| Show among the great educational reformers for meri the name of john henry holds an ever memorable place reared under the instruction of a pious mother there was inculcated in h hs his s mind and heart those truths that laid the foundation for his noble and self denying career the development of which has made him famous as an edu cator the example of his grandfather a devout man also had much to do with shaping his future in a life which in its devotion to the cause of humanity is seldom surpassed in his early school life he began to develop in a marked degree a thirst for knowledge he had become satisfied through the teachings of rosseau that the educational methods of the past and particularly those of the renascence were radically wron gand that the three fold nature of the child should be harmoniously developed his aim was to educational methods that the child should be brought into contact with nature that there should be a sequence in in the plan of instruction and that instruction should be subservient to development in his college career he found his bis ardor checked by imprisonment for a statement of his views through the medium of the college paper he took strong grounds in favor of an educational system which should extend its beneficence to the poor as well as to the rich As this theory came in direct opposition to the views of the privileged class his freedom was for a time denied him and the paper suppressed 1 doubtless through the nobleness ess of life as exemplified in the character of his grandfather he turned his attention to theology but soon abandoned that and for a time studied law which in turn he gave up and became a farmer during the time thus engaged he seems to have turned his attention entirely to his duties but soon up braided himself for withdrawing his energies from his lifes work and this pursuit also was permanently abandoned at the age of nineteen he thus expresses himself relative to the educational ref reforms he would institute 1 I would that some one would draw up in in a simple manner a few principles of edina intelligible toe to everybody that some s so am in generous 1 en e no erous people would then share the expense of printing so that the pamphlet might be given to the public for nothing or next to nothing I 1 would then aade have clarg clergymen men distribute it to all fathers and mothers mockers mot Kers so that they might bring n u up p their children in a rational ant ana C christian h ristian manner but he adds perhaps this is asking too much at a time no better idea can be gained of the magnanimity of the man than from the fact of his taking a number of poor children under his care careane and while educating them furnishing them with manual labor thus developing their physical organizations while the experiment proved a failure from a financial stand standpoint poi a t the effect upon the children by being beina brought into contact with his persona personal ity was marvelous one of his weak points which he himself confesses was his inability to look upon the affairs of life from a practical point point of view he was so much imbued with his desire to raise mankind to a higher plane that the practicability of his plans was overlooked and through his want of foresight he was reduced to poverty in which he lived for a period of eighteen years but the good he had done was not to be lost as he be was gradually attracting to him those who saw his true greatness these years had a depressing effect upon his mind but he did not give up his cherished hopes through the influence of friends he was aided in the publication of a number of works the most popular of which was leonard and gertrude this brought him into public favor it being widely read but in attempting to add continuations the prestige was in a considerable degree affected during a long and eventful career fortune seemed now to smile now to frown notwithstanding the fact that he was opposed by those afraid of his power as a thinker and reformer as well as by those who misunderstood him he attracted such minds in germany as goethe biela wieland d herder and fichte and in america ameri ca washington ras hington and madison as well as other leading men of his time wherever his theories were ant nt into practice excellent benefits followed followed pupils looked upon him as a father and entered into their work with unusual enthusiasm the associate teachers as a rule entered into the spirit of the great teacher and materially seconded his efforts when quite advanced in in years he is found struggling with a school of seventy pupils ot of all ages capacities and conditions to the irksome duties of his position he gave the same zeal as in former years although the failures of his life brought sorrow to his countenance but he did not falter his term ended he was obliged to go to the mountains for rest and recuperation one of the most significant indorse ments ot oi was the acceptance by the prussian government of his system by the establishment of a school wherein not only the youth should be taught but where teachers should be trained in the theory and art ot of teaching as formulated by its author eminent success for a time at least crowned his efforts in his institute at the efficiency of the school drew to it teachers from all quarters many being sent by the governments of the countries to which they belonged to become initiated initiate dinto into the system its popularity however waned but the were not to be destroyed the last school established by him was at blindy a small place near aver dun although old and broken down in health and spirit he secured as in former years the respect and affection of his pupils and the fame of his school became celebrated and lasted for a period of twenty years the last years of his life were spent at where he died in 1827 at the advanced ad advanced age of eighty one years one of the utterances of the great educator is the essential principle of education is not teaching it is love the child loves and believes before it thinks and acts the forces of the heart faith and love are in the formation of immortal man what the root is for the tree on another occasion he says if the religious element does not run through education this element will have little influence on the life it remains formal or isolated the child accustomed from his earliest years to pray to think and to work is already more than half educated first the child must pray with faith and love next he be must think the main features of as summed up by may not be devoid of interest i instruction must be based on the learners own experience 2 what the learner experiences and 0 observes b serves must be connected with language 3 the time tor for learning is not the time for judging not the time for criticism 4 in every department instruction must begin with the simplest elements and starting from these must be carried on step by step according to aiji tiji development of the child that is it must be brought into psychological sequence 5 at each point the instructor shall not go forward till that part of the subject has become the proper intellectual possession of them the learner 6 instruction str st must follow the path of development not the p path ath of lecturing teaching or telling 7 to the educator the individuality of the chi child id must be sacred 8 not the acquisition of knowledge or skill is the main object ot of elementary instruction but the development and strengthening thening of the powers of the mind 9 with knowledge must come power with information skill to 10 intercourse between educator and pupil and school discipline especially must be based on and controlled by love it 11 instruction shall be subordinated to the aim of education 12 the ground of moral religious bringing u up F ties ies in the relation of mother and chilt child |
