The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-01-09

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of the McKeivey public school at Pitts
burgh and teacher in the department
OF Education at the University of
Pittsburgh. This past summer he SUI
pervised the educational work al
Chautauqua, n. Y. He has inaugural
ed many new movements in education
at tn eMcKelvey school which is rated
as the model elementary school of
P1ttsburgh-a school which has at
tracted visitors from all parts OF the
country. His subject last night was
New Things In Education" Some
excellent pictures were thrown on q
screen in illustration OF the points
made In his address. The pictures
were ali token ut the McKelvey school
and represented wildly various scenes
in the schun: room and On the school
grounds. Tho pictures Prof. Kennedy
explained, were not taken merely as
pictures, bu. were honest representa-
tons OF the intense appreciation ano
understanding displayed by pupils at
this school in the work being accom-
plished by them,
Very, very different were the
groupings Of youngsters from those
seen today in tho majority o: schools
throughout the country. In few rooms
we're the desks arranged in methodical
rows but instead were scattered in
most interesting manner around the
room. A class in arithmetic was Wild
~ Interested In real store with boy
storekeepers weighing out articles
both by liquid and dry measure. Girls
were purchasing and counting up the
cost on the blackboard.
The geography class were not suf-
fering real anguish in a close room,
row following row, child behind child.
Instead the boys and girlv were our
OF doors. following pretty hill down
ward, intent on the earth compost
ton, changed under a constant flow OF
water from brook.
Children in music and art class
room we're bending over tables gay
and sunny under flood of window
light. Some were making autumn
leaves out OF paper and colorings
Others were fashioning various arti-
cles with scissors, paste brush and
paints. Songs Of all kinds were sung
under direction-and sometimes it was
music and sometimes 1t was art with
the keynote Of the whole school the
education of children according to ma
tive instincts, bending the child &C
cording to his inborn nature, under
gentle, not hard direction.
Prof. Kennedy rather moderated
mathematics in the schools, believing
this subject failed to develop chill
dren with the degree of benefit 9TH
er subjects developed. The big thing
was to make child feel great piece
of literature for instance, allowing
him to grow naturally, allowing him
plenty OF 3:berty to express his i'm
aginations and freedom to indulge in
curious reflections and to have his
curiosities satisfied. Too many "don'ts"
were said to children. They were held
down and restricted until they lost
all interest in every form OF study.
We're living in a different age now,
following the great war, and must
adopt new modes OF teaching. Chill
eren won't learn according to the
pour in" theory. Only what they
practice will stick with any lasting
ness.
Study the adolescent boy and girl.
He or she isn't TO be treated as all as
the nine and ten year old child was
f~""t01. Don't laugh and make fun
CT tie lad who glances sheepishly to-
>. = particular girl. Don't poke
fun Il n eboy who watches in the
mir i@r the first hairs of mus
tachc
Teacher .,'k too much and give the
shild too &c ne or opportunity to
express hlms"f instead. No longer
do We train the young brain alone
Instead the entire personality comes
in for instruction-tne head anG the
hands and the heart, 50 that All all
rounded development is the result
Prof. Kennedy especially touched on
the matter of cutting off the tad
poles tail. "Why do you do this?'
he asked, when this tail will come
off by itself in time?" Don't worry so
mech over traits which will dissolve
in due course of development. Don't
force progress. Don't cut o: the tad
poles tail! Some parents work hard
teaching d child to walk before nature
decides on the step. Bow-legs art.
one Of the consequences. Cutting off
the tadpole's tail! Allow a child to
develop naturally.
Samuel Butcher has written "a fine
book called 1.-THE Way of the Flesh"
which teaches the folly of forcing
children into artificial education.
Charles Dickens says God send that
the gypsies steal many children II
these are taken from an unnatural at