INFLUENCE OF HOME & SOCIAL EDUCATION

Evening Star, Issue 16822, 26 August 1918, Page 6

INFLUENCE OF HOME & SOCIAL EDUCATION

_—;—» ON CEIUXWELFARE. [By Phcebk Myebs, B.A.] j It ia perhaps as well to _ explain the meaning of the terms used in the title. Education, as now understood, means the 1 harmonious development of all the human capacities, physical, mental, moral, and spiritual, in order to prepare for life, not merely for work. Although it is impossible to separate these capacities, since any one experience may affect some or all of them, yet certain experiences may affect one side more than the outers, and give a particular bias. "While it is true that Hie is many-sided, and that all the capacities must be developed h&rmnoiously, yet it is possible to regard any experience from the point of view it is likely to have on the future welfare of the citizen. Therefore in these remarks education will be considered from the point of view of influences that affect the individual in connection with the home and society rather titan from the purely personal consideration. Since the beginning of every undertaking is the most important part, because unless the foundations axe well laid the after-structure cannot be secure, it is imperative that the home should be of tho right kind, if tho child is to receive the training that is to fit him for life. For the first few months of life the mother is the child's world, and for tho first few years the home is its world, and during this impressionable period the seeds oi health or disease, physical, mental, and moral, are sown. But even if any particular home has the best conditions, it does not necessarily follow that the children of that home are secure from evil influence, for in the present state of society, where people live in communities more ot less congested the home must bt regarded as the unit of society, and therefore home and society act and react on one another. Since tho individual citizens, taken collectively, form the nation, and the collection of individual homes forms society, it follows that the nation and so ciety, to obtain the best results, must consist of individuals and homes whose development has proceeded along right lines. Therefore it will be necessary to consider the constitution of the homeland the fundamental principles that should guide its founders. An interesting address was given in June last on the evolution of the home. In that address tho subject was dealt with from the point of viow of the mother. It will now be regarded from the point of view of the child. For ages it has been considered very important that the child should be taught its duty to its parent. Only recently, consequent on. increased knowledge of biology and psychology, has it been realised parent, owes an even greater duty to the child, for whose life ho is responsible. The home exists primarily for the sake of the child, as raav bo seen even in the animal world, for the young need special care if they are to live, and grow up into strong, healthy adults. In the animal world, year by year, the parents provide homes for the young, whom they keep in seclusion until they are strong enough to fend for themselves. Man, or rather worn a n, has evolved a permanent home, and also invented agriculture and the domestic arts, in order to provide the- necessaries of life during the long period of dependence. Up till about a century ago, when the great industrial revolution occurred, the home was practically self-contained, and was a factory in which every member of the household worked. Then, owing to improved methods, increa-so of production, and consequent cheapness of the manufactured goods, the industrial world soon absorbed, not only most of the home manufactures, but also very many of its'workers. Deprived of its manufactures, the home declined in interest, and, because it failed to find substitutes, fell into decay. Consequently home influence has declined, and although this fact has been deplored, and many attempts made to find remedies, the position has cone from bad to worse, until at the present time home life appears t-o be practically non-existent, and our social system in sad need of reform. This condition of things has pressed hardly on women, who have been driven out of the industrial avenues they themselves had created, and, in their natural desire to recover their lost ground, have entered into competition with- men, with disastrous results to themselves, for the increased competition ha-s forced them to take lower wages and occupy inferior positions in whatever work they thus compete. in 1913 Alfred 'Russell Wallace, coworker with Darwin, in his 'Social Environment and Moral Progress,' in deploring the evils that, had arisen as the result of competition amo-.ig men. suggested as a remedy the substitution 01" "co-operation" for competition, and experiments have been tried with encouraging results. If this is necessary as between man and man, how much more necessary is some other remedy than competition between man and -oman, if the spirit of comradeship is to be" fostered between them? Strange as it is that woman should have been supplanted by man in the very industries that she created, yet it is not of much use to expect a remedy until we have discovered the'reason why man was able to take her inventions, improve on them, and then force her to take an inferior position in what the had hitherto been supreme. The reason for this I ha7r- never seen expressed; but it appear:? to me that it is owing to the fact thai they were looking at the matter from different points of view. Woman regarded it from_ the individual standpoint,—that of the individual home and individual needs, the purely personal; man, on the other hand, accustomed to look at things from the material point of view—of things in mass—regarded it- as a business, and consequently it lost it* individuality, its personal touch, and hence have arisen labor troubles. If women are determined to reform the home, so that it will be able to perform its