CITIZENS IN EMBRYO

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2216, 31 July 1914, Page 8

CITIZENS IN EMBRYO

TRAINING THE CHILD ■ ■ • ] DISTINGUISHED EDUCATIONIST'S VIEWS ■ t 1 ? Concert Chamber was packed to the back wal! last evening wjien Dr. t i', F "'dlay, M.A., Ph.D., Professor o Education to tho University of Manchester, delivered an intensely illuminative address on 'The Leading Princioiplesof Education Reform." Tho chair was occupiedJ>y tho Hon. Jas. Allen. Minister of Education, who was supported on the platform • by a distinguished group of educationalists. Mr. Allen said that it was with the greatest pleasure that ho introduced irofessor Findlay, who was an expert in education, and dwelt on their extreme good fortune in getting such a distinguished man m the world of education to. tell them what was going on at Home and; elsewhere. Such 'interchange of opinion was of tho utmost value and importance, classed, as their visitor was, with such men as Sadler and other educationists, whose names were, known even in far-away Now Zealand. He called upon teachers and inJpctors to disseminate the knowledge that Professor Findlay would impart course of his lecture. (Applause.) 'A Subtle Change. Professor Findlay said that Lis timo bomg limited, he would como rWit down to fundamentals. Great influences were at work that were bringing about remarkable changes in the- moulding of the lives of children, who Were adopting a different attitude and novel views towards life to those which the children at- one time held in meeting the change, ho would ask teachers not to work m solitude, butto secure the greatest measure of co-opera-tion—secure the sympathy of paronts, of politicians, of State officials. With problems; the progress which had been made in these new countries had been remarkably. He had heard 1 and studied about labour questions in New Zealand, and its new lines of social economy, especially as regards the land, labour, wages, and insurance. But in connection _ with the arts and. culture, and particularly as they affected the .scholastic system, the people appeared to abide by the Old Country pattern, studying such subjects as they did in Europe. How should they account for this versatility of thought and action in economic and social problems, and the lack of it in 'the field of culture, where theyj were content, to adhere to the English' rules ? The difference, he thought, was due to lack of time. Economic .problems pressed materially on a new civilisation, and affected tho daily life of everyone—art and culture must await reform and readjustment, leaving' the next generation to re-shape tho structure. ' - • ■ Obsolete Ideas. The old idea in education that a child should be checked at every turn was dead, said the speaker, flow far had this change affected the, relationship of teachers and children; at school ? Under the old habit of submission they were able to compel the diligent study of certain subjects, but'just as 'soon as they realised that growing sense.of freedom they , began' to go 'their own way. ' what had been the remedy for > political freedom oil the freedom of labour and women? It was found at first that they did not know how to use their, freedom; 'and they had to be taught',to realise their' own responsibilities, so the .'partialabandonment of discipline in the young people must bo counteracted by incuP eating a sense of < responsibility in tho individual and evolving'occupations and interests, which they, found to be of value. . Phases of Childhood. ' Prof. Findlay said that special observation should be given the child at different ages. For children of three or _four years of age he was strongly in favour of Madame Montessori's system of infant training. The next stage n i a -i j r ? m s ' x years, when tho child began to dimty_ understand the reality of lifo x and all its impulses wore to copy, imitate, and act out its little world The initiative faculty showed i , t l re , nd certain impulses which should bo studied and- directed. There was the necessity of taking the drama consideration. The cinema compelled them to reckon with the drama, as it was the kinema—tho passive drama—that was holding children's imaginations, and if the schools could only learn to purify and elevate such teaching, and to induce the child to become tho actor instead of the one that sits and listens. Then came the ago of puberty or adolescence, which had been called the period, of stability, as the child mind then was comparatively stable. _ That was tho period when tho child was ready to work,* wanted to work, without having forgot-' ten how to play. "When it was not able to reason clearly but'was prepared for a certain amount of work which must bo carefully designed so as to have some relationship with play. • . ' • ? I,oy niust devise processes by which independent tuition could be given to each child._ As they cleared out tho infant galleries long ago, they must now have a clear floor space, and' movable desks. - The school must be regarded as a corporate society, where as they developed those social instincts and impulses which came with adolescence, under careful guidance, they learned their relations one to the other. They should find that best in their ,'hifeh schools and secondary schools in the system initiated by Arnold, of Rugby In the high schools were laid the founl dation of all the virtues men and women wore expected to display in the city'and country. , Tho chairman spoke warmly of the stimulating address Professor Findlay had given them, and called on Professor Chilton to move a vote of thanks, which was seconded by Mrs. Evans, who was announced as having been'the first lady graduate in Now Zealand.