The Washington times., 1915-05-01
Vocational Training Gives
Child Chance To Express
Himself AS Definite Factor
Sense Information Methods Fail to Fit Him For Lie
kindergarten Must Return to the
Ideas of Froebe.
Vocation Series, No. 7.
BY ANNA BAGENHOLM SLOANE.

helped soul-expansion. is foolishly
wasted.
Intellect and Intelligence.
The loss is the takers, whether he is
, ignorant of the fact or not. 1t Is the
duty Of our educators to see that no
child remains ignorant Of the fact that
II the ideas which stray into his intel
lect from without are rolled back over
his tongue before they can set any OF
his intelligence centers into vibrating.
he is cheating himself out Of any good
they might do him II retained.
Perhaps the difference between intel
lect and intelligence should be eXplainc d
since 1t is not unusual to hear the two
words used Unfortunately to express
either idea. To students Of the human
mind there Is a great difference between
the coarser mental fluid moving with
In our brain organism which they call
intellect and the finer mind fluid which
Is the life of the intellect, that they call
intelligence. The talkative child be-
comes alert, quick to notice things aud
ible. or visible. and to comment thereon.
But there is a great deal Of difference
between alertness and mental powers.
The men and women who are in possess
ion Of unusual mental powers have,
without exception. been children Of few
words. Their number Of words, to the
minute. may still be few. but each OF
them is treasured more than a thousand
uttered by the common tongue wager
Our present attempts to educate our
children by means Of sense informa-
tion is responsible for our chattering
mind-flighty school graduates, who, ac-
cording to employers testimony. are
unfit for any kind OF work. 1t Is not
only change in our systems Of educa-
tion we need in order to develop the
best powers in our children. 1t is a
complete reversal. Instead of crowding
them with ideas from without we should
help them to express their own ideas
We should let our children alone until
we can understand what they want to
try to do and then facilitate their ef-
forts as much as possible without TAX
Ing the work Of self-expression away
from them.
Let us insist that our kindergartens
be real gardens. as Froebel intended.
with simple tools and materials lyins
handy. Let each child help himself to
the tools and things he wants. II asked
without hesitancy. The idea is in his
mind though his ability to carry it
! out may be entirely lacking. The work
Of the educator should not be to supply
the child with ideas. but to help MIN
give expression to his own ideas. Now
children too abundantlv with ideas. but
do not even give them chances to ex-
press either their own. or tho acquired
ideas-let alone helping them. 1t Is rot
that makes one great. 1t is What
one can do.
ITO do, to dare. to keep silent" These
words were cut into the very stones
over the doorways of ancient places of
education. WHY should they not be
blazing in fiery letters before the eyes
of our educators and our children? why
should our children not be helped to ex-
press their doing inclinations? When
children are engrossed in doing they are
usually silent. And daring Is twin
brother of power and ability.