Show SCHOOLS TOO BOOKISH we like the idea of many modern schools in making objective sense perception to some extent the basis and in all cases tile the companion work of book students it is is lit an accepted maxim among educators that the common schools are too bookish the students are studying not what they themselves have live seen experienced thought or accomplished but always what some one else often a remote person who laed in foreign lands or distant times is supposed to have thought said or done we say supposed because in many cases the feats or sayings attributed to ancient or doiel foreign n men and women aie largely fabulous and these reading lessons nearly always hear bear the air of fiction ad unreality tind and not infrequently that of unnaturalness ur or impossibility reading front from books is to all children and to some adults a mere seeing through other peoples ebes instead of using their own thinking other peoples thoughts instead of experimenting for themselves and at best imitating others rather than acquiring command of their own activities by systematic terna tic trial of them what the child really needs most what he truly likes best is to explore the world tor for himself what is needed is not the mere facts about birds lowers flowers and animals for example but by means of studying them to add to the resources and enjoyment of active child life matuie study as it appeals to the child from books from words talks charts and pictures fails of its chief end it if it does not send the child to matuie itself and to make sure that the whole thing is not more or less of a failure we entirely coincide with the teaching that the child would best begin with the object with the rock the plant the bird the butterfly with what eier eer in fact is the object of study and ana then after the child has made liis his own observations and deductions under the questioning and direction of the teacher let him read what others have seen and proved about these or similar objects this meth ineth od aloud adoue is literature lit in its true sense for short of this basis in ones own experience lie he has nothing with which to compare what others have wiit whitten wi itten teu the teacher simply deceives himself in supposing that the child understands what lie he reads or even what he spells writes memorizes or recites that will depend upon what the child has already seen lone or thought tor for himself the child can read spell write ind and recite and et have only a vague or if vivid a positively false idea oi of what he is reading spelling reciting drawing but give him a basis for comparison and lie he will construe more or less correctly the words wards of others and will read well because be reads intelligently are various ways of oc giving the child this basis but our best ed educators ury have long been practically practical unanimous in saying that there is no better way than by the study of nature at first hand the interest or uie tie healthy child in the great world about him is a wondering curious loving and even a scientific interest it is science on the one hand hall and an appreciation of the my mystery the beauty and the bounty of life on the other when as john burroughs le maks s the school gills gails tome come to school with their hands full of wild flowers or the boys make excursions to the woods in may for wintergreens winter greens reens or black birch or crinkle root they are all moved by an interest that is old and deep seated as the race now the schools can add to this flits interest and curiosity a little science and touch of practical knowledge just enough to guide the boys and girls to see the great ends toward which all animate nature Is tending and just how man can make use of these tendencies in field forest f factory ac and home life these natural feelings are lifted by these means to a higher plane what boys will rob birds nests after the savage in him has been humanized by a stud study of 0 the homes and habits the songs and usefulness of the blue blid and meadowlark we could heartily wish well to this truer standpoint of education it is a nobler and saner motive and basis from which the child can better belter learn to read write snell and cipher what cannot the child learn better and faster while dealing with fit facts which lie he himself has discover edwith sentiments of love and beauty of kindred companionship that are truly his own spontaneous creations and due primarily to his own understanding we hope to see some day in every school tile the time when school facts and drills will ha have c become 1 stead instead n of arbitrary discipline dici pline ind and routine drudgery the basis of healthful living in adult life and a light and joy to the mind during the years of childhood and adolescence deseret news it would be a great joko joke on walter wellman after he got to the north pole to discover that the earth Is ball bearing |