Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-01-13
THE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT

The stages Of development in youth
are given as three. The first period
takes the child from birth to seven
years of age. The second takes him
between the ages of sevens and four
teen. The third, between the ages of
fourteen and Fl. During the first Pc
riod the child is Influenced by his sur
roundings, almost entirely. His mind
is in passive state. Perception is
very active. He notices objects and
learns things by his dealing with OBJ
Jects. His imagination is the form of
thinking which he uses most. He does;
not seem to have any will power until
the very last of the period, if indeed
tion to one thing for more than three,
to five minutes. He learns mostly
from experience. If he pouts or siss
stubborn he probably has learned from
experience that by doing so he gets
what he wants.
Between the ages of seven and four
teen the mind of the child becomes
more and more active. He is not in-
f1uenced by his surroundings so much.
His imagination is influenced by his.
experience. His memory is very active
and things which he learns at this time
are scarcely ever forgotten. What he
has learned through perception is
helped by his reasoning. The power Of
judgment begins to show itself. The
feelings are controlled at the end of
the period but not at first.
In the last period the things which
have been learned in the previous
stages are classified and systematized.
The memory for words becomes weak
er. The feelings come under control.
Judgment is very much developed and
memory. The will and intellect are
prominent. Surroundings influence the
person less and less. He becomes in
dependent.
These are certain stages of develop
ment through which every normal hu-
man being must pass. No course of
study made out without serious consid-
GRAFTON of these stages of development
would be practical one. 1t would not
be successful nor would it be a lasting
course.
The littlech entering school cannot
and is not expected to conduct himself
like high school student nor will he
be expected to care for the same
things, nor comprehend the same les
sons.
All small Children have the marked
characteristics of spontaneous activity.
They cannot keep still they should not
be compelled to try to sit still for any
length of time because it is against
one of the laws of nature to do so.
Should not then, course of study be
made, carefully observing this fact?
II this is not taken into consideration
one of nature laws will be broken and
the child under this course of study will
become unnatural, and possibly i'll or
nervous.
Another. marked characteristic of
early childhood is the dislike of contin-
ued application. Why not arrange the
course of study so that the children all
| be accommodated in this respect?
Children have marked imaginative
powers. will be an advantage to
them to furnish material for the culti-
walton of this power.
Children from the ages of seven to
| fourteen have remarkable power of
memory. Therefore the course of
study should be arranged so as to de-
mand good deal of memory work of
the grades which children of these
ages attend.
Young children have no power of
fine discrimination or no higher mental
powers as judgment and reasoning, so
the courses of study should not demand
anything in this line.
The course of study should provide
time for work which will cultivate ini-
tiative. appreciative and sympathetic
powers and also work with colored OBJ
jects as it is natural for children to no.
tice things which are colored rather
than things which are not: of course
care must be taken not to overdo this.
Mr.. and Mrs. A. S. Howard of
Georgia al visiting B. M. Wiley and