OCR Text |
Show STUDY AND PLAY IN OGDEN SCHOOLS As Seen By Prof. Henry Peterson of the High School and Ptiil D. H. Adams of the Central Junior High School Prof . Peterson Favors Home Study. 1 1 Two of the speanera who addressed Jthe congregation at the Congregation al church last evening on the schools of Ogden were Prof. Henry Peterson of the High school and D. H. Adams of the Central Junior High school Prof. Peterson spoke on "Study," say Ing . Study. j Study to the popular mind means the getting of lessons to be recited in class The getting of the lessons I may be done in or out of school In a better and broader sense, study is 1 the mind following its interests and getting its nourishment for growth I The healthy mind naturally craves nourishment and activity as does the body. Because of misconception, much ad erse llteratuie has appeared recent I ly In newspapers and the cheaper : magazines agninst study, especially j "home study " This may be well-I well-I meant but because it is unenlighten led it is often mischievous A proper and helpful discussion of the subject presupposes an understanding of ' study" in Its past history and growth 'and Its present ideals In one stage ! In the distant past 6tudy consisted in j memorizing outside of class or schol .the matter written down by iho pupil I at the dictation of the master This I was in an age when books were not I plentiful or when then there were none At a later stage books became nu-1 merous. Human kuowledge was re corded in Miem Psychology, how ever, was not developed Tho mind and the process of learning were misunderstood mis-understood In consequence of these conditions "study." especially home study, was abused Supposing the mind to be a vase to be filled with useful knowledge, the child was sent home to memorize a stipulated amount each dav This was a task assigned him The motive was fear The child who was not prepared to recite the lesson the next day was punished flogged. The teacher was not a teacher in the best modern serse. He was a hearer of recitations. He was a monarch to be feared, who ruled with severity Tradition, with its conserving force has brought some of these schools driun to the present, to the twentieth century, Well meaning people have 1 supposed the condition to be general, j This has occasioned the adverse conditions con-ditions against home study The modern school no longer sees 1 "the whining school boy with his sat- j chel and his shining morning face creeping like a snail unwillingly to school " The teacher In the best schools is no longer a monarch to be Cegred, B mere asslgner r.f tasks and hearer of recitations. Modern psychol Ogy has lauchi that the mind grows 1 by its own healthful action 1 and that interest rocs before and helps select those experiences' of the race or of the Individual best suited to each student. Books are 1 no longer magazines of facts properly arranged and ready to b set over boldly into the growing mind of the Child through the motive of fear Pleasurable Activity of Mind. Stud;, no under favorable conditions condi-tions Is the healthful, pleasurable SC-1 tiylty "i the mind stimulated by in-r-re.t Teaching no is a more pleas-j ant function than sitting behind the deak. book In one hand and ferrule in the other to see that ih task assigned has been thoroughly and correctly memorized The teacher now is to teach, i e.. to guide the child to get 1 hose experiences thai are adapted to his stas' of growth. The teacher guides ih- child M'h interest instead of driving him with fear and undermiulng his heaith In the class teacher opens the child's mind and j studies the subject matter in hand with him and leaves him with an ap petite for more Outside or "home study'" consists in ihe child satisfying satisfy-ing 'he craving prompted by interest and thus pleasurahly gaining the nour ishment and activity necessary .'or mental or spiritual growth Where according to the ancient process a stem task was set and especially es-pecially where without Interest as the guiding motion it was so rlgor-oush rlgor-oush enforced .is to create nervous ; ncss and break down health, there was ground for objection Where these conditions have been perpetuated perpetu-ated to the pres-mt there may be room for aderne criticism But where con ditions are more modern and interest IS beginning to lead in healthful mental men-tal activity, let us be patient and co-: operate and not obstruct We have no more riht to hinder the health ful, pleasurable activity of the child than to assign arbitrary, unpleasant 1 tasks io be prepared. In the modern high school we ad- . just 10 this in many ways. Study Is I not mere filling of the mind with fa'te. not mere mental activity, It is phvsical as well as mental, and therefore. there-fore. eaoe-ialy when Interesting, healthful. To assure interest the student stu-dent has not to take as formerly ih-whol ih-whol curriculum. Interesting or no but to choose from a large