THE ADOLESCENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22497, 14 August 1936, Page 3

THE ADOLESCENT

IDEALS OF EDUCATION LYCEUM CLUB ADDRESS "The Training of tlio Adolescent" was the subject of a very interesting luncheon talk at the Lyceum Club yesterday, given by Mr. J. N. Peart, headmaster of King's College. Tho president of tho club, Mrs. W. 11. Parkes, presided. "The adolescent age," said the speaker, "from twelve to seventeen or eighteen years of age, is tho most difficult. ago of all. Before twelve tho child is in the home circle and lives in his own familiar surroundings. After that age, in the adolescent period, physiological and mental changes are taking placo accompanied by unfamiliar enior tions, which ho does not understand. He also begins to look at the world about him. It is an ago when the child needs special handling and special care." . , In discussing the education of tho child, Mr. Peart said that what was meant by education was tho promotion and maintenance of full and intelligent living. This involved tho training of three sides of tho individual, tho physical, the mental and the spiritual. Training 011 tho physical sido included physical drill, Swedish exercises, etc., by which was achieved control of tho muscles of the body. Balanced Diet Another aspect was that which dealt with the enrichment or welfare of the body and which was dependent on a balanced diet and the right kinds of l'ood. Having provided tho child with muscular control and a well developed body he was then fitted to take his part in the rough and tumble of school games. / in developing the mental sido, said the speaker, tho best way was to repeat the same process on the mental plane. Mental exercises included tho study of mathematics, of the construction of languages, the study of Latin and Greek, and memory training, all of which developed tho reasoning powers and made the child capable of dealing with whatever problems ho was faced with. The second phase, that of enriching the mind (akin on tho physical sido with nourishing food for the body) was achieved by the study of English literature and that of other nations, tho study of tho classics, of history, geography, art, music, etc., thus providing the child with a background of general information. Facing tho World The third stage, that of equipping him to face the rough and tumble of the world, was met with tho study of physics, chemistry, biology, botany and ' kindred subjects and learning handcrafts of various kinds. All this, said J the speaker, applied to the normal I child. For the sub-normal and the J super-normal there would be differences I in the methods followed. Most difficult of all in attaining this j ideal of full and intelligent living was the third phase, the development of the spiritual side of the adolescent. Spiritual exercises could tako tho form ! ot practising tho virtues of unselfish- j ness, truthfulness, service to others, J chivalry to the opposito sex, and re- j garding the body as tho sanctuary of I the spirit. Spiritual food could be found j in the church services, in the recogni- I tion of moral responsibilities and in 1 standing up to temptation, so strengthening tho spiritual side of tho nature. If th is work had been properly carried | out tho adolescent was then able to face the various temptations that would bo.sot him when lie stepped out ! into the world. A passing reference was made by tho speaker to the matter of co-education, which he did not believe in after the age of twelve or thirteen. Owing to the physiological changes that were taking place it was better for the child to be among those of his or her own sex.