The Nursemaid's Part.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12720, 16 February 1910, Page 2

The Nursemaid's Part.

The part the nursemaid plaj's in the education of a child was given much prominence by Sir Oliver Lodge in a raceirfc speech made before the Parents' National Education Union at Birmingham.. The man of science laid emphasis on his statement that all the simple virtues, such as modesty, care

for others, reverence for elders, tidiness, and self-subordination, are inculoated in her charges by the nursemaid—if she herself possesses these virtuesi Therefore the necessity for associating duly with a hurae of refilled, mind and high morals cannot be to strongly 'insisted upon. From a careless, ignorant nurseonaidj nd matter how excellent her morals, a child may accjiili-e lessens which" will affect his whole character, for the lessons learned in childhood are ihe foundation stones on which tlie structure of character rests . Thus, if a ohild is allowed to constantly leave his books and toys about for others to put away, he soon becomes dependent on others, untidy and irresponsible ; whereas the child who is taught to take from his cupboard only tho toy& he wants* and afterwards to put them away and pick up any litter lie may have left on the floor, is learning, first the habit of tidiness, and also to appreciate the results of his own efforts. Sir Oliver also warmly condemns the slipshod habit of speech into which children are allowed to fall; he insists that they should bo taught to convey messages in the exact words, and to avoid inaccurate, ungraminatical and inelegant phrases.Here again the nlirse is a big factor, and a bhild who is constantly in, the company of an uneducated woman can hardly be expected to speak correctly. In short, the scientist believes., and we. all must agree with him, that the precious treasures of a young soul should be left, not to the careless handling olau ignorant nursegirl, but to the wise guardianship of loving parents and educated nurses and teachors.