The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-12-30

lures in his work, said DR.. Hughes.
Coercion by gentle force, Dickens
showed to be of the same class with
force. Cramming, as a child-destroyer,
DR.. Hughes said, was pointed out and
painted by Dickens, and the evils to
the system brought out by him, long
before any other educator had recog-
nized 1t as such.
In discussing the evils Of coercion,
DR.. Hughes put himself on record as
being unequivocably opposed to cor
poral punishment. The child. he said,
punishment. It's individuality and
very soul, the speaker said, should
not be restrained Its imagination
and individuality can not be re-
strained, he said, and if temporarily
checked in childhood will crop out
later, In an injurious form. All Of
these things Dickens realized and
sought to teach, DR.. Hughes said.
FREE CHILDHOOD.
Free childhood was first advocated
by Dickens, said DR.. Hughes. He
wanted the children to have their
dues in free childhood belonging to
themselves. This, their natural herr
tage, the speaker said, Dickens
preached. Still, children were denied
this, said DR.. Hughes. But he pre-
|dicted that the time was not far dis.
tant when such would not be the case
Children will have play and the
privilege OF being plain children and
IA God blessed privilege of growing
as God wanted them to.
Dickens, the speaker said, recog-
nized the worth of imagination, indi
viduality and energy in his child char.
acters and sought to present these
views. He recognized the necessity
of proper nourishment for children,
said DR.. Hughes. Dickens prayed
that the gypsies might steal the chill
dren on the London streets, in order
that they might have their childhood
| freedom denied them by London. He
wanted them to have the open air and
play, that they might have the dew
drops Of heaven on their cheeks and
| not the tears Of restrained childhood
| DR.. Hughes, near the close of his
address. predicted that the day is not
far distant when physicians would be
called in to inspect American school
children and turn out to physical free
dom children unable physically to
study. The mind, he urged. must not
be developed at the expense of the
body.
| In conclusion Dr. Hughes paid his
respects to the Florida Educational
Association and to Florida. stating his
pleasure at being here. He thanked
the association for making his stay &
pheasant one.
HIS AFTERNOON ADDRESS.
In the afternoon DIR. Hughes was
also the principal speaker, his theme
being 1.-THE kindergarten" AS one Of
the leading authorities on this line OF
educational work and research, DR.
Hughes is especially capable of dis
cussing the work. He pied in his ad
dress for the extension Of this work
The proper training Of childd in {
properly conducted kindergarten Is as
sured. It's physical being and it,
mental development are looked after
He recounted the history of the worl
and of its worth in the larger cities
where child life conditions are more
ldtficult than in sparsely settled dis
ltricts.
He told Of the characteristics of ,
child and the importance Of givins
childhood the proper start along it.
educational career. This is considered
lone or DR.. Hughess best lectures.
was highly appreciated last night.
| Mr.. sHEATs HEARD.
In last nights session, Mr.. Sheat
addressed the audience. explaining tn
history Of education in Florida an,
giving its history for the past quarte
OF a century. The public school sys
tenn he said has only been in exis,
ence about twentyfour years. He toll,
of the work and the difficulties be
setting the early endeavors of tb
friends of education in Florida Hi
address was instructive and interest
!: ing, at the same time.