The Little Review, April 1914 (Vol. 1, No. 2)Various
General
The Little Review, April 1914 (Vol. 1, No. 2)
Various
Literature, Modern -- 20th century -- Periodicals
The spirit in which pastor Witte went about his task is shown in the
following passage:
The firmness in executing my purpose went so far that even our
house dog knew the emphasis of the words: "I must work," and
calmed down the moment we spoke these words softly into his ears.
Almost from the outset this made an enormous impression on Karl.
He soon became accustomed to look upon his work time as something
sacred.
The development of intellectual and moral courage, the most important
qualities any man or woman may possess, were neglected, at least were
not given the attention they deserve. To inculcate in the child a desire
for liberty and social equality, he overlooks entirely.
The father is really the more remarkable of the two. A product of the
method of education prevailing at the time, he stands as a refutation of
his own theories. Pastor Witte conceived and carried out an idea
successfully. He did something, at least theoretically, worth while. The
son died at eighty-three. Now what difference would it have made either
to the boy or to the world if his appointment to the teaching staff of
Berlin had come at a later date? Most methods of education aim at the
training of the senses and the accumulation of facts. While these are
necessary, I think the speed at which this is done is immaterial to the
child.
Some of the finest men and women, who made this a better world to live
in, had no scientific training in their childhood or later. We need not
go back to history to find them. Maxime Gorky, for instance, lost his
parents before he was four years old, and began to read under the
supervision of a cook at sixteen. Jack London is another instance that
suggests itself readily to one's mind.
Of course these are exceptional people, but take the thousands of able
and brainy men and women in labor organizations and idealists in all
walks of life. Usually they had very little attention from their
parents, either because they had no time or did not know enough. These
men and women who had to rub up against the rough edges of our
money-making machinery and to stand squarely on their feet facing this
world and its problems,--willing to lend a hand, yes, even to give their
lives for the betterment of social and economic conditions--these
persons are worthy of the name.
Now I don't want to say anything against the early training of children.
The kindergarten and all the methods of early training in schools have
come into existence because there is a real need for them. Parents, for
many reasons, no longer have the time to train their own children; but
we expect results from education in general that cannot be accomplished.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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