The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-04-24
Presents Methods of
Madame MOnteSS0ri
FIRST OF SERIES OF ADDRESSES
GIVEN ONE EACH WEEK BY
PROF. A. p. HOLLIS.

Asserting that anything new in this
country is liable to be distorted by un
reliable writer's, and urging that the
methods of Madame Montessori are
not to be condemned by unfavorable
magazine reports, Prof. A. P. Hollis
yesterday opened bis series Of week
ly lectures dealing with the most mod
ern phases of education. In his lee
ture on Madame Montessori's Contri
button to Modern Education" Prof
Hollis gave in detail the early history
and experiences of the noted Italian
educator and then described some OF
the methods used in her system of ed
ucation.
These methods are to be viewed as
a two.fold movement; from both the
sociological and the pedagogical. Mad
anne Montessori succeeded in having
the tenements of Rome improved and
Houses of Childhood" erected in
their places, the first being opened in
January, 1907. These Houses Of
Childhood" are equipped with the very
best sanitary conveniences and are
in charge of a doctor, a caretaker and
a psychological observer (the term
teacher" is avoided). Children are
admitted free, but parents must COOP
crate with the directress in the mat
ter of cleanliness, regular hours, etc,
upon the penalty of having their
children dismissed from the Children's
House." Careful measurements are
kept of each child, sleep and diet are
prescribed and heredity is also taken
into consideration. All are matters of
careful record.
The school apparatus consists of
simple chair and simple table, Mad
aRle Montessori having condemned
the modern school desks as being
criminal, and in this, says DR.. Wilmer,
of Philadelphia, she has made one of
her greatest contributions. Children
should develop their natural tenden-
cies in school, it is urged, and all
that the psychological observer"
should do is to furnish a favorable
environment This necessitates a
minimum of class instruction, the
contention being made that under cor
rect environment, the child will not
make mistakes. The feeling of an
adult teacher should not be imposed
upon little child.
Madame Montessori has gained a
large reputation as physician, espe.
cially among deficient children,
and through her influence these child
rem were segregated from the insane
in the asylums of Rome. She has been
widely criticised in her work for ap-
plying the methods used with def
Gent children to normal children. But
her contention is that certain nervous
conditions in deficient older children
and very young normal children are
similar and that method applying to
children Of one type would apply with
equal results to those of the other
type.
Many of the unfavorable comments
on the work of Madame Nontessori,"
said Mr.. Hollis, ARE being made by
writer's who are not thoroughly famil-
lar with her work and who jump at
g." 'usions. The methods advocated
by her are worthy Of most serious at
tention"
Prof. Hollis had occasion to see
these methods in operation in Phila-
aelphia last summer under DR.. Wit
ner ond spoke very largely from first
hand knowledge yesterday afternoon.
His lecture was given at the regular
critic meeting in the Model school
gymnasium, at which parents and
teachers are invited to hear this
course of interesting lectures. He will
continue this subject next Wednesday,
and follow it with lecture on "A day
at the Vineland Training School, with
Messrs. Goddard and Johnson" These
1ncnrAs froa Of nh
DRNE ANI IS ErrII0Ec