Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-10-29

helping to make the rules Of the
game. the individual will learn from
experience how agreements are
reached by compromise, and thus
comes to realize the advantages of
cooperate activity. By being sub
jected to social pressure he learns to
respond to it. BY taking part in the
projects Of the group he will learn
that he is expected to do his share
of the work. BY exercising his con-
science on the live moral issues he
becomes sensitive to the principles
involved.
The NTH principle is the principle
Of group motivation. In group of
Boy Scouts the leader constantly
aims at social motivation. This is
done by praising the group as a
whole rather than any individual
member of it, by setting up group
detectives to be accomplished rather
than individual detectives.
The sixth principle is that the
small group virtues should be
strengthened and used az a basis for
the strengthening Of the virtues that
will be useful in the larger group.
Each individual must learn to adjust
himself to group life. The first adjusts
ments that he learns to make are
naturally those in the family circle
and in the immediate neighborhood.
The later and perhaps more imper-
sonal adjustments to the larger COM
munity are interpreted in the light
of his earlier and more personal ad-
justments. In the family and neigh
borhood group he must learn not to
be Quarrelsome, he must not tell lies.
+ he must not commit injury against
any member of the group. he must
not be unjust, he must not steal, he
must not be untruthful.
The seventh principle is that the
limits and the conflicts between the
small and the large group relation
ships must be clearly defined and the
situations must be provided for soIv.
ing problems in which such conflicts
occur. Small group loyalties are a
menace to society at large. unless
upon these loyalties there are graft
ed motives for the welfare Of the
larger group. -
The eighth principle is that the
personality Of the teacher or leader is
a fundamental factor in the estab-
iishment Of standards and traditions.
"As is the teacher. so is the school"
The concrete reality Of living person.
atty in daily contact with the child
is perhaps the most effective source
of his ideals. There Is nothing more
contagious than personal example.
The virtues and the vices of the lead
er tend to be initiated by the mem
bers of the group.
The ninth principle is the principle
Of utilizing notices, slogans. shibbo-
leths taboos, and other words or
phrases which will tend to unity or
organize for each individual the
standards WHICH he is accepting from
the group. Examples of such notices
stated in the negative are: Don't be
a gutter" Don't be yellow" Don't
be a muoker," "a squealer," "a pussy
footer." Don't be cad" Other ex-
amples stated positively are: BE
square," "Be honest" "The fair
play boys THE square dealers"
The tenth principle is the law Of
effect. The best way to build an in
hibitive habit in any individual
against an anti-social practice, is to
associate the practice with dissatis-
faction or annoyance. One such an
noyancef may be enough to form a
permanent inhibition. The burnt
child breads the fire. The burning
was an annoyance. The boy who is
caught in the act of cheating or
stealing. and who finds social pres
sure and disapproval against such
practice, may be permanently cured
the moment he feels the sense of
shame.
The counterpart Of this principle is
the law of satisfaction. When boy
has done a good deed, when he has
| rendered a social service, when he
has shown himself trustworthy In
,, word and deed, his right action
should be accompanied by satisfac-
ton.
The eleventh principle is that
ideals and attitudes are generaIiza
tions Of specific habits. "Prejudices
and attitudes may grow out of speci-
fic habits" says Bagley, las when the
habit of Sunday observance. estab-
lished in early childhood. becomes
! more or less explicitly formulated as
Ideals and gradually come to express
themselves as prejudices which
makes the lack of observance a mat
ter of discomfort and annoyance"
The final principle is that ideals
are best strengthened through emo
! tionai experiences. This is almost a
corrolary of the law of effect. No
amount of reasoning can move man
to act unless his feelings are also in
volved. These feelings may not be
violent, they may not be outwardly
manifest. but they are ever present
as satisfiers and annoyers.. influence
| ing the selective activities of the
mind. 1t is therefore easy to believe
| that our ideals are Influenced by
means of literature and music and
other forms of art which appeal to
! the emotions. Our actions are deter
| mined by our loves and hates. The
| more powerful these emotions. the
more effective are the ideals to which
| they are attached.
Social education is a business OF
| prime Importance to the life Of a de-
mocracy.
1t is only when viewed from the
/, standpoint of society as whole that
the transcendent Importance of So
cial education in a democracy be-
comes apparent.