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HIE BROWNLEE
1 SYSTEM OF
CHILDTRAINING
"MORAL TRAINING
IN THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
By
JANE BROWNLEE
1 66 W. yjrd St., New York City
Formerly Principal of Lagrange School,
Toledo, Ohio, and Lecturer before
Teachers' Associations and
Mothers' Clubs
May, .1908
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I OCT L 16 W8
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Copyright iqoS by
JANE BROWNLEE
Pri?ited for G. W. Holden for personal distribution
Address for copies
The Holden Patent Book Cover Co.
Springfield -:- Massachusetts
A PLAN FOR CHILD TRAINING
Jane Brownlee, Principal
I have been requested to describe minutely a plan for child
training used in the Lagrange School, Toledo, Ohio, for tie
past seven years.
This plan was evolved slowly, and could never have become
systematized, as it now is, but for the hearty sympathy of all
the teachers of the school, and their never-failing co-operation
with the principal in giving a fair trial to ideas suggested.
There were many failures at first, and many fine theories were
abandoned because a trial proved them impracticable. But
failure only served to stimulate us to greater effort, for there
was conviction on the part of those interested, that there is
a new step to be taken in popular education — that is the
recognition and development of the child's higher self; the
awakening of the child to his higher powers, teaching him how
to develop and use them, that the child may make life happy
and successful.
Lagrange is one of more than forty ward schools in Toledo,
is a fine building, comparatively new, and is beautified by a
surrounding of magnificent old elm trees. There are fourteen
large pleasant school rooms and a shop and a kitchen in the
basement. The plan of the building is remarkably good
because it tends to unification. On each floor the schoolrooms
open into large halls with broad staircases, which bring all the
pupils together in entering or leaving; an advantage over the
old plan with its narrow, separated halls, through which the
children pass single file. To encourage still more this spirit of
unity, there is a large auditorium with a seating capacity of
a thousand where the children are assembled for entertain-
ments of all kinds not only for instruction and pleasure but
also to learn how to conduct themselves in public places.
Between six and seven hundred pupils are enrolled, and
the material is not more ideal than that of the average public
school in any large city. It differs from some schools in this,
that the children come from a great variety of homes. Some
are of wealthy parentage, large numbers are from homes of a
thrifty class, there are many foreigners including Syrians,
Poles, etc., a few negroes, and some poor little ones from "the
alley."
» This has been an advantage, for it proves that the higher
self of the child can be touched and awakened, independent
either of poverty or riches.
The children from the true home can be more easily
reached, but the true teacher finds neither heredity nor en-
vironment unsurmountable obstacles.
In 1898, a course in psychology deeply impressed me with
this truth: Thoughts are things. I was at the time teaching
an eighth grade in Lagrange school, and was also principal
of the building. It occurred to me that a practical application
should be made of this truth: that boys and girls should be
taught to value their thought power, and to use it in building
character. From this thought there gradually evolved a plan
for a series of five-minute talks to my own class at the opening
of the morning session. The purpose of these little talks was
to direct the attention of the pupils to certain truths: that
they had the power to think: that they could use the power
in any way they chose: that no one could think for them any
more than he could eat for them: that their thinking made
them, and that, therefore, their character, the kind of persons
they were to be, depended solely upon themselves. They were
led to see that it would be a great help in character building to
take a short time alone each day, if only three or four minutes,
and consciously let the mind dwell upon some good thought
or lofty ideal.
One day a shy, thoughtful boy said to me, "I like what
you've been telling us." "Do you like it well enough to try
to live it?" "Yes," was the earnest reply, "I've made a
promise to myself not to let a day pass without doing what
you have advised, to sit alone and think a good thought."
Other members of the class have since told me of the impres-
sion made by this, to them, new thought and of its influence
upon their lives.
