The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-03-28
Church Universal

must be thankful. But in the naren+,s
mind II is often accompanied by hest
tauon or even by perpleXity Educa-
tlon, as result of it's DEVELOPMENT
INTO distinct science, has gotten be-
y0nd the comprehension of most peo-
! pie. There is much Ciiscoursing about
theories and methods of devices. There
are strange technical terms and man
ners of speech which only the initiated
I understand. And there is a literature
which grows so fast that a knowledge
even of the titles is by>no means EASY
In view of all this educational activi-
ty, the layman is apt to be depressed
At any rate, he comes to think of the
teachers work and the 'doings in
schooi as mysterious something
which he can never hope to penetrate,
but through which his child must be
led to wisdom and possibly to virtue.
This, no doubt, is exaggeration; and
yet it is based on fact Education. in
deed, has appropriated the parents
function i'm outwardly caring for the
child; but ii has done more. 1t has
LAID hold upon the mind of the child.
studied it, noted the beginnings of
mental life and searched for the laws
of mental growth. 1t has done this
with the aid of biology, physiology and
psychology. From these sciences it has
learned how the mind develops, and
has shaped its own course accordingly
Doubtless, too, it has taken to itself
the errors which spring up in all scien-
tific research: and it has added to them
its own unwise applications. But of
some things il is quite certain, and
upon these it feels bound to construct
lis methods, thus making its own work
4 vital process of admiration
If it be asked where this knowledge
has been sought and found, the answer
is readily given. Consider, for in
stance, the principle that teaching must
be adapted TO the needs of the grow
ing mind Evidently this implies that
each phase Of growth has its particu-
lar needs, and, consequently, that it is
unwise to deal with the child as though
he were an adult. But what these needs
are only careful observation of the
child can reveal. Or, again, take the
principle that ideas to be effectual
must issue in action-with the whole
philosophy of expression that flows
from kindergarten TO laboratory
whense comes this, if not from watch
ing the child's spontaneous behavior?
Suggestion, imitation, interest, reac-
ton, adjustment-these are simply
names of learned sound that are given
to the most natural performances no
ticed in the growing mind. So our an
swer is simply this: The fundamental
principles of education are ascertained
through an intelligent observation of
the child from the beginning of life on
ward, through an investigation of the
facts that are presented in every home;
i'm one word, by bringing into the or
derby shape Of law those details which
the parent overlooks or merely regards
as marvels that everyone should ad-
nire.
The science which gathers this in
formation and formulates the laws of
mental development is often eyed with
suspicion. Psychology, it is thought
and said-is by nature so remote from
education that when it does appear in
the school room it needless and blum
ders and drives out common sense.
And this view assuredly is the right
one-if by PSYCHOLOGY we understand
the work that is done in the laboratory
with its refined methods or expert
mentation and its purely theoretical re- |
suits. But these are not the only psy-
methods, nor is the labor |
atory the only place for fruitful OBJ |
We do not expect the teach |
er to be an adept in psycho-physics; |
and much less can we expect the par /
ents What is needed to make home /
and school mutually helpful is an I'M
Outstanding of certain fundamental |
principles which the teacher shall APP
ply to the work of systematic schooling
and which the parent shall apply to
the training that is given al home. The /
application will not be the same in
both cases. because the conditions OBJ
viously differ But what is done in the
home will further what the school has
nome"