work in influencing national life as it should, then they must be prepared to adapt it to modem 'conditions by enlarging its scope until it embraces every subject that concerns the home —that is every subject under the sun ; that is to Bay. deal with it as man docs, with his work. It must cease to be purely individual, and must be all-embracing. Thus onlv can the problems relating to home life be solved. At tho present time there are very many homes that .embody all that home stands for; but because they are individualistic they fail to effect reforms in the community. To understand fully why women are more nearly concerned with the problems that pertain to home life it Ik necessary merely to mention that the first home of every" human being is the mother's body, and while it occupies that home no influence can reach it except through the mother. That surely must have been why the mother felt the need of a home for her little one.-i, and supplied the want. Again, may not the reason why she invented the arts of peace be traced to the fact tliat she manufactured from her own body the nourishment beet suited to the needs of her young, and the advanced science of to-day, with the most modern equipment and greatest skill, is unable to produce an equally good food. Should this not inspire in us feelings cf reverence for such wonderful powers: Therefore the reason why women have succeeded in evolving the home is fundamental, because it is physiological; and similarly man, because he has not had such experience, must fail if he attempts this work, and therefore women must do so if it is to be done. The results of the inefficiency of the home and of the social life are apparent everywhere—particularly in the children, as revealed in the reports of the medical inspectors of schools, hospitals, health officers, etc., and more strikingly in the reports of the recruiting officers" in the early days of the war, when 40 per cent, of the pick of our manhood were rejected for physical defects alone. Had the tests been applied to tho whole nation tho percentage of rejects would have been very considerably increased. yucJi a result in- a country like New Zea» land, with condition* like ours, should giv<! material tor thought. According to Dr Josephine Baker, Director Bureau of Child Hygiene, Department of Health,

New York City, these defects are preventable if proper attention is gh'en to children in the pre-school age—i.e., between two and six—for she says : " It has also been found, in a study of this age period, that the kind of physical defects that have caused our young men to be rejected for j enlistment in the Army and Navy occur first during the pre-school age." Had [ equally severe mental and moral tests been applied, and applied not to a small number, but to the whole- population, the results would have been striking indeed. The mental and moral detecte of our homo and Bocial conditions are seen in our various societies for the amelioration I —not the prevention—of the results of these conditions, and since these societies simply deal with the effects, and do not attempt to deal with the cause, they are hut multiplying the cases for treatment. These societies are a blot on our civilisation, and if our home life and social conditions were efficient they would be unnecessary—e.g., the Society "for the Protection of Women and Children exists to protect women and children from whom? Man, their natural protector. This is but one of the many societies that exist for similar purposes, vet we live in the twentieth century and boast of our civilisation. The influences that these bad conditions have on children are seen in the increasing number of children that have to receive special treatment on account of their environment. An improvement in home conditions would necessarily react on those who are brought under their influence, and therefore it is worth while to consider the fundamentals of home life. First of all in importance are the home-makers, for in their fitness for their work depends their success. Since the child of one generation is the parent of the next,_ in dealing with this subject from the point of view of education it is necessary to consider the conditions from infancy upwards, for the best results can be attained only in this way. The most important Qualification for this purpose is health in its aspect—physical, mental, and moral-—since this work makes the greatest demands on the individual, and calls for the highest qualities. This threefold view of health implies ability to resist disease, to think accurately in' order to overcome difficulties, and to be able to conquer temptation; and last, but not least, high ideals of duty and reverence for the body as the most wonderful work of the creation. The training for all these must begin in earliest infancy. In order that the child may have a fair start, the mother must receive consideration. This is done in Prance and England at the present time, for prospective mothers are the only people, except soldiers, who are allowed full rations. In New Zealand, too, treatment and advice are given free at St. Helens hospitals. The supreme importance of the" mother in this connection is of great value, as it indicates recognition of her social service, as well a« of the claims of the future citizen; for it is known that mental deficiency, as well as physical, results from starvation at some period of development. In order to attain this threefold health, hygienic surroundings must be obtainable, and therefore it will be necessary to study much mora thoroughly the laws of hygiene. The child must be taught practically the fundamentals of hygienic living. ' Under this heading will come personal cleanliness, feeding, clothing, training in regular habits, housing, sanitation, etc. Thus the home is connected with the outside world, and this opens up, naturally, fresh avenues of employment for women. This training is partly mental, and also moral, since every physical act involves mental co-ordination; and the training