El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-02
OutdOOrSchOOIandG Gardens
Children Should Not Be Forced tn
Study Subjects to Which Their
Nature Is Indifferent
By Ella Wheeler WiIcox

- REAF changes are taking place
" all over the world in methods
Of education The former things
are passing away, and the new things
are better than the old
A school of organic education has
oeen established the last two years
IN Falrhope. Alabama, and the idea is
now being talked and spread broad
cast by progressive individuals.
Marietta Johnson, the principal Of
TINS parent school, has given her life
and vitality to making the nature
method a success.
Here are some of Mrs. Johnson's
very sane ideas:
We know that many children fail
IN school We know that many grow
1nolIferent and unhappy. We know
that some are cot strong enough to
meet the requirements Then why in
the name Of education should we con-
tinue the treatment when the response
IS unsatisfactory?
How To Train a Child.
=, Why not saneIy and braveIy look
the little child in the face and throw
away all of the traditions of the elders
and all OF our unrighteous require
ments. and simply and religiousIv
meet his requirements2 How shall we
know them? By the symptoms of his
response or reaction. The test of a
school is the condition of the child
Dodlly-mentally-
what does the body need? Fresh
air, out-of-doOrs play, freedom, no
stationary desks, no enforced silence,
out quiet only when the occuDation
requires it. Much choice in oecupa-
tlon, physical coordination through
creative handWOrk. What does the
mind require2 Time to observe inves-
ugate, think and reason out A few
things-often help and guidance from
the teacher but rarely ordered at
Ientlon--eXperience activities in bar-
mony with age and interests-that is
thlngs of sense in the early years.
DOCKS experiences of others, and alb
stracJlons In the later years
why should education insist upon
Delng uneducatiOnal2 Our insane de-
sire TO educate is a fatal barrier to
development, which is the only true
education. Could a chiId's conscious
striving and Overeating make him
taller or broader2 Neither win con
Scious striving and overstudy make
him wiser or better
Why not act as reasonably in edu-
catlon as IN other things2 If the ma
ture of the little child requires free
uom, why not give freedom instead OF
recurring him to sit at stationary
desks and be silent? If his nature re-
lures out- Cr fresh air, why not
give that? Can't he learn anything out
OF doors! II his seeing should not be
at close range, why give him a book
at so young an age2 Can't he learn
anything without books?
Nervous System Not Overfaxed.
What is to prevent our taking the
desks out of the room, and REMOVING
the intellectual reouirements, Of +be
tlrst grades in any city? Instead of
desks have tables at which the child
rem may work. Instead of REQUIRE
nentS-ln reading. writing, numbers.
els-Iel the children sing and plav
make things Of paper cardboard. and
te1tlIes' taking care that the nervous
system Is not violated by too close
work Let them have gardens in which
they may plant what they choose and
care for in their own way with the
Sympathetie assistance of the teacher.
Let them have stories of geography,
history and literature Give them an
other modern language than their own
Let them have water coIOrs and clay
which they may freely use. Allow the
teacher to take them out Of doors at