Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-08
DR.. FRANK o. WATSON
On Education Outside of School


HLNDUCATION must provide environment
IL for the child, then stand aside and
let that child choose his own life work
This is the opinion of DIR. Frank d. Wat
son. director Of the Pennsylvania School for
Social Service, and associate professor of
social work at Haverford College. In pref
acing his remarks, Doctor Watson modesty
observed that he considered the fact that he
is the father of three boys better quail
fcation than his degrees or his social service
work in talking on the subject of children
and their education.
Doctor Watson declared that the old
fashioned idea of deciding a child's profess
sion before he is able to walk is rapidly dying
out. and an intricate system of vocational
guidance is taking its place.
EDUCATIONAL guidance is very important
remarked Doctor Watson, "but it is also
very difficult, and can easily work harm
instead of good five minute interview
with an individual cannot decide into what
groove he or she will fit, any more than the
old decision of the parents could direct the
dcstinies of their baby. Every individual is
so very different, and SO very complex in
make up. that there must be careful and
prolonged study of every case.
II would personally like to ses feast Of
intellect spread before every child, and have
him able to choose among any number Of
cannot, however, be- but education can en-
deavor so to fix the child's surroundings
that he will be in position to make his
own choice. In nine cases out of ten that
choice will be the best one that could possibly
be made. At all events, don't push him.
1T is becoming more and more widely
recognized fact that the case system is the
most successful, but that case system en-
tails the careful study Of every child, from
1n arA for In tod Nf
time.
Must Have Smaller Glasses
1--WE have gone a long way from the old
fashioned theories of education, and | am
not at all pessimistc. but we have long
ever be made until classes of fifty and sixty
are reduced to twenty and twenty five
Then, and only then, can the proper atteu-
ton be paid to individuality.
There are several popular misconceptions
of education that the 9Th of September and
the opening of the schools bring to mind
one of them is that the children will be re-
commencing their education at a. m.,
September s.
Education Is a continuou1 process from
the cradle to the grave with no Interrupt
tions. Some one is credited with saying,
half seriously, that he was thankful that he
had been sent to school but three months
eaCh year, as IL nuQ lc1t MIN nine months
for his education. / repeat this thought, al
though stand second to none in the hom-
age I pay to the school teachers of America,
"This remark means today that if the
whole boy or the whole girl is to be educated.
the school must supplement the teaching of
the three RS by enarging its curriculum to
include much that was formerly taught in
the home, on the farm or at the work bench
Of his father. We have bodies as well as
minds. We live in world of concrete
things as well as of ideas. Both sets of facts
must be constantly kept in mind. Educa-
tion has the three fold purpose Of making
the boys and girls more efficient producers
more efficient parents and more efficient
citizens. The last two are much the hardest
to inculcate in their minds.
II did not mention . a. M without
Thought. Education is a process that be-
gins with our waking moments and con-
tinues until we lose consciousness in sleep
Madame Montessori has well said, TO dress
| child Is the work OF a servant to teach
| that child to dress himself is the work of
an educator This applies after and be-
fore school hours, as well as during them,
Enthusiasms Are Necessary
'In short. the home must still do much
! educational work II the finest tyne of nor
sonality Is to be developed, and only throueb
that finest type Of personality can we have
| the state of things which Will cnab,o tbo
child 10 be able to choose his own life wort
and work out his own salvation with suc,
| cess
| 1t Is personality that counts In tbe Ion.
run, and this Is combination of a we'll.