The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-02-22
WESTON \ | ! v. Va.

likes and dislikes. There are. no two.
childrenf alfke. aSincegfthis1ds true, it,
should be the parents duty 10 know
each child. But knowledge of the
child comes only through a study
or the child. 1T We WANT to know
about the flowers and plant life gem
orally we study botany. If we want
to know about animals We study 20
ology. TO know the child we must
study child psychology, Perhaps
some of our mothers Of the olden
times will boot at the idea. But they
studied child psychology rnconsci-
ously, If they, did not have thfaor-
etcal chilI psychology they had
what was even better the practical.
My santed mother, who could not
dent Of the child, In her girlhood
days she was nurse in! a very
wealthy family. The mother Of the
child whom she nursei, had studied
child psychology and in following the
directions Of that Womall she too
got a practical knowledge of child
psychology.
For the first four years Of the
child's lite the family education has
been all in all for him. says DR.,
VIM. Il. Harris in his Psychologist
Foundation of Education. These 4
years give splendid opportunity for
4 study CT the child. AS has been
said by one: The child in his first
year has learned to hold up his head
to clutch things with his hands,
using his thumbs ontrapositio:r
to his fingers, to follow moving OBJ
jCcts with his OWN eyes, he has
learned smells and tastes, sounds
and colours, and the individuality
| Of objects. He has learned to move
! himself, using his limbs somewhat
| as turtle does in crawling. In his
second year he has learned to stand
|alone al to walk; to use some words
and to understand the meaning of d
great many more. In, the third and
| fourth years the chld's knowledge
Of the external world has progress
I ed steadily powerfully aided -as-i it.
| is low, by the acquisition Of langu-
age. These are avenues through
which woman study the child.
| CID Responsibility Of instruct
ing the child. Our prime object il
knowing the Child should be to bet
! ter prepare us to instruct him. This
is parental responsibility and
should mot be shifted upon the
shoulders of the public school teach
err and the Sunday school teacher.
J TOO much responsibility already
has been shifted by parents upon
| the poor teacher. | have heard par
cuts say; ooh, am 80 glad It's
| time for school in order that. my
| child can be out Of my way" Re
| member, my dear hearers, this
morning, that the teacher has your
| child about six or seven hours in 4
| day or the Sunday school teacher.
one hour week while you have
the child all the rest Of the time.
You should instruct the child in re-
gard to his existence, his being.
| When the inquiriDg mind of the
child begins to ask questions per-
tanning to his origin, 1T is your duty
yea YOUR privilege to tell him. Do
OF allow your Child to learn from
the lips Of Others what you your
self should tell him. Many a. boy
Of girl learns in the most vulgar and
vile way the story Of the origin of
his being. Mothers take your dangh-
ters into your confidence. Make
tHem your bosom friends. Let your
daughter love you more than amy
one else Make her so much your
companion that she will have ao Sc
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