in regular habits is the beginning of self-discipline, and consequently has a moral aspect. All this training must be done in the home in the first few years of life, and there-fore, if the child is to have its opportunity for full development in its home, it must be looked after by someone Who knows its needs. Hence the necessity for a knowledge of at least the first principles of the laws of hygiene. .Again to quote the director of the Bureau of Child Hygiene, N.Y., U.S.A.: "The pre-school age is the time when, above all others, the child needs nourishing food and care. It is the time when the health habits of life are formed. Mentally and physically, in after-life, the child will be the result of the influences that have surrounded it during this early period. There is no time in the whole history when so much good or so ranch harm can be done. This is true particularly with keeping up the bodily growth." In this early stage also the child learns that it is a member of society, and gels its fundamental training therefrom. At first it is purely individualistic, and has no other idea than the satisfaction of its own animal requirements. Then it learns to share its treasures with its mother, and when the mother pretends to take from the baby a bite of the trust that, it offers she has given it the first lesson in citizenship—i.e., consideration for tiie welfare of others. The mental and moral influences of food, clothes, etc., are only beginning to be realised, and offer problems the solution of which will give plenty of occupation to future investigator.-, who will probably he women. The relationship of food to mental and moral fitness i.s another problem that i.s beginning to attract attention, and will give scope to women with a taste for bio-chemical experimental work. Therefore all these come under the heading of hygiene, and should bo regarded from that point of view. The question of health depends largely in housing, etc., and therefore town-plan-ning, as well as house-construction, must come under the f-ame heading. Theje are problems that must be studied by women as well as by men. because '-he home itself is the province of the woman, and she should know its needs hitler than the man. and also be better able to suggest means to economise labor in the. home. The training for home and social life, should hoc in in infancy, for the home and social instincts are fostered when the child is trained to form cleanly .and recrular habits, for the foundations of health and self-discipline (morality) are being laid and when the child is taught to do email acts of service for others it i«j receiving training in social service. The Plunket Society is fostering this spirit, and is therefore a truly educational institution. This training jb continued during the kindersarten period, and therefore the free kindergartens are doing valuable service in congested areas, where there is little opportunity for the parents to give the necessary time and thought. Considerable extension of this work would lead to a marked improvement in the home conditions of such districts. During the school period the work begun on right lines at the earlier stages-- of life should be carried on. Th« conditions of the school should assimilate as closely as possible to those of a good homo, since the school takes the place of ih«. home during the greater part of the child's day. and therefore) a home atmosphere should exist. At present this can hardly be aaid to be the case. The divorce of the home and the school at this parted encourages degeneration of the home, because there Is likely to be a clash of interests. Therefore it is necessary for teachers and parents to co-operate. Moreover, to produce this home atmosphere ar.-d to r.ocina the co-operation of the school and the home, women should occupy a much more prominent place in the health and welfare of the school, and should therefore be on all governing bodies. At present they have the opportunity, but have not taken full advantage of it. Children now may leave school at 14 and -enter the industrial ranks. Often the home influence 'is weak or non-exittent, there is no control, they are earning money and become indifferent citizens, because they are too immature to he left without guidance. They often <frift into dangers and temptations, becarfle they have no cense of responsibility. Hence has arisen the need for soedetiea th.it are a disgrace to our civilisation. Those sock'tic have been formed to ew-e the ills of society that have flourished because the influence of the home has gone. The lack of social education has produced the present ■' milk scandal," which could not Stave oome about if women understood tlie meaning of social responsibility, The children of tii-is land, the most favored on enrth, a land "flowing with milk and honey, : ' are 'crying for their daily food, because the mothers take \v> share in the city housekeeping. It in all

1 left to the " City Fathers.** who do not understand the needs of the home, and therefore the work » not done. This, too, at a time when we are raisins; tiie cry " Save the babies." hold " baby campaigns," and then deliberately " murder our babies." Could degeneracy of horn© fall lower than this? For the last 40 years girls liave been educated on the same lines as boys, liave taken the same subjects, and passed with credit the same examinations; but they have not been prepared for life. For more than 20 years they have had the franchise, and are still unrepresented in Parliament. Exa-minatkg&s nave been regarded as the end of education, and iJiey have not produced efficiency, because education lias been narrowed to the school and its work. If children are to be prepared for life, and not merely to paes examinations, or to be merely worker*, home and social training must begin in infancy, must be continuous and pi-ogres-i sive. ' To remedy this state of things, it will bo necessary" to adopt a wider outlook, extend the scope of the home, make it. include all the homos of the nation, and fo