLUB WOMEN
City Federation Begins Its Sea-
sons Work.
MRS. F. w. Watson Delivers In
teresting Address.
DIR. WILM SPEAKS.
His Interesting Discussion of
Modern Psychology.
Mind Used to Be Regarded as a
Luxury, He Says.

peha, is no exception to this rule. AT
the October meeting of the federation
at Unity church Thursday Mrs. Wat
son gave a brief address inspired by
her summer spent in California and at
her summer home in TOpinabee, Mich,
and mentioned some Of the things the
federation ought to do and might do to
make Topeka a better place for them
selves and those who come after. Beau
tiful Topeka was Mrs. Watson's $50
gan (whatever that isl and although
the idea Is not new one and the
club women have done good deal to
advance 1t, she had some specific pro-
Jects in mind which gave exceptional
interest to her talk. I'm Niles, Mich.
said Mrs. Watson. "the railways right
of way is laid out in beautiful park
ing with flower beds and every passen-
ger going through the town or arriV-
Ing in 1t is given flower. more
charming and effective way of adVer-
tising the town could scarcely be mag
ined and you might know it was wo-
mans idea. 1t is safe to say no one
who has ever visited or passed through
will forget 1t. In Grand Rapids, the
unsightly billboards were done away
with through the efforts of the Iedera-
ted clubs, the members OF which pass
ed a resolution and held to it, not 10
patronize any institution using this
means of advertising. This is of es-
peciaI Interest to the Topeka federation
which started an anti billboard move
ment last winter but has so far accom-
plished nothing in this direction. Inc
club women of California have the most
artistic and attractive club houses
have ever seen and l did not know
until I spent a few weeks there last
spring how much club home, coulo
mean to club work and club interests.
I'VE must not give up our club house
project in Topeka but must put new
life into our efforts to have perman-
ent home for the federation, head
quarters for women's interests. The
Chicago municipal play grounds inter-
ested me Immensely and brought 10
my mind another work our federation
is trying to do. We have made fDegln-
nings in all these things and II we can
push them to a successful finish we Will
indeed have accomplished something
for our town l wish every woman in
the federation would appoint herself a
committee of one to make Topeka
better town in every way and 10 I'M
press, .visitprss,- With the advantages
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ossesse - -.
DIR. Wins Address.
Mrs. Watsof's address was given in
the short business session which pre-
coded the programme which was IN
charge of the educational and library
committees of the federation and the
principal feature of which was an adj
dress by DR.. E. c. -Wilm. professor OF
mental philosophy at WashDurn, some
Phases of Modern Psychology. DR..
Wilm compared modern conceptions OF
nsychoIogy with the ideas which for
merly obtained and showed the erect
of the changes upon educational the
cries and methods 1t was brilliant
and scholarly address of sustained IN
terest and wide appeal and his audi
ence listened intently from the Degln-
ming to the end. IF one contrasts,
said Dr. Wilm. 1.-THE psychology of to-
day with the discipline known by that
name say a generation ago, ne VIII De
struck by at least four characteristics
of the new psychology which are not
only highly interesting from strictly
scientific point of view, but, whlcn
from the point of view of their apph-
cation are of commanding importance.
These are % its tendency to think OF
mind not as substance or entity, out
as a process or group of processes dis
covertable upon introspection: Modern
psychology is positive natural sci
ence; Cd It's tendency to regard these
psychological processes as standing In
the most intimate connection with their
bodily correlates or conditions: modern
psychology Is physiological psychology;
(3) it's tendency to regard mind from
biological point of view. as an instru-
ment standing in the service of the life
Of the organism to which 1t belongs:
modern psychology is prevailingly func-
tfonal psychology; 90 its tendency to
look upon mind as a growth, modern
Mind used to be regarded as sort
Of luxury or ornament with which
man had been specially favored and
which distinguished him from the en-
tire brute creation. The point of view
here is also completely changed. Mind
nowadays is not regarded as a useless
appendage to the organism, but as d
highly useful biological instrument or
device, a sort of practical guide, in
fact it's function being to adjust the
am n q
mind aids in adjusting the organism to
surrounding conditions can best be
illustrated by comparing the purely re-
fex and instructive modes of behavior
noted among the lower animal forms
with the intelligent behavior found
among men and perhaps few animals
which stand closest to man in the scale
OF mental development.
THE bearing of all our new ideas
and discoveries in psychology upon our
theory of education is a very important
one and there is perhaps no view which
has affected educational theory and
practice so extensively and profoundly
as this biological view of the mind as
an instrument standing in the service
Of our purposive and practical life.
This view will affect seriously the Sc
lection of the materials used for educa-
tfonai purposes, the studies the student
will be required to pursue. If knowl-
edge. or culture for its own sake. is re-
0arded as the end of education any
branch might conceivably have as
much value as another. But If the
practical aim of adjustment to ones
physiological and social environment is
adopted as our aim in education then
obviously studies may have very. diff
ferent values because contributing in
different degrees to the attainment of
this end. Our view will effect serious
" the whole technic of teaching. If
tnnressions and ideas do not stand
alone complete in themselves as If ex-
nressfon and act were a kind of I'M
essential after-effect quite apart from
thought and additional to it, If express
sion and act are. on the contrary. part
snd marcel of the mental life. then no
method of training is sufficient which