Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-10-30
YOUTH, MATURITY AND
EDUCATION

YOUTH, MATURITY AND
> EDUCATION
"children have more need Of mod
els than Of critics.. declared Joubert'
There is at Portland a State con-
z vention of children's models. They
may wish to avoid the soft impeach-
ment, but it is unavoidable. Would
it not be well for parents to recog-
nize the fact? Assuming they, them
selves, endeavor to be models, they
should be competent to realize the
difficulties attending the effort and
accordingly measure out their appre-
citation for services rendered; best
keep in mind that which has been
stated on excellent authority: the
workman il worthy OF his hire.
Is not that convention Of teachers
of interest to the parents Of pupils
Are not those matters, which they
are discussing, the spirit in which
these are discussed, the conclusions
arrived at Of vital Importance to the
parents Of children? In theory no
one may dispute It; in practice many
do.
They are risking much by this ne
elect; they are not hearing some in
teresting things that are being said
about them. For instance the dean
Of Boston University women gave
voice to advice directly aimed at the
parents. Included in it were some
statements meriting attention-and
we are not sure but some of them
also need some qualification. How
many Of us realize that "the last ten
years have produced great intel
lectual gulf between maturity and
youth" that the older folks have got
to hustle to keep up with the process
sion?
We are not SO sure but the learned
educator from Boston unconsciously
magnifes that gulf: possibly asso-
ciating with the conceits of youth
has Influenced her Judgment unduly.
Science undoubtedly has been strid-
ing ahead but not yet has it produc-
ed children after the manner Of
Athena, who Is said to have sprung
from the head Of Zeus with q mighty
war-cry and clad In complete armor.
Youth comes with the war-cry I'M
naistakable, but is noticeably lacking
in arnaor and with Judgment to go
with its conceit, and just as suscep-
tible to the fate of ''early ripe. early
rotten. as were the fruits of yester-
wear.
Science has not and never will find
m antidote for the callowness of
youth, though 1t may prescribe BRIEF
Or limits to its duration. Surely it
were better that youth be not de-
luded with the notion that under the
tutelage Of science, even in this won
derful age. q calf is to be born full
grown OK. Furthermore, while the
youthful noodles, which the Boston
educator has been stuffing, may have
surprised her by the amount of alb
sorption Of which they seemed cap
able she. nor youth, nor the rest Of
US should hasten to conclude that
they know more than youth ever
knew before. On the contrary, age
for age. 1t might be questioned
whether in some essential particu-
lars they do not really know less,
are more helpless when left to shift
for themselves, than the heather
Hottentots-if there be any Hotten-
tots nowadays.
There IL. however, no disputing the
educators conclusion that "the stu
dent mind" Is more developed along
the lines Of books; that it is suffer-
ing from eyestrain. not SO much be-
cause Of its observances Of actuali-
ties as from reading what others
have said about these; also that it
has become insolently conscious of
what it may do and call the doing
OF 1t "self-expression". Neither would
we dispute the conclusion t.iat par
snts have been sadly lacking in their
sndeavor to teach self-control to ac-
company self-expression.
II, as this educator concludes. ma
turity jostled out of its comfortable
inches. convictions and conceits and
appalled, by the scientifically trained
mind Of youth asking direct oues-
lions and tolerating no evasions. is
insecure and wavering in its attitude
toward youth. 1t indeed should be en-
eouraged to ''brace up" The mature
might properly be stimulated to
10 the point Of insisting that youth
shall wash the supper dishes and
darn the socks, at the risk of sci.
entidc training being diverted for
the moment.
We do hope the parents won't get
me idea that youth knows 1t all. be.
cause OF modern methods of educa-
hon. or that they themselves. know
little because they haven't acquired
all the patter about science. We
wish' however. that their curiosity.
II not their conscience. might be
aroused sufficiently to take an inter.
est In teachers conventions and IN
what Is being said there.
The coal strikers are hon,nr ga