number of studies representing life activities those which appeal to his intere There is moreover, no stipulated amount that each one must take health or no health The student may take according to his or her parents pleasure, from one to four or rive Studies. This will grant him more or less time to prepare his work In Kchonl and be will need proportion ately more or less lime in which to 1 graduate. . . ,. I Modern study Is founded on Inter est and healthful aetltity Even teachers now are coming to believe that while the student stud es or goes to school he has a right to live and oe ha ppy Address by D. H Adams. D H Adams, speaking on Play. Sports and G-imea." said: The field of play. Pon and games I. as varied and old as the human race Here a different spin, of joj and gladness rules Thus, in order 1 ,0 study this subject, we must seek the motives and tendencies bequeathed bequeath-ed to us from the past. U a tadpole's tad-pole's tail must be both developed used as a stimulus to the growth ; of legs which will cerwise neve. mature so play must furnish he pr j marv element, toward the taU devjl-'opment devjl-'opment of physical and mental sope-. 1 1 rlorlty and perfection. In play every mood and movement Is Instinct with heredity. Thus we rehearse the activities ac-tivities of our ancestors, back we know not how far. and repeat their life work in many ways The elements and combinations, oldest In the muscle mus-cle history of the race, are represented repre-sented earliest In the Individual, and those later follow in ordei This is why the heart of youth goes out Into play as into nothing else, as if In It man remembered a lost paradise. This is why play has as much soul as body, and also whv play so makes for unity of body and soul that the prav-erb, prav-erb, 'Man is whole only when he plays." suggests that the purest plays are those which enlist both alike. Therefore play is the ideal type of exercise lor the young, most favorable favor-able for growth, and most self-regt'-lating in both kind and amount. The zest of it satisfies the strong passion of adolescent youth, and gives an exaltation ex-altation of self -feeling so much craved The idea of sports, carried to a proper conclusion w ill without doubt furnish a mighty force for good and :hus keep the youth from falling into vicious wavs and incurable habits. hab-its. In Greece the deeds of the young athletes were ascribed to the Inspiration Inspi-ration of tho gcdn asd In doing them I honor the discordant states found a uond oi unity The victor wai crowned with a simple spray of laurel; lau-rel; cities vied to do him honor; smilpior& competed in the representation representa-tion of his form; poets gave him a pedigree reaching back to the go4s and thus raiFed his victory to symbolize sym-bolize the eternal prevalence of good lover evil Tradition gives Plato not only one of the fairest souls, but a ! body remarkable for both strength and beauty and for whom weakness wa6 near to wickedness and negligence negli-gence to sin. The Greeks united I closely the bodilv and physic education educa-tion and the physical training was fo I the sake of mental training N'o ' strong, sane mind can exist in an j unpound body Bodj- culture is ultl-l ultl-l mately only for the sake of the mind I and soul, and all our efforts should be toward the acquirement of a sound hodv In which a sound mind may 1 dwell "Play gives not only strength but courage aud confidence, tends to simplify sim-plify life and habits, gives energy, decision de-cision and promptness to the will, briDgfi consolation and peace of mind in evil days, is a resource in trouble and brings out Individuality "To know aid to have the power to do" is as essential today as In the days of Socrates. "He is the oest man says Xenophon. "who is always studying how to improve and he is the happiest who ftc-ls that he is improving im-proving ." Life is a skill, an art like a handicraft, handi-craft, and true knowledge a form of will. Good moral and physical le-velopment le-velopment are more than analogous they are inseparable Play aud work, are the elements through which thlsj development is gained. Animals must move or cease growing and die. While to be weak is to be miserable, to feel strong is joy and glory. It give? a sense of superiority, dignity endurance, endu-rance, enterprise, power, virility, and virtue In the etymological sense of that noble word. To be agile and strong is especially the glory of young men. Just enough play activltv at the proper lime and rate contributes to permanent elastic ity of mood and disposition, gives Dior al self-control, rouseB a love of freedom free-dom with all that that great word means and favors all higher human aspirations Play enlarges our life Primitive man and animals played, and that too has left its trace In us. All are young a' play, and only In play; and the best characterization of old age is the absence of the soul and body of