The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-02
By HORACE HOLDEN.

7
zation. Absolute freedom Is absolute an
archy. and tnat Is beyond the pale. II Is
no doubt this perverted view OF liberty
| gained through narrow minded interpre-
| tation of American history and held by
children of American descent, or a false
conception OF freedom on the part OF the
children of foreign born parents, which
Is one of the most startling symptoms
OF poor citizenship. This attitude i'm
plies both lack of respect for and un-
readiness to yield obedience to con-
stituted authority. Doubtless a study
of civics as such may do much
to impress child with the power
and Importance of the machinery OF gov
| eminent: that the study OF geography
may fascinate him as we'll as indicate to
| him graphically our territorial greatness
as nation. and that the study OF history
| may fill him with the ambition to be
second Washington or inform him liter
ally of the development OF American
ideals and principles but do not believe
that any one Of these, or all OF these, can
combat the disrespect and mockery Of
authority sent forth weekly by the
Comic Supplements' TO the Sunday
| newspapers or can change the attitude
toward the law and its exponent Of
even one poor, small boy who may
have beer spprehended and convicted
of petit larceny for "swiping''
banana from a fruit vendors stall,
while a wealthy and more iniu-
entail youth, driving an automobile ille-
gally through the same street, injuries
some child for life and because OF his
position in society escapes practically
scot free. And so I think there must
come radical change In what Is pre-
sented for the amusement of the boy and
girl and censoring OF what appears for
their information. and a law for all
alike, before we get down to rock bottom
on the question of true citizenship and
are able more logically to expect re-
spect for and obedience to constituted
authority. We have further to see that
the child besides respecting law and
order shall have sufficient social quail
ties which shall include respect for the
property OF others and exclude the Amer
lean evil of selfishness. Having these
needs in mind. we may proceed TO view
the child whom we would make a citizen
in his fourfold aspect-phyeical, mental,
moral and social.
This order Of designation Is not en-
| ployed because one aspect Is more i'm
portant than another, for each is equally
/ important, and all are interdependent
1t is. rather. the natural chronological
order or development. AS has been al
ready pointed out the capacity for citi-
| zenship develops with the individual. II
is impossible TO expect normal refexes
| from abnormal stimuli. and It behooyes
| the state, the parent and the school 10
assure every safeguard for the physical
| we'll being Of the child. The recently
Issued National Service Handbook has
pointed out that every step taken in such
direction is the primary form Of in
surance of the country's future" This
I to my mind. is synonymous with good
, citizenship. The parents should help
/ the school and the school the parents in
establishing hyg!enic standa rds and pro-
viding proper environments. The city
child Is Immediately at a disadvantage
compared with his country cousins In
the matter OF fresh air good food and
agreeable recreations. but even with It's
drawbacks In these directions there Is
much In the fortuitous experiences that
the city offers which makes a very genu-
! inc contribution to the welfare OF the
f, child II is not a all too much TO ex-
pect that every child be regularly meas
| ured and inspected at school. and par
ents and teacher should find the time for
cooperative discussion, with the welfare
| OF the child in view, whenever these re-
ports indicate too great divergence from
the normal.
Next on the mental side measure
| ments may be taken with equally good
! purpose, providing the teacher, who
should be child specialist enough to do
this. takes other factors into her con-
! clusion beyond the mere gaugng of the
Binet and Simons's test. The laggsrd
and the precocious as we'll are both very
| proper subjects for particular study II
We are 10 bring the general level OF
pupil mentality to it's maximum erec-
tiveness, by marking out for each un-
usual child programme OF intellectual
| progress best suited to his needs. As all
| ridiculous false modesty that has i'm
peded wise physical inspection in the
past should be swept aside. even so
should parents be willing to acknowledge
the fact II their children happen to be
! exceptional and to work In consonance
with the school for their generalization.
rather than to fear the stignata which
In their constituencies they may fear at
| taches to the unusual child.
To the moral side I would relegate the
virtues OF obedience and respect already
discussed as inseparable from the de-
veiopment of citizenship. And in addi-