Youth in a world of men; the child, the parent and the teacher

Front matter

. y ‘ J P

VOUS EL EING A WORLD OF MEN

YOUTH IN ASecnusss WORLD OF MEN

Introduction

., wrote, “Schaffende Arbeit ist Weltengebst.” In these four words lies a world of meaning. They apply not alone to school life but also to every phase of human existence—be it art, literature, commerce, industry, invention, discovery, or social achievement. Each of us has a real necessity of creating something; without the opportunity to do so, real joy and pleasure are impossible. Creative effort culminating successfully and to the inner satisfaction of the doer affords life’s highest reward. External requirements of adult society or of higher levels in the educational, social or economic structure too often crush out the best creative impulses by requiring standards which, when attained, bring to the individ-

L vii |

Introduction ual no sense of joy in real accomplishment.

A little boy who was attending a so-called progressive school came home early on a Thursday afternoon, the time set aside for “creative work” when each child could devote his time to his own problem or hobby. The father, asking the reason for his son’s early return, received the very illuminating reply, “I am not taking ‘creative’ this year.” Creative effort in this school had become a subject rather than a principle. The little fellow had wisely dropped it and had taken up some work at home in order to avoid the teacher who wanted to do all his thmking for him.

The great fault of our schools has been to judge children and their work by adult standards. The work of the child is praised most when it resembles most the work of an adult. It should be sufficient if the child

[ viii ]

Introduction has lived up to his own increasing standards and ideals and has found real inner satisfaction in his own accomplishment. His growth and ever higher attainment will be guaranteed if from day to day he has the feeling that he has not failed in his own eyes. A child who has been allowed to grow up in an environment of helpful suggestion and of rational freedom will always set his standards high enough to meet the needs of his present development.

There is nothing quite so harmful to real progress in ability to think and to act, as the highly organized marking system now in vogue in our schools, from the earliest years through the university. One great university spends thousands of dollars each year calculating marks and ratings of candidates for the degree of doctor of philosophy, a degree supposed to represent creative thinking on

L ix ]

Introduction the part of the student. Only in a few instances has the student the courage to differ with the committee which passes on all degrees. He must conform. All dissertations must pass in review according to set standards. An original idea has not the faintest chance of being “honored” by a degree.

Mrs. Johnson has written a most stimulating volume and in it there is no more important thought for. parents and educators than that the child is a person and that the organic development of a personality needs freedom under discipline—self-discipline as the outgrowth of vital experiencing. Overdirection, too much supervision by others, and too much regard for artificial standards are destructive of the child’s proper spiritual achievement.

Tuomas ALEXANDER bay

Contents

. WHose RESPONSIBILITY?

. LHE Nature anp NEEDS OF THE

CHILD