SOCIAL INHERITANCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 106, 6 May 1936, Page 17

SOCIAL INHERITANCE

INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION

DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAL

Dr. A. G. Butchers, of the Education Department, gave a most interesting and informative address to the Kelburn branch of The Social Progress Movement yesterday afternoon.

He quoted Professor Benjamin Kidd first: "Oh, you blind leaders who seek to convert' the world by laboured disputations. Step out of the way or the world must fling you aside. Give us the Young. Give us the Young, and we will create a new mind and a new earth in a single generation." On- this, Dr. Butchers built up a most informative structure. He showed the early beginning of the development of the world's educational facilities, taking not only human beings, but all living creatures, and the young who needed the care and attention of their parents. Pleasure, fear, love in mating—all the^e qualities were shown to be in all, and it was explained that the supreme

difference between the human and other creatures lies in the failure of the animal species, other than man, to develop media of social inheritance.

THE BUDDING INTELLECT,

Dr. Butchers then traced the development of history as handed down, first by word of mouth, and later by the written script, and emphasised the value of this inheritance. The gradual assuming of customs, clothing, home, and language was followed by the j organising of industrial and commercial systems. The "cultural arts grew side by side with these, and as the world moved on games (outdoor and in), and the. harnessing to man's sert vices of both animals and the elements through 'the. ..-intervention of science. This all worked into* a splendid social heritage. The doctor showed the value of what had been done by earlier" people to make such a harmonious whole—if people would have it so.

The' mind of a new-born babe had been described as a clean sheet, and the speaker-showed most interestingly i and clearly that wonderful development which Nature ordained for these little ones, coming to the time when they learned to "talk and behave." Next came the gentle breaking in of the social instinct at the kindergarten, with its regulation of times and seasons in preparation for "herd" organisation. Ordinary school followed and the preparation for some walk in life. In these arose certain difficulties which affected-the'mental and physical culture of the,, child and needed careful watching. . ,

HOW TO IMPROVE THINGS.

''The first step then," said Dr. "Butchers, "towards improving the present state of thvigs must be taken in the homes of the people. Parents who are always finding fault with their children, punishing and repressing them, would'do well to use a little introspection and auto-criticism somewhat alongthese lines: The children are theirs; they gave them birth; they endowed them with bodies and powers, with features and failings, replicas of their own. . . . Their children are, by virtue of heredity and environment, precisely what their parents have made them; and, if there are faults deserving of punishment, it would be much more just that the parents, who are really to blame, should punish themselves and amend their, ways than that they should visit their own failings on the persons of their innocent offspring Children are not born with formed habits of thought, speech, and action. These they acquire from their environment, and lor their first five years their parents are their environment." Dr. Butchers quoted Dr. Ernest Jones, an eminent psychiatrist, who said that all character, lor good or ill, is formed by the age of five. Later influences are only superficial, or at most re-arranging the elements already built. In these five, yeavs a child has to go through a complicated emotional development that it has taken mankind 50,000 years to achieve, namely, the civilising of his primary instinct. A FEW SIMPLE RULES. Dr. Butchers gave a few simple and comprehensive rules, which were definitely helpful. The "don't,"' and "mustn't," and firmly "No" parents were told how easy it is to get into the habit of saying these words, and yet they should be avoided wherever possible. The repressed complexes should be reduced to a minimum— pointing out at the same'time the extreme danger of coddling and overindulgence. They should be shown by ; smiling . example and unfaltering sympathetic patience that there are others in the home to be considered besides themselves. He earnestly urged that no disciplining should be done when parents were angry—they were.not in a normal state themselves. They should give children plenty of means of expression—abundance of play material and fiiseside stories, especially when their little bodies were tired, stomach disordered, or they had incipient colds, etc. It was,shown that naughtiness may be traced to physical tiredness, hunger (waiting for meals), or want of sleep. "Let us therefore refrain from punishing these reactions," said Dr. Butchers, "search out the cause, and tactfully deal with them instead. So shall we be rewarded for our patience by seeing our children grow up frank. candid, affectionate, and happy—with personalities that are attractive because they have not been repressed, and a sociability that comes from mutual understanding and co-operation within the family circle. Mariners, sympathy.

contentment, courage, optimism, all develop in- homes where these virtues have been thoroughly habited by the parents themselves."

Dr. Butchers sketched the school and university course, and life in professional or business quarters, urging the necessity for outdoor games and exercise, and showing the share each individual could give 1.0 the good of the community-as a whole.