Arizona republican., 1921-07-10

cales a gap m euucatlon. hotneis once taught their children all the phases of etiquette. It now seems they teach almost nothing along this line. A few rules of behavior are perhaps insisted upon. but that the average child remains unaware of any real reason for passing behind people instead of rushing in front of them no one can doubt.
 There are various reasons why ideals of courtesy are no longer part of home training. The sentiment to give the child a chance to develop his
 individuality for himself is very
 strong. Then, the mothers are busy
 with many new interests--careers. office work, clubs. athletics. With the lack of time or inclination to teach children at home. there has should be responsible for all phases of education.
 The schools have already taken up the question of health in crusades with records kept of teeth brushed
 baths hours of sleep, and hours of 1 exercise. The schools. too, are teach i ing the rules of safety first" to show l children how to guard against acci- l dents Now it looks as if the pub l lie schools would have to give serious attention to courses in such subjects l as tact. consideration and how to act l on the street.
 1 A great many schools have already | assumed this extra burden. It pre-
 sents serious difficulties. The home, l where the child is treated altogether
 as an individual, is the most natural place for him to learn how to act
 toward other individuals. And too. | the school teacher has a certain
 course to follow. so much arithmetic
 and geography to teach. She has
 little time to explain why one should
 not shove but let somebody else 60
 first.
 How Manners Are Taught
 But as children are not getting
 this instruction at home, the matter
 is being forced on the schools. Some
 have definite lessons in manners, just
 as in spelling. Situations are de-
 scribed by the teacher and acted out
 by a few pupils before the class.
 Other schools use moving pictures to
 show how courtesies and discour- tesies really look.
 In still other schools formal lessons in manners are not approved. The children are taught incidentally whenever a situation arises. Some of the school officials think that chill dren cannot be expected to learn how to deal with one another courteousiy so long as schools are conducted like
 penitentiaries. They think. for in stance, that school children should not be herded into lines when the bel rings and marched upstairs like con-
 victs with teachers watching to set that no one speaks to his neighbor.
 The ideal. they say. is to have tho children come up quietly in group.
 as they would enter a theater ol church or any other place where peo. pie gather. This is practice for sit. | Al. IL. f<t. A.... : while marching in a set line is not
 In this connection the teacher is sup
 posed to stress the idea of courtes, to others. This lesson is bein, taught in different ways and to diff ferent extents in almost every schoo system. Mostly it is an incidenta T subject brought up only when the oc t casion demands.
 . The effect on the class depend ' entirely on the teachers personality One educational expert with whom we have talked thinks that teacher . should themselves be given course e in personal relationships-mea courtesy. how to teach it. and wha l to do in all sorts of situations no 2 covered in the course on pedagogy ' He also thinks that the parent e should be urged to cooperate wit $ the teachers by insulting some of tn
 fundamentals of courtesy in tn o home. With both teachers and par 1T ents setting an example for the chil 'I dren. this educator thinks we shoul n no longer need to worry over a pos y sible return to primitive selfishnes! II -O-
 ', In an amazingly short spare 0 IF lime the brother appeared, fis sle
 double harnessed with my host K. team in the lead. The leader seeme ~ very proud, and I think he kney is what had been required of him. an