The following year I was relieved of class duties, and could
devote my time to all the schools. The spirit in which my
own class had received the little talks on thought power made
me feel that all the children might be benefited by such in-
struction. It was put to the test, found practicable, and was
gradually worked out into a systematized plan.
The children learned through these simple five-minute
talks in the morning that the body is just a little house in
which the real child lives. They learned that this body as
their house, is sacred and must be kept pure and clean. They
learned why they eat food, and why plenty of .sleep is neces-
sary for growing children.
In the same way they learned that the mind is distinct
from the body which it controls. That the mind, to be healthy,
needs food just as the body does, but its food is quite different,
their lessons forming the greater part of it.
Then they learned of the real child dwelling in the body
and having the mind for its instrument: how this real self
could not grow as it should in an unhealthy body and with an
undeveloped mind : that if this real child were growing stronger
day by day, it would show it in right thinking, and so the
child by watching and controlling this wonderful thought
power could grow into a strong, fine character, that not only
would make his life happy, but a help to others instead of a
hindrance.
Then followed lessons teaching him how to control and
develop his thought power. A subject was chosen for the
month, and the entire school concentrated upon it, using the
first live minutes in the morning. An interesting proof of the
power of this united mental action was given by the following
experience. This work was independent of the regular school
curriculum as planned by the superintendent. But it was
finally recognized as a factor in school government, and a
revision in the course of study allowed one period, once a
month, for talks on ethics, and different subjects were assigned
to the different grades. - The work under this plan was a
failure in our school. We found the periods were too far apart
to hold the interest of the children, and the talks so long as to
weary them. Only one thought at a time should be brought
out, and there should be as little said by the teacher as possible,
the purpose being to find out what the child thinks and direct
his thinking.
The following plan was finally worked out, and has been
used satisfactorily for several years in our own school, and
for the past two years in Spring school, one of the other
Toledo ward schools — namely: To select some word for each
month of the year, and get the children to express their
thoughts about the subject. The words selected were as
follows :
For September Kindness
October Cleanliness
November Obedience
December Self-Control
January Courtesy and Cheerfulness
February Work
March Honor
April Honesty, Truthfulness and
Clean Language
May and June Manners, and review of the year
The first subject chosen, " Kindness, " is divided into four
parts, one for each week in the month. First, kindness to
parents, the children's best friends; second, to teacher, next
best friend; third, to brothers, sisters, companions and the
world in general; fourth, to animals.
To begin; such leading questions are asked by the teacher
as, "Who are your best friends?" "Why?" To this there are
ready replies by the younger children — "They work for us."
" They give us food — clothes — a bed," — and finally some child
will give the highest and best reason, "They love us."
"How can you show your love for them?" They are
taught that love manifests itself by kindness, the kind
thought, the kind word, the kind deed. So they say, "I can
wash the dishes for my mamma." "I can go to the grocery
when she tells me to without whining." " I can get my papa's
slippers for him when he comes home tired," etc. "Should
you do all these things? ' '
One little girl said to her teacher after a week of the morn-
ing talks, " My mamma thinks I 'm getting sick." " I can tell
you why," said the teacher; "you obey her now and are kind
to her." The child laughed and said, "Yes, that's it, I heard
her tell my papa I was getting so good she was afraid I was
5 ick."
Second week — "How can you be kind to teacher?" By
yielding ready and cheerful obedience to school rules — by try-
ing each day to do their best — by being unselfish and cour-
teous, by keeping neat desks, etc.
In a study hour in one room when the school was very
quiet a boy attempting to take something from his desk
threw all its contents noisily to the floor. The teacher re-
marked quietly, " I think you have forgotten the thought for
the day." I was in the room at the time, and asked, "What
is the thought for the day?" The reply was, "Kindness to
classmates." "What has dropping books from a desk to do
with that," I inquired. The pupils were called upon to answer,
which they did promptly. "It is not kind to disturb us."
"An untidy desk does not set a good example." "The in-
spector may call, and this desk would bring a bad mark for
the whole school," etc.
