A Practical Enquiry into the Philosophy of EducationGall, James
Philosophy
A Practical Enquiry into the Philosophy of Education
Gall, James
Education
But even then, for the proper conducting of a school, there will, for
_in-door exercise_, be something more required than has yet been
provided, both as to kind and degree. When we examine a number of
children at play, we seldom find them sitting, or even standing for any
length of time, when they have space and opportunity to exercise their
limbs. The hand-motions of the infant schools, therefore, although
excellent so far as they go, do not go far enough; and even the marching
of the children is obviously too monotonous, and not sufficiently
lively, for throwing off the accumulated mass of animal spirits, which
is so speedily formed in young persons while engaged at their lessons.
It was to supply this defect that the writer, a number of years ago,
made some experiments with a large class of children, and with complete
success. The exercise was founded on the singing and marching of the
infant schools, and consisted in what is known in certain seminaries, as
"Rights and Lefts." The children were taught to meet each other in bands
of equal number, and by giving the right and left hand alternately to
those who came in the opposite direction, they undulated, as it were,
through each others ranks, and passed on to their own music, till they
met again on the other side of the room, and proceeded as before. The
exercise thus afforded to the upper and lower extremities of each child,
the expansion caused to the chest, and the play given to the muscles of
the back and body, are exceedingly beneficial; and the whole being
regulated by their own song, gives healthy, and not excessive exercise
to the lungs and the whole circulation.
It was also found, that this amusing employment for the young, was
capable of great variety. Instead of two bands meeting each other in
_lines_ in opposite directions, and parting, to meet again at the other
side of the room, they were formed into a circle, one-half moving in one
direction, and one-half moving in the opposite, by which means the
circle was never broken. It was also found, that one of these circles,
containing six or eight children only, could move within the other when
it contained a larger number, without those in the one interfering in
the least with those of the other; and the effect became still more
imposing when _between_ these, and _without_ them, two other bands of
children joined hands, united in the song, and moved round in opposite
directions.
These details may appear trifling to some; but experience will soon
convince practical men, that in education, as in Nature, the most simple
means often produce the most powerful and the most beneficial results.
THE END.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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