The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-11

promises some practical solution of the
question. How shall our girls be edu-
cated?" Whether the prevailing dlssat-
isfaction with educational conditions be
real or imaginary, II has become a grave
matter OF thought In many homes, es-
pecially at this time. when the schools
are soon to be reopened.
1t is important at the beginning that
the aim and spirit Of his discussion
be clearly understood.
Initiative Is Of first IN
school education, and fundamentally
rests upo personality. School educa-
ton Is "A combined process, carried on
both by teacher and pupil through the
individual and tho mutual understands
ing of the subject. The background OF
this process must be self-unfolding Of
the student. This unfolding. to scien-
tific Imagination reads like a fairy
story for into the hand of evcry nor
NAL child has mysteriously fallen a
secret key which will unlock door after
door OF its being with successive and
increasing Joys each opens to another,
and to another. The long journey leads
the youth to tho secret OF the whole
world" This marks the initial attempt.
II is the beginning Of conscious expert
ence. The child Is seeing something
new. and feels that It Is something real.
IL ihS btkuh W lDCuS dtltntlOH IOT ptlO-
tographing living pictures within the
o u hi means only slight voluntary
direction OF purpose.
It's a common remark by mothers,
MY daughter doesn't know how to con-
centrate her mind" As though the mind
were altogether faulty What has been
overlooked Is the necessity of united
concentration OF feelings and will as
well as OF thought. Initiative must be
whole souled In order to be effective.
This is one of the chief reasons why its
cultivation is of first Importance. Eli
cheney Is to-day being sounded az the
keynote OF industrial and business sue
cess In the same sense the keynote
Of education should be initiative.
BY the initial attempt the girl be-
comes n predetermined being. She Is
going to care to persist along GER
tain chosen lines of thought and action.
She begins to feel that she has not only
capacity for knowing blu native ability
for developing a personality OF her own
by varied selections OF thought. From
her innermost sou she commences to rea-
lie. though family at first, that she is
to become a person. She cannot clearly
tell what kind OF a person. but she has
determined 10 be something. This first
timid, voluntary touch will soon
strengthen into n persistent grasp upon
the true bearings of her later life. II
her early development he normal. es-
pecially by careful tending on the part
OF her elders. she will soon have begun
the habit Of meditating, rejecting and
reasoning. Al soon as possible for the Joy
Of mental self-direction and OF steadily
holding to II, she should he encouraged
To practise repeated. persistent glances
within and without. backward and for
ward. This is mental digestion. II is
averse to those fatal methods which
encourage mere memorizing. copying
and initiating outer rules and principles
without corresponding self-interpreta
ton. Practically speaking. the young
girl has now begun to ft herself for
some vocation.
Present methods Of teaching are less
mechanical than the old, and more scien-
tifc. The scientific spirit should possess
also the girl who. according to her
growing intelligence. must become ac-
qualnted with the principles involved In
her own teaching, The awakening of
this spirit should be the starting point
OF a girls initiative education.
1t is the aim OF this paper to make
clearer this principle. Special reference
TO a growing girl should he inferred
throughout. though the general laws
controlling her development may also
apply in a large measure to the boy.
we may assume the sex OF "A girl TO
he a mere incident OF birth but never
theless we must keep positively in mind
that the pro~vidential incident ever bears
with IL an element of emphasis which
is Indispensable to social and economic
evolution. This law of woman's empha-
sis is her special charm and influence
II is not so much what she says or does
as what she herself Is that will promote
her being.
Personality, not character. Is the con-
trolling word In this discussion. For
merly character" has served similar
Intelligent and valuable use, but the
word seems to be outworn. It Ia fast
losing its original grasp upon inter
probation OF conscience. As an edu'
cational apparatus II II old fashioned
and has not much meaning for this
generation. The advantages, therefore
OF substituting a fresher term are obvi'
Gus.
The difference in meaning will be ap'
parent from the use TO which the first
has been applied and the second Is now
being adjusted. Building Of charac'
ter" and development OF personality
convey widely different Ideas of motive
Character aims at position, power oil
Mace. Personality fnds the true self
The one conforms according 10 an ethi'
cal. outward pattern the other grows
according to an inner purpose OF self
realization. Personality refers 10 q
human being In which may he assem-
bled various harmonious. ~concordan'
feelings, thoughts and aims, dwelling
I'm peace about a common centre re
garded as ones self. Character ha,
too long served for simply distinguish
ing between right and wrong. generou:
and selfish, %virtuous and Vicious. per
feet and faulty. Character aims a
some accepted standard: ~personalit,
toward an ideal completion. Charac'
ter attains balance between two oppos'
ing courses personality maintains pois'
around a self-centre by s~elf-control
self-respect and self-mastery. Person
ality means all round adjustment and
agreement in the thoughts. v%olitioni
and feelings Of this s~elf-imposed self
hood. In every girl his inner centra
spark should glow in ever widening
spheres OF circumstances.
Psychologically speaking. a girl !
not a person before puberty. She can
not be said to be s~elf-conscious only
conscious. She has not yet very mucf
OF a self to call her own. She Is beint
accountable to her superiors more thar
to her conscience and reason. Her law
OF right is obedience. She has yet Il
experience. according to natural law
OF her being, a wonderful soul awaken
Ing. when she will say II am T.
This 10 a we'll recognised law ant
needs only to be boldly admitted u
this connection. Before her climacteri,
period the girl Is responsive to Impulses
of ~heredity, imitation and other QUITE
la- Gtasarnanta and axnIana