River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1925-04-23

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however, does not take place in this
easy way with children under the age
of adolescence. If we could direct
the constantly forming and changing
controls which give character into the
ideal character presented in Christ by
means of instruction only, we would
have a simple task, but character edu-
cation is a much more involved pro-
cess. Our spiritual inheritance which
causes a desire to be right, to love,
to know God, seems to be largely de-
pendent upon a physical trackage for
its expression and usefulness.
Character education must be con-
cerned with the nature of the social
environment Habits are formed most
largely by the constant pressure, in
fluence or education of environment
through actual physical experiences
in living. Attitudes, ideals and appre-
Citations result from these real or inn
aginary experiences; they grow along
with our habits and become the mo-
tive power, the dynamics of charac-
ter. If the environment is producing
good habits then right attitudes and
ideals will naturally result and vice
versa. These attitudes and ideals as
the control of conduct are strength
ened by accompanying emotional ex-
periences such as satisfaction, dissat-
isfaction, fear. confidence or love.
They are given skill for effective
work by instruction. This means,
therefore, that our education in char
acter development must be most
largely concerned with the selection
of that kind of an environment that
gives the kind of habits we need for
the basis Of desired ideals and atti-
| tudes. Consider as an example the
home environment where the parents
are teachers or patterns. When the
children get into the habit of sharing
with each other and with their parents
and friends, because sharing is the
way every one in the home does, such
attitudes as consideration, thought
fitness and unselfishness may be eX-
pected to result. To share their pos
sessions and happiness with others
becomes the ideal in the life of the
children. These attitudes and ideals
are constantly being strengthened by
such emotional experiences as salts
faction and feelings of Brightness and
of unity with others. By means of
the instruction of the parents the
IL. II 10 orc foY
when to share in the most useful way
for all concerned. The influence of
the home environment with its ways
of living together" its emotional ex-
periences, and its instruction is made
permanently effective in the lives of
the children in proportion to the
amount of time that the children
spend in their home environment.
In the weekday church school room
as in The case of the home, that which
is going on-its conduct, its life, its
total social influences of pupils and
teachers where there are active in
terests at work with resulting con-
trolls and restraints, is far more pro-
ductive of character than formal in
struction. A child's thinking, his
habits, and his attitudes are best mod
flied and directed when actual situa-
tons arise in his life. Therefore the
weekday church school should pro-
vide social experiences that present
an immediate need for the perform
ance of the type of living we desire,
which in our case, is the "Jesus Way"
The character habits to be formed,
such as cooperation, service, though
fulness, sharing, etc., have to be de-
termined upon by the teacher Desired
ideals and preferences as justice, per-
sonal honor, impartial judgment,
humility, and reverence, must also
constantly be kept in mind by the
teacher. These ideals and preference
es should be assisted in their growth
in connection with habit formation.
Such attitudes grow out of the situa-
tons that are used in the formation
of habit. BY means of the stories that
we tell, in the weekday church school
the children for the moment cast aside
| their present "way" and through their
imagination live out in their own
mind the main thought or way of liv-
ing presented by the stories.
The total program of the weekday
church school, including worship,
song and prayer, the study and in
struction, and the play and work ac-
Invites should all contribute toward
Christian habits and attitudes as we'll
as toward knowledge of God. The
program should develop respect, love
and reverence for each other as well
as for the Heavenly Father In the
total procedure Christ is the great
pattern of the children, the revelation,
of the Father to human society of
how Gods will may be done in the
lives of boys and girls. AS the chill
dren get near the adolescent age,
Christ's life should be carefully stu
died. This all means that the time