The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-08-04

And so the boy goes to school with
his mind fully made up that none OF
the lessons he is to have explained
are Of any real value, he will be able
to make a living without an educa-
tioL and he resents the enforced Sc.
clusion for so long a space every day
in close, crowded, busy school
room. He grows listless and loses all
connection with what is going on
around him. His gaze wanders to
the open windows and he looks long
ingly out, and no little voices" ever
whispered more intelligibly nor no.
tently to Joan of Arc than do the
voices OF nature to the boy. The
lea'es of the trees rustic with an I'M
mistakable significance, Turing him to
the woods, pine-burrs fall to the
ground with thud, reminding him
tina; fruit is now ripe and to be had
TO- the taking; the ripple from the
fountain in the yard is really a mes
sage from the marshy creeks, and he
ca almost feel the cool, silent water
laVlng his sturdy, brown limbs; a
Jack-daw perches on a branch out
sldE and with an expression that
shows that he thoroughly understands
the domineering spirit of teachers ut
tiers soft call not heard Or at least
understood by the uninitiated, but
which really means, Watch your
chance and when she isn't looking,
jump out of the window and run as
fast as you can" For all nature is
in league with the boy.
And is this kinship with nature
to be ignored? By no
means for it is only the first stage
in his development as it was the first
stage in the evolution of the human
race, the call of nature to the prim-
tive man. But wrapped up in that
little personality are each and every
one of the stages of development from
thai of the nomad to that of the cul-
tured citizen. And what are the
means whereby the boy is to be
brought successfully and successful
ly through all the different ages OF
man, learning of what has persisted
ane what has survived what was
worthless and what worthy in the
struggle? What is the agency that
shall develop this applicant for citi-
zenship recognizing that all these in
stincts and inheritances must be
trained, fostered, restrained?
What system is to be employed,
which has for its object, ITO train
the body in its most tender years, &C
cording to the laws of health, so that
it shall be strong to resist disease;
to fill the mind with useful knowledge,
to educate it, to comprehend all the
relations of society, to bring out all
its powers into full and harmonious
action; to educate the moral nature,
in which the very sentiment of duty
resides, that it may be fitted for an
honorable and worthy fulfillment of
all the public and private offices of
life
TIC my mind it is the school. But
how is the school to train the boy
wheL he isn't there? And how is it
to train him when he is there if he
ha.; made up his mind not to learn?
OF what use is it that the course Of
study has been carefully prepared,
nee only that it shall be founded on
life as it actually appears, must not
only be connected with life, but must
ais form itself in harmony with the
requirements of life, of the surround
ipgs, and of the times, and with what
they offer" OF what value is it that
tn ; teacher has been trained to know,
That the good results of all true
education depend on the careful no.
tee fostering development, strength
eDing, and cultivation of the feeling
OF the part of the child that he is a
whole life and yet also part Of all
life: and on the avoidance of every
violstion, clouding, or disturbance of
it, IF the boy refuses to do his
part. But you cannot expect boy
to have such high and noble ideals
as these in mind. He has not arrived