Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-04-29
TEACHING BEGINS At HOME
Mother Finds She Can 1mpart
More knowledge There.
Child Does Not Know that Lectures
Are being Given but Information
Gained UnconsciousIy Is Never
Forgotten.

|
Chambers in the Brooklyn Eagle. 1t Is
one of those obvious lessons that has
only to be mentioned to he conceded. She
declares that she can impart more knowl-
edge to her child at home than does any
teacher in a public school And she |
makes good-proves the claim she makes! |
Mrs. Winifred Sackville Stoner is the |,
name of this woman who keeps her child
a few lessons ahead of her teacher.
In the care of their children, many
women follow the same course they
adopt regarding all requirements pr1or
to marriage Generally, the married
woman of to-day gives MP her music,
her reading and everything else-except
her social duties and her dressmaker-
after return from the honeymoon! Wheth-
or her husband Is fond of music or not
Is of little consequence. He can BUY
mechanical instrument that produces a
certain sort of alleged music by pump
ing or clockworlt; that is good enough
for him"
So long as the modern wife has plenty
Of good clothes she doesn't worry about
the education of her children She may
have had the most costly schooling, but
she doesn't exhibit evidences thereof to
her friends or her family She keeps 1t
to herself. Instead of radiatng knowl-
edge that is I'm her custody, she forsets
1t as the years roll round.
Her special advantages, not always i'm
proved as they should have been, are OF
no to herself or those around her.
Mrs Stoner, by devoting a few hours
of each day to the highly pleasurable
task of keeping fresh her own knowl-
edge, maintains enthusiasm of her daugh-
ter, in her studies. Some of us who de-
light to keep green what little acquaint-
lance we once had with Horace or Nir-
I'll by reading with our sons when they
are grapplng the Latin tongue can un-
derstand the basis of this mothers phi
osophY.
She has discovered that mother is
at once an inspiration and an instructor
Her lessons in history, for example,
jbeEan as soon as her child was suffi-
GENTLY old to listen to "a good story"
and mentally equal to the retention Of
what was told. She went back to first
principles Of instruction as practiced by
Socrates. Plato and other wise men who
taught by word of mouth She realized
that far too much reliance was placed
upon books.
Mrs Stoner rediscovered the art of
Paul in inpartlng knowledge. She ap-
pcaled to the curiosity of her daughter
at first, and. as she mentally developed,
awakened the human interest in know-
edge, not in the form OF study"
The child began to learn something
every day the moment she awakened.
Sleep was explained to her With her
oath she was told about the composition
of water, the significance of heat, the
discovery and utilization Of steam, the
seas and their tides, the dew and rain
from the skies, how the moisture was
lifted to the clouds and how precipitat-
ed upon the carth-all these facts came
within the scope of a few years course
Of lectures in physical geography.
The child didn't know she was taking
n course of lectures. Certainly not; but
every word was absorbed, unconscousy
classified and stored away for future
use. Information thus impaired is nevel
forgotten.
The Importance of Mrs. Stoner's dis
cover" Is that it is not new in any sens,
Of the word.
Cornclia. mother of the Gracch made
her children learned and great. They
were her Jewels" as she proudly tolt
neishbor who had dropped in to show
a diamond tiara or cluster ring she hat
sublime satisfaction in displaying. Tha
visitors thoughts We're conferred on ne
own personal adornment not upon tn
mental Improvement Of her sons ant
daughters.
The average New York mother he
longs in tho same class as did the Romal
matron with the blaze Of Jewels. He
day is planned without slightest though
Of her children, beyond an inquiry I
their health, If they are in school. 1t I
an even chance she doesn't know b
name the branches Of study they ar
pursuing. She is conscious she has
re game ION" at 230 must hay
early dinner In order TO use seats a
the theater or opera.
She may be sollcitous about the foo
absorbed by her children. but she rare
~ gives n thought to the mental rah
ulum that hungry brains of youth ar
susceptible of assimilating. An idea G
imparting instruction during time give
to play never has dawned upon her ow
enriched mentality
odds Of 10 to |. she has never hear
of Signora Montessorls methods of II
structing children. Possibly they woul
appeal to her. If she We're made acquaint
ed with them but practically, she
marooned on n desert island beyond til
reach of personal instruction. She hash
time to decide whether she Is capab
of imparting to her children what know
edge she once possessed.
So far ] have dealt wholly with moti
erS Fathers are equally blameabl
They do not have the opportunities a
corded to mothers to shape the ment'
inclination Of their children. The ave
age father has the burden Of maintain
ing the house-providing money to pa
. fers in which he might impart to h
oc- children what knowledge of history, la
,ad or human nature he has acquired
travel and attrtion with his fellow mo
tails. Retention of such knowledge do
Ma him no good.
Intelligence is only of value when rad
ated
Normal children are hungry for know
edge. They are keenly attentive to di
al cussions that concern topics of cure
AL interest An old but true saying is a
am Piled to children. Little jugs have b
,,,+ ears"
Take the present war In Europe. Eve
household having children should be Mt
re- izing this absorbing theme to make eve
got member thereof familiar with the topo
raphy and history of each country /
hhS VOWED or remotely affected.
lem Upon the wall Of some room in eve