TRUE EDUCATION

Hokitika Guardian, 31 August 1918, Page 3

TRUE EDUCATION

If the teacher is always gentle to the hoys, who are younger and weaker than himself, it will he easy for him to teach them the important losson of kindness* to little’ children, ,animals, birds and other living creatures. The older hoys, who themselves are gentle and tactful, should be encouraged to observe the condition of the animals they see ip. the streets, and if they see any act. of cruelty, to beg the doer of it, very politely and gently, to treat tho animal more kindly. The hoys should also be taught that nothing which involves hunting and killing of animals should he called sport. That word ought to be kept for manly games and'exercises, and not used for the wounding. and killing of animals. The fate of the cruel must fall also upon all who go out intentionally to kill God’s creatures and call it “sport.” 1 do not think that teachers realise the harm and the suffering caused by gossip. which the Master calls a sin against love. Teachers should be very careful not to make difficulties for their boys by gossiping about them. No

hoy should over he allowed to have a hack name in tlie school, and it should ho the rule that no one may -spekk ill of any other member of the school whether teacher or boy. By talking about a person’s faults we not only strengthen those faults in him, hut also fill our own minds with evil thoughts. There is only one way of really getting rid of our lower nature, and that is by strengthening the higher. And while it. is tho dtity of tlie teacher to understand the weaknesses of those placed in his cltaTge he must realise that he will destroy the lower nature only by surrounding tho hoy by his love, thus stimulating the

higher and nobler qualities, till there is no place left for the weaknesses. The more the teacher gossips about the faults of tlie hoys, tlie more harm he does, and except during a consultation with his follow teachers as to the best methods of keeping individual hoys out of their weaknesses, ho should never talk about a boy's defects. Tlie hoys must also lie taught the cruelty of gossip samong tlipmselves. I know many a hoy whose life at school hns been made miserable because his com-

panions had been thoughtless and un-: kind, and the teacher either had not noticed his unhappiness, or had not understood how to explain to tlie boys the nature of the harm they were do-, iug. Boys frequently take hold of, some peculiarity in speech or in dress, • or of some mistake which has been made, and, not realising the pain they ; cause, ea relesslly torture their unfor- j tunate school fellow with unkind allusions. In this ease the mischief is due chiefly to ignorance, and if the teacher, lias influence over tlie hoys, and gently j

explains to them what pain they arc giving, they will quickly stop. j They must he taught, too, that j nothing which causes suffering or an- j noyance to another can over be tlie , right tiling to do, nor can it ever he amusing to any right minded boy. Sonic cildren seem to find pleasure in teasing or annoying others, out that Is only because they are ignorant. When they understand, they will never again ho so unbrothrly. In every class room these words should he put up in a. prominent place. “Never speak ill -of anyone; refuse to listen when anyone speaks ill of another. but gently say: “Perhaps this is not true, and even if it is. it is kinder not to speak of it.” (From “Education as