play. We inherit tendencies tenden-cies of muscular co-ordination that have been of the greatest racial utility. util-ity. So running and dodging with speed and endurance and throwing and hitting with a club were also basal to hunting and fighting. Th's makes for instance baseball familiar because activities are employed which were for a long time necesaary for survival This is why certain exercises are) more interesting and efficient than others. The be9t exercises then are those which develop these basal now-era now-era old to the race and which hnve always been fundamental to the wcl fare of the race, rather than those whicb develop our modern ideas of j (rowtfa icgardless of heredity The besl ulde to these exercises is Interest, In-terest, .est and spontaneity Thus. Ise ought to develop nature's first intention and funil the law of periods and the determination of the scientific work of these periods is of the greatest practical Importance For Instance, there la a period In children's chil-dren's lles when they abandon then' selves to the luxury of playing with "dolls" This is common of all ages and races and conies down to us SB one of the purest type6 of the ro-hearsal ro-hearsal of the history of ,ne r3Ce Bv fore seven children usually require 1 lm stimulus of older persons From seven 10 adolescense games are iodi vidual and competitive In early adolescence ado-lescence the individual is more or less sacrificed for the whole -team work-is work-is required under the direction of the captain and in which the play has a program and an end Also there enters en-ters into these activities all the savage sav-age outdoor life hunting, fishing. Kwimmiug. stealing, sailing, fighting, hero-worship, adventure, love of animals ani-mals etc These things are more characteristic with boys than with girls. The plays of adolescence are socialistic, demanding the heathen virtues vir-tues of courage, self-control, bravery, lovalty. enthusiasm. The age of greatest number and variety of HmiiKeniont is from ten to twelve This Is the time when S great accumulation ac-cumulation of unorganized knowledge is made, in which great Interests arc acquired, and which the foundation of a career of investigation and scientific sci-entific study Is laid Lnther Burbank. in bis remarkable book. "The Training of the Human j Plant" says "Every ehlld should have mud pies, grasshoppers, water j bugs, frogs, tadpoles, mud-turtles, el- derbeniea, wild strawberries, acorns, ' chestnuts, trees to climb, brooks io I wade In, water lilies, woodchucks. W 1 bats, bees, butterflies, pet animal, fi- hay fields, pine conea, rocks to roll. iM sand, snakes, hornets, etc., and any K Child who has been deprived of these . has been deprived of the best part of 'W" his education." B In the eafly adolescent period t among boys, amusements Involving p physical exercise predominates Ball e games rise rapidly and steadily :o E eighteen. M the same time a tonden- E cy arises which calls for making E I things that are useful and this desire E soon runs more and more to accom- ff plishmenf of 6orae definite aim. The ff desire for mastery is now at Its height The instinct is to maintain E one s self independently and ask no B odds, while the impulse arises to do P something worth while. With adoles- K cence. specialization upon a few play E Is markedly increased in tho teens W among boys. Ferrero and others have B shown that the more intense activl- E ties of primltie people tend to be wf rhythmic. History shows that labor. g play and art were all set to rhythmic B movement which Is so deep seated in jL biology because it secures most joy of life with least expenae. It lo thus K natural that during the period .of greatest strength and increase In mus F cular development, the rhythmic func- If; tion of nearly all fundamental move- f- ments should be strongly accentuated E Collese yells, cheers, rowing, march- M ing, running, tug-of-war. calisthenics, h music aud horseback riding are rhy L' thmlc; tennis, baseball, football, bas F ketball, polo, golf, are less rhythmic 1 but pre concerted and Intense F The old adage that 'the parent ol f prose Is poetry, the parent of poetry r Is music, and the parent of music is f; rhythm, aud the parent of rythra 19 God,' seems bome out not only tn r ! history but by the nature of thought i and attention. Dancing is one of the b most ancient expressions of rhythmic 1- movement Saagc are nearly all dancers imitating every animal they know, dancing out their own legends r, with ritual sometimes so exacting ihat r error means death. Religious and na- I tional dances express racial traits j Instead of the power to express tbw sentiments of pure lovo, mourning. i justice, fear, anger, consolation, di- . vine service, and every industry or ft characteristic act of life, we have f In the dance of the modern bail room not only a poor imitation of truo rythm. but a noble art too often turn- f ed Into a burlesque