The Washington times., 1914-01-22
By EDITH LOBERT.

! tndt cnlluTen SnOuld De a0inOn-
i ished at certain fixed times OF
| the year, as framed by Frank +.
Lakey, of the English High School, in
Boston. finds little sympathy for his
theories among Washington instructors
and parents.
| Mrs. J. 2. >. Neligh,. one OF the head
|orkerD at Neighborhood House, whose
Worh brings her constantly in touch
with children of all ages. particularly
from the standpoint of a disciplinarian,
agrees with DR.. john d. Quackenbos, of
Columbia University. that the Boston
! i2n's theory is nonsensical.
such a proposition would appear
utterly irrational TO me-" said Mrs Ne
! ligf. In my dealings with children,
Doth individually and in the mass here
at tie settlement. l find that the chill
dren who come from homes where dis
CiDline is enforced arc much superior to
! those from homes where they are allow
I ed to mn wild.
II believe in spanking or whipping
only as A last resort. but there are cases
( whcr at times 1t is beneficial.
: And furthermore the punishment
should be meted out to the child immc-
{ oiately after the offense has been com
: .nitted. II one waits to take il up at
I later time. as this Boston professor
suggests, the child will have forgotten
, all about the offense.
Will See Only Injustice.
{ 'ITe will not only feel a sense of
Injustice. but the deferred punishment
will merely act as an incentive for him
10 repeat the act, probably with inter
est"
1t may or may not be that Boston
children arc more acutely sensitive 10
astrological conditions than others, but
the fact remains that a regular tnstruc-
.or drawing salary in the biggest and
most advanced public school there, .ad-
vanced the following theories:
Parents should make their appeals
TO boys at 10 O'Clock in the morning any
day in January or early in February
and when the youth has reached the
age Of SIXTEEN" says Mr.. Lakey.
THE net results in the mental and
physical Improvement will be greater
than at any other time chosen. Four
o clock in the afternoon should be
avoided. rs we'll as the months OF
! .darch. April. and October, for boys and
girls are at their worst mentally and
ply ysIcally ~ that time.
The best bov is at his maximum at
! 10 and Il in the morning and at the cor
Responding hour in the evening. The
bad boy is AZ his minimum at and in
the afternoon.
Get Bad In March.
The mental life predominates in jan
luary and February. The boys and girls
are lowest from the point of view OF
good citizenship during March, part OF
April, and in October
Perfect nonsense" calculated Dr.
John D. Quackenhos. The man who
makes such statements is thoroughly
unscientifiC."
Now. Mr.. QuackenbUs, besides being
the author Of Hypnotic Therapeutics,
which contains an Interesting chapter
on Psychic Pedagogy taught ;ol
twenty years at Columbia University,
He IS also the son of q successful school
master, SO he is qualified to discuss in
I tclligently the, ebullicnt young idea.
ITS absurd to tell "a boy that he
can study better in January than in
April" continued DR.. QuaCkcnbOs. "It :
| worse than absurd; II : dangerous. for
| is he not given an excuse to neglect his
work during ninc-tcnths Of the year?
FavoTs Furnishing On Time.
There is absolutely no reason why
the child should respond to moral ap-
peal in January NOR" quickly than at
any other season OF the year. The
moral training should take place every
day in every month in every year.
! "A child should be taught 20 adapt
| his mood to the opportunity. He should
| study at the proper place and time
! whether or not lac feels like Studying.
| The training il, will-pOwCr and con
| centratiuu should be one OF the most
! valuable results OF school lille. But
I nowadays children run their parents,
and teachers devote themselves 10
! pleasing children instead OF parents.
| During the moments that the child
| is grateful and aiTeCtiOnatc it Is par
tIcularly receptive 10 moral suggestion.
| But this sympathetic condition of mind
| cannot Jc pinned down 10 any stereo-
| typed hour marked off by clock hands.
| \ boy is no better and no worse at
| 10 u. III. than be is at 3 p. IN. As for
| the alleged increase in the mischief OF
the mischievOus boy. between : and
| in the afternoon, an obvious explanation
| at once suggests itself. Most young
| sters get out of school at about that
time, and all their pent-up energy
oVer1ows.'