| Show E l s The e Study of Sociology gy in the Public Schools IT is commonly said aid by educators that the development of the child is analogous analogous analogous analo analo- gous to the development of the race Although the child in his physical life does not pass through the first stages of race development psychologically he does He delights in myth and exhibits exhibits exhibits its in general the mental characteristics of of primitive man map In fact he lives in ina a world of myth and is never more more pleased than when listening to tales of savage life Robinson Robin Crusoe is his Bible and the only book he desires until he has digested it Then he wants something more of the same men mental tat composition In early youth having haying completed the savage stage h he will spend hours at ata a time reveling in n the history of the American Revolution or orthe orthe orthe the Camp Fires of Napoleon He is isnow isnow isnow now in the militant stage and would make an excellent soldier But he grows out of that and finally comes to be interested in the political institutions and industrial systems of his own time He studies the laws and customs by which individuals and society are now con con- trolled The first question that arises in the philosophical mind is How came these laws and customs to exist Were they thrust upon mankind from some external external external ex- ex source or are they an ark organic growth But Rut as history and civics are commonly taught in the public schools these qu questions are never suggested either to teacher or pupil to say nothing of their being answered The student is taught that such and such events occurred occurred occurred oc oc- at stated times He learns that I the government consists of three departments departments departments depart depart- ments but as to the origin of political institutions and how the functions of government came to be thus divided forms no part of his instruction He learns facts acts of of history facts facts of civil L government but th they y are f to a great extent meaningless facts and to that extent extent extent ex ex- tent they are useless But more than that they fail to create interest and in interest interest interest in- in I terest is an end in education so fa far as the school is concerned It is evident that many teachers have lost sight of an important pedagogical principle if indeed they ever had sight of it However this principle is now being recognized d to the extent that Hiawatha with kindred literature is being introduced in the primary grades A foundation is being laid upon which to build Instead of being bored to the point of stupidity with meaningless forms the child is given that which is isto isto isto to him a joy forever Besides he learns of the social conditions of primitive primitive primitive primi primi- tive races of their family relations of the primitive forms of government nt of the beginnings of economic systems and religious institutions All this he may gain in the primary school With his entrance into the grammar grades he passes into the militant stage Give him hima a well written account of the American Revolution and let his soul feast upon it Let him read it write it and tell about it never mind if he does miss his formal lessons in reading writing and spelling Lead him to discover how the ruling power has passed from the head of the family to the chief of a tribe from him to the king and from the king to the people e. e Let him ponder on the lessons of early childhood in search of the conditions that have brought about these changes Let him see that as the tide of civilization swept westward westward westward west west- ward the wave of liberty accompanying it grew larger and more He can now understand that present social conditions are an outgrowth of the past The facts he has acquired are full of significance To him the world is quite different from what it is to the orthodox schoolboy The latter has learned learne all about history having gone gorie through b the text books while the former f feels els 1 that he has discovered red one of the most prolific sources of intellectual food I That inn innate te interest in human life manI manifest manifest man man- when listening to tales related by I his nurse has been fanned until his wi whole being is so fired with interest that t its blaze can never be extinguished M. M B. B |