and stained oy I bad associations I "Next comes the desire for personal I conflicts, such as wrestling, boxing fighting, dueling and other expres- BtOBt of brutish Instincts which :ro n hereditary and crop out irresistibly ' curing the period of adolescence. Re- pulsive as these grosser manifestations manifesta-tions are, their impulsion cannot and r.hould not be eliminated, but dlrec'- ed into other channels or pnysicai training or directed toward evils tnat need all the antagonism that can be mustered. Most of these exercises are in themselves productive of great value val-ue in training and, rescued from evil associations, would become of great power in the physical and character upbuilding of the adolescent youth. j "The chief evil of modern American v-football v-football which now threatens its cp-pression cp-pression in some colleges Is the lusr to win at any price ?.nd results in tricks and secret practice Theso sneaky methods impair the sentiment, of honor which Is the most potent ot all the moral safeguards of youth, so ihat a young man can not be a tnw gentleman on the gridiron. This ethical eth-ical degeneration ia far worse than all the injuries received during the game Self must be merged and P JM ppirit must be cultivated that pre- fore defeat than a victory gained by tricks, and brutal tactics. The toler- 1 atloti of professionalism Is a sad comment com-ment on the spirit of Miese games and eliminates 1 lie best of their educational education-al advantages : Finally, military ideals and methods meth-ods are helpful regulations of append appe-nd for combat, and on the whole more wholesome and robust than those which are merely esthetic. The mental and physical discipline, regular regu-lar habits personal appearance, excellent ex-cellent exercise, love and honor or countrv all these things can and should make this svstem a great promoter pro-moter of national health and lntell.- "The p!av problem i6 now fairly open and is vast In its relation to manv other things The playground with all its problems, has come to stay The use of parks, school premises prem-ises and buildings, excursions and outings out-ings occupation during vacation, boys clubs, nature study, transition to in-dustrial in-dustrial education. Mower gardens, production contests, relations of clubs, leagues and unions; to all this work such are the practical problems for us to solve fl "In general, athletics supplies splendid motive against errors and rices that weaken or corrupt the bod! furnishes a vent for recHesi courage that would otherwise go to disorder or riotous excess; supplies new and live topics for terse, vigorous and Idiomatic theme writing? lays in-Btructors in-Btructors under the necessity of beint more Interesting: and Is an admirable school for training young men to conduct con-duct financial and business operations. Us obvious dangers are detraction from study and overesmnauon of thj value of victory. artldfaT glory whir,, Is given to great games, unsportsmanlike unsports-manlike conduct, excessive strain on bodv and mind; overdevelopment or ,he physical side of life, to the detriment det-riment of the mental side of educa UUThe field of play Is'aS lde as life and Its varieties far outnumber those of industries and occupations in the j census. Jtl "BrlntOO "sys: "The measure of the value of work is the amount of play there is in it. and the measure of "the value of play the amounl of work there is In It Johnson adds that 'it eMUjB ,f a great man ever accomplished his life work without having reached a play interest In it.' . . "Thus play and work go hand in band and supplement each other in working out a rounded development 0. human character and physical and mental acquirement. Play can do just bard and painful tasks as work, tor what wc love is done with whoe and undivided personality V or as loo often conceived, is all body and no soid. and makes for duality and not totality. itsLV -We may be able sometime to sur-fuse sur-fuse work with the play spirit, and vice versa, that the present distinction distinc-tion between work and play will vanish van-ish and we may be able to find the true proportion and system between drudgerv and recreation. Our preaotit dutv. then, is Plain We must worK OU1 scientifically a plan where work, play and study shall be proportionate- f, H an f I harmoniouslv developed i that . biildren a each period shall tbose tbinjs which ihey crn ;md must have If they arc to gron physically, mentally and morally :mii if the youth of our land Is to he saved from temptations temp-tations and vices of the cigarette store, the iool room and Lhi saloon Tvhere the attractions of social re-qaleementl re-qaleementl are greater than can l' obtained ai any other plae The psychologist and ihe layman vho go to work in a life of Berries have here B great opportunity, and should no' forget, a. Horace Mann nald, "that for all that grow?, one former is worth om- hundred reformers." |