Principles of Education

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892 Excerpt: ... boys and girls. They have thus far associated together in sports and common enjoyments. They have formed attachments growing out of these associations. Now, however, another and more subtle element than sports and common enjoyments determines the attachments formed. Now to the boy the society of girls is becoming more attractive than that of boys, and to the girl the society of boys than that of girls. This condition of things is in the order of nature. The evident duty, therefore, of parents and teachers is to direct and control, not to crush, this inherent and refining natural tendency of our being. (b). The emotional nature and the imagination play a very important part in shaping the social relations and the general course of conduct of this period. It is a common saying--" boys and girls are impulsive." We mean by this that they act from their feelings rather than from the dictates of their reason and judgment. In this connection it should be carefully noted that the emotional nature is exceedingly inventive, and that this inventive power is in some degree universal. There are comparatively few, who, in matters requiring the exercise of pure intellect, are inventive; yet every one, in matters pertaining to the feelings, possesses this power. This is particularly true between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five. Hence the endless variety of devices by which young people are able to carry out the demands of the feelings and of the heart; hence, also, the importance of supplying the proper social conditions for the exercise and training of this power. (c). An over-exercise of the social nature, which draws so largely upon the feelings or emotions, is productive of great injury both to the body and to the mind. The effect of such a course upon t...