This conversation was kind in spirit and in word on the
part of both teacher and pupils, so there was no sting in it
for the offender. He was not made to feel that he had com-
mitted a crime, but that he was guilty of a little carelessness
which he could and would correct.
This talk of kindness to the teacher is a two-edged sword.
A teacher who is expecting kindness from her pupils must
feel that equal kindness should return from her to them, so
day by day she, too, grows toward her highest.
The same plan is used during the third and fourth weeks.
The work does not end with the five minutes in the morning,
but the children are reminded of it during the day as occasion
offers.
The talks for the fourth week are interesting, because the
normal child loves animals. The pupils are taught that ani-
mals are a part of that one universal life force, which we see
manifested all around us in wondrous diversity. They are
led to consider the usefulness of creatures, their affection and
fidelity; the pain which can not be expressed by an animal when
abused — as when a boy stones a cat, or a horse beaten when
doing all it can; how they add not only to our comfort, but to
our pleasure, as the birds with their beauty and songs; their
helplessness, which should appeal to the tenderness and pro-
tection of the children, and the thought expressed by a second-
grade boy, "They've got just as good a right to live as we
have."
Often after a heavy rain, young birds are beaten from the
nests, and the children carry them tenderly to their teacher,
one proof that the little talks have made an impression.
In connection with each subject, appropriate gems are
taught. One at a time is written on the blackboard where it
remains until each pupil has committed it to memory.
"Little children, you must seek
Rather to be good than wise ;
For the thoughts you do not speak
Shine out in your cheeks and eyes."
"You never can tell what your thoughts will do
In bringing you hate or love;
For thoughts are things, and their airy wings
Are swift as carrier dove.
They follow the law of the universe —
Each thing must create its kind.
And they speed o'er the track to bring you back,
Whatever went out from your mind."
"There's nothing so kingly as kindness;
And nothing so royal as truth."
"Kind hearts are the gardens;
Kind thoughts are the roots;
Kind words are the blossoms
Kind deeds are the fruits."
"You can not change yesterday, that is clear
Or begin tomorrow until it is here.
So the only thing left for you and for me
Is to make today as sweet as can be."
During the month in which a word is considered, it must
be placed where the eye will frequently rest upon it : in every
room it is prettily and conspicuously lettered upon the black-
board in colored chalk.
To further attract attention, some of the older boys of
Lagrange school made a banner, which was hung in the main
hall where it was not only an ornament, but caught the atten-
tion at once on entering the building.
A frame, three and a half yards long and three-fourths of
a yard wide was made of light wood; over this was stretched
burlap of a soft, green shade, tacked on smoothly with bronze-
headed nails, which gave an ornamental finish.
Letters, proportioned to the size of the banner, were cut
out of stiff, white cardboard, and held in place by brass
paper-fasteners. These were easily removed each month to
be replaced by the new word. The expense of the banner is
trifling, and it has proved very helpful in the work. When
this new idea of a banner was planned, letters attached with
paper-fasteners — the cost so trifling — it seemed at once that
a "System of Child Training" had been completely evolved as
the name on the banner each month produced a deep impres-
sion on teacher, scholar and visitor.
Following kindness, cleanliness is always considered, for
the thought is brought out that the kind child will strive to be
clean. This subject is divided into two parts — cleanliness of
the body, and cleanliness of the mind. Two weeks are devoted
to the consideration of each.
Simple hygienic talks are given, for in the average public
school there is likely to be a fair percentage of the children
who receive little care and no instruction pertaining to the
body. For the second part, excellent lessons can be given by
the teacher on the importance and value of clean thoughts in
building character, which is the real purpose of each life.
Every human being is the sacred thought of God. God
gives individuality, which each must develop into character.
The third subject is obedience. Obedience in the home;
in the school; to the laws of health; to moral law.
8
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PniMiF(iXDMASS
3477-79
55
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