get the idea of the national home and study its welfare. We must teach thai every citizen is responsible for all, and owes a duty to society the State. From & selfish point of view this is necc-j----sa-ry now that wc know something of the problems connected with public health ■ for '' no mother's baby is safe until every mother's baby is safe." Therefore home problems will ariso that will have to be studied on broad principles. As a result of this, the mechanical, routine work of the home will be minimised, and there will be greater leisure for the mother, who will then be better able to train hor children, to improve herself, and keep in toiu-h with the outside woikl. The importance of the home is now recognised in the industrial world by the introduction of welfare work. Home conditions and the home atmosphere mmst he taken from the home into all institutions, and so humanise the institutions. This will be the work of women. The present condition has arisen because man carried on the work of woman without understanding its underlying principles. Becognising his mistake, he is invoking the aid of woman, and together they will be able to l-ecor.'.iirut't society on a firmer foundation. To do this we must get back the human interest and home spirit bv cultivating a. home atmosphere in every department of life. The training for this purpose, as indicated, must be begun in infancy and carried on throughout life. A sense of social responsibiitiy wiH JWfiult, and there will be developed in every citizen the desire to seek the welfare of the community, and net of the individual only. In the evolution of human institutions, man and woman are responsible for different sections, and have approached the work from the point of view of their separate needs, and if we- are to build soundly this must not be overlooked. Woman evolved the home and what it stands for, because of the needs of the children, for whom she was responsible. Man evolved warlike conditions for defence, and carried these into his work—e.g., commerce, etc. —on a competitive basis ; and when man took over the home arts and agriculture he gave them his characteristics, developed them on a Janrc scale, and lost -sight of the individual who would ultimately use the products. Woman regarded the individual needs, and therefore wove a web of sentiment into Iter work. Now we have arrived at this stage. Woman, having evolved the home -arts for the individual family, made the home self-centred, and it- contained her world. Man invented machinery, increased production, lessened its cost, and then carried his products into the world at larce. Woman, deprived of her means of livelihood in the home, had to go out to the factory and workshop, and was unable to look after the heme so well. Consequently, home life deteriorated, because men. who were now the controller* and directors of industry, did not see it* importance. Congested areas arose, Biwi new conditions of the home. hut. wom«s, owing to their self-centred education, wet® unable to adapt- life to the new environment, and consequently it has degenerate^. To restore it to its former dicnitv, but to adapt it to modern conditions, is the problem that fares the present-day reformer. Bomembering the different attitudes of mind of men and women towards life, it will be possible t-o arrive at some safe basis for reconstruction. Taking the home as the centre, and recosnising the viewpoints, it. seems safe to assume that women should be trained to approach the subject fr<>m the home to the outside world, and men to rezard the home as something to which all their commercial and industrial enterprises must ultimately tend, and therefore their work will be humanised, and that of women will be nationalise!. I.n order to accomplish these purpose*, both reed the fullest ment of their resources, and each will then respect the wo'k of the other. Of recent veers- the recognition of the importance of tnA hr.-7ue .'-■ a'subject for study indicates that the problems have attracted attention, and are considered worthy of thoughtful consideration. The present is a transition Fta-£»e, and everything seems at cross purposes: but hopeful signs are not wanting. The <~ign? of the awakening are manifest. for there is a rrreat desire for a knowledge of facts, and investigation must precede treatment, since unknown evil* cannot- be remedied. Another is the recognition of the importance of the mother in the influence on the child. This is the. result of the_ researches in biologv and psychology of recent- time*. Other encouraging suns are the attempt to .awaken interest in tho schools, and so arouse a sense of social responsibility. Then, again, the. interest l-'ken in the schools by the medical and dental professions, the attempts to secure co-operation of p.irenis and teachers, the recognition of the need of closer connection between the .school and the home, the ro-ope-tation of the children with the work of their elders in patriotic movement" 1 , all tend to show that the value of the children is beginning to lie recognised, and ;ilso that by organisation a tremendous force can be obtained. To sum up. the first, step toward* reform ir, the recognition of evils ; the second it the search for the causes : the third is the attempts at reforms : and the fourth is organisation for improvements. Trie first three of these steps have been taken in New Zealand, and the time is now ripe for the fourth. This work has hen e.:.j l a%;u' l i a considerable amount of atf-i--;tio;t from a special committee of the C'ouiy:i .;' Education. Investigation* are still being carried on. and in the li.dit of fuller know. led-?e no doubt comprehensive report* «-il; bo "able to he male. Then, probably, if will be possible to outline a scheme for tin laying of the foundation stone of the national iioir.fi in which the children of tin nation will he trained, so that they ma) lie the parents of a nation worthy of tin traditions handed down by those who hav< fought and died in order to make thai home a possibility.