| | 1 | Author: | Key, Ellen | Add | | | Title: | The Education of the Child  | | | | Published: | 1997 | | | | Subjects: | University of Virginia Library, Text collection | UVA-LIB-Text | | | | Description: | GOETHE showed long ago in his Werther a
clear understanding of the significance of
individualistic and psychological training, an
appreciation which will mark the century of
the child. In this work he shows how the future
power of will lies hidden in the characteristics
of the child, and how along with every
fault of the child an uncorrupted germ capable
of producing good is enclosed. "Always,"
he says, "I repeat the golden words of the
teacher of mankind, `if ye do not become as
one of these,' and now, good friend, those who
are our equals, whom we should look upon as
our models, we treat as subjects; they should
have no will of their own; do we have none?
Where is our prerogative? Does it consist in
the fact that we are older and more
experienced? Good God of Heaven! Thou seest
old and young children, nothing else. And in
whom Thou hast more joy, Thy Son announced
ages ago. But people believe in Him and do
not hear Him—that, too, is an old trouble,
and they model their children after themselves."
The same criticism might be applied to our
present educators, who constantly have on
their tongues such words as evolution, individuality,
and natural tendencies, but do not
heed the new commandments in which they say
they believe. They continue to educate as if
they believed still in the natural depravity of
man, in original sin, which may be bridled,
tamed, suppressed, but not changed. The new
belief is really equivalent to Goethe's thoughts
given above, i.e., that almost every fault is but
a hard shell enclosing the germ of virtue.
Even men of modern times still follow in education
the old rule of medicine, that evil must
be driven out by evil, instead of the new
method, the system of allowing nature quietly
and slowly to help itself, taking care only
that the surrounding conditions help the work
of nature. This is education. | | | Similar Items: | Find |
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