New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-12

Pedagogy as Applied 10 Child Educa-
tion in The Children's Houses" With
additions and revisions by the author.
BY Maria Montessori. Translated from
the Italian by Anne 2. George. With an
introduction by Professor Henry w
Holmes, of Harvard University. with
80 Illustrations from photographs. $40,
DID. xiii, 81 The Frederick A. Stokes
, Company.
DR.. Montessori's educational theories.
and still more the practical results OBJ
tanned by her in the Case DEF Bambini,'
or "children's houses" in Rome, have
long been known TO and WATCHED with
growing interest by practical educators
and students OF scientific pedagogy the
world over. Her system has been the
subject of magazine articles in this coun-
try but it is only now that her "Metodo
della Pedagogia Scientihca" is made
available in an English translation, from
the pen Of an American woman.
In theory the work is not absolutely
original; scientific progress never can be.
But 1t is original-Dr. Montessorfs own
work-in it's coordination Of many the
cries into a system. and In her demon
stration of the practical value Of that
system in the education of infants. She
has not solved in its entirety one of the
most important problems Of humanity.
but she has erected a new milestone in
it's progress far in advance OF tho great
predecessors who have given her her
own point Of departure. The road on
ward does not lie straight and plain be-
fore us. Her system will require modi-
fications, compromises, adaptations to
differing social and economic conditions
and requirements in various countries.
but in the retrospect Of poStority he's
name will stand secure beside those OF
F'roebel and Pestalozzi. In fact, her
work resembles that Of the kindergarten
in some respects as closely as it differs
from 1t in others.
Still, the Frenchman Edouard Seguin,
the educator Of the deficient, who ended
his career Of noble service in this coun-
try. is the predecessor to whom DR..
Montessori acknowledges her chief in
debtedness-to him and to Itard before
him:
II a parallel between the normal and the
QtilClSIL CIllN DE pOSSlDie lulS VIII De our
ing the period of early infancy, when the
child who has not the force 10 develop and
he who is not yet developed are in some
ways alike. The very young child has not
yet acquired a secure coordination OF mus
cular movement. The sense organs
are not yet completely developed the Ian
guage Is primordal, and shows those de-
fects common 10 the speech Of the very
young child. The difficulty of fixing the at
tent.on, the general instability, etc, are
characteristics which the normal infant and
DDS which made growth possible TO the
mental personality Of the idiot ought, there
fore, to aid the development of young chill
dren, and should be so adapted as 10 consti-
tute hygienic education OF the entire per-
sonality of a normal human being. . g.
Here lies the significance OF my pedagogical
experiment. 1t represents the results of a
series Of trials made by me. in the educa-
ton Of young children, with methods al
ready used with defcients. My work has
not been In any way an application, pure
and simple, OF the methods Of Seguin, but
II Is none the less true that underlying
these two years Of trial there is a basis of
experiment which goes back TO the days OF
the Revolution, and which represents the
earnest work Of the lives Of Itard and
Seguin.
The results obtained. both physical and
mental, have, indeed, been gratifyinely
great. They are described in her book,
whose value to us is greatly enhanced
by Professor Holiness critical introduce
ton, which examines the system from
the viewpoint OF Its applicability to