The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-03-07
RR YOUR CHILDREN
 Dy Oi;vs Robests 6srtoN ;
EDUCATORS FAIL TO TEACH CHILDREN TO BE HAPPY.
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It seems that when someone be- gins to talk about the soul and the spirit most people turn away They cant stand anything preachy. I don't know why 1t is. Just human nature, perhaps. So many of us are materialists and some may think that feeling, or spirit, is too hard to understand. Yet these are the very things that are more important to happiness in life than almost anything else.
 Sometimes I think that in train- ing little children, supervisors of behavior keep their noses to the ground too closely. An ear to the ground never comes amiss. There is such thing as following one trail and not knowing the other forces at work.
 Behavior clinics and speciality schools are all right. More than right, one might say; and the work they are doing in revamping hope- less children Is marvellous. They also have a way of producing the latent best in all children under their care. Unguessed ability is brought to light and children of tender years often become pro- digies.
 COntcntmcnt Encouraged.
 With 1t all a certain content this is especially true where the mental-hygienists have their way.
 There still seems to be some- thing missing. So far the child's training is entirely tangible. His mind offers itself for experiments as materially and transparently as his body. He Is, in short, known by the laboratory name of case work."<
 Is there nothing else?
 Let us go far back to the days when there was little education. The plane was pretty level then because no one had much learn ing. AS education became more universal, the plane grew higher. Colleges reared their heads. As education spread, the competition spread. therefore unhappiness. The elect got all the jobs although there were better and smarter will ge-Hampdens who had no chance What When All College Taught ? The last few years have burst that bubble. Added to the disap. pointed were the disgruntled. w. have an enormous population ot | unhappy people, not all young now, who have found their train. ing gone to ashes without any re. source to combat 1t, or to encou, age them.
 We need to look ahead. The little children who are either be. ing made into hybrids in specialt, schools or driven to produce theii best in public schools, should be benefited by past experience. The whole trend is mental. It is stil competitive, and like the level finder in flood waters rising high CT. Will they be happier for 1t? Afer a while everyone will bt crowding that rare upper air tha' is supposed to be enviable ant blessed. Then what? Won't his tory repeat itself and children then adult enough to know. look back and feel they have been giv' en little enough after all? Nc power in themselves, or without themselves, to be content with life as 1t happens to them?
 World Needs New Soul Diet. This is why I believe we art cheating many children. The m est spiritual qualities are peace kindness. service, humility ant honesty with others and with self And certain patient tolerance. Re move religion from it if you like but I do not think you can. Righ now the world Is starving for [ different diet to feed its hear | musles.
 Everyone says we must change human nature before we can ex pect content and peace. but her' we are, working daily with littl' | children in all sorts of laborator les and schools, and doing almos nothing about it.
 | Education is much but not all | A well-balnnced mind Is not all. well-baianced soul Is victory. Ths old achieve it--sometimes But
 think that children could, in yer. simple ways, Do taught it too. | Copyright, 1885. NHA Service. Inc