THE SOCRATIC METHOD

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 110, 3 February 1920, Page 4

THE SOCRATIC METHOD

(Bv Hindi Chesterman. in the "Saturday AVestminster.") AVo had exhausted most of the topics that are the accepted pabulum in railway carringcs, and the tongue of my fel-low-traveller had left little to bo said. He was a keen disputant, ami from Ihe woid "Go" I found that .he was an easy winner. He had quarrelled with my politics, disapproved of my profession, hunted me out of f/uiet, speculative corners, and .stamped upon my most j;omfortable -prejudices.- He told me that ho v.-as it lace merchant, but 1 am sure that he was designed by a thwarted Providence for an auctioneer or a saviour of Tottering Causes. The only oilier occupant of the carringe was his son—a child of ten. who was hugging with fervour a bag of confectionery. The one-sidedi encounter, had shifted from tho birth-rate to the riuestion of education. 1 held that for all-round excellence the English public school was second lo none. "Schools!" said my traveller, "there isn't a school in ■ the country that I would care to send my son to. AA'asto of time and money. Parents should educate their own children in their own way. If we all did that we might live to seo a generation grow up I hut. wasn't heelshackled at the, start by strings of useless information al)d sickening partiality for BDOl't."

"But reallv 1 ventured, "how many parents do you suppose could lind time to educate I heir sons?" > "It is not a question of Wilding time, he replied; "in the simple catechism, of evervdav life there are a thousand opportunities Cor instruction. A child's questions should always meet with a readv response. Question and answer. The How and the Why and the Wherefore. Tell him just what he wants to know, and he will live to bless you for it. It. was the Socratic method. Anil it should be Rood enough for you and '"i felt that Socrates would have been moud of his disciple. At the next station the train pulled up. the boy with the buns had. not spoken till now; but as the nktfonn came into view .with its Hosiers and porters and shining inilfc-c-i ns he flattened his nose against the 1 '"Father," he piped.' "why do the porters at this station all wear red ties? - "Oil, iust a, custom of the company, m "\Vhv is that lady talking to tho nuard? Is it the guard, lather. Why docs lie have that green flag • "That's to start the train with, lE "'(>ii.'look! There's a clergyman_whoclin"- a bicvule on tho platform. Do►yon think he's ridden far on ]t, lather/, AViit he be allowed to lake it.on 10 the train? Could n, ' e " l bicjcle, T ' "Well. rnv son, many years ago I . . ." "Oh' I sav; theres 11 11111,1 • wheels' witli a long hammer. Why is In! dninsr Hint. Father' .Will, lie have to hit all the wheels? Does he belon'' 1" the enL'ine ? , Oh. look He's slopped 'eNiionent SocraUc method Socrates had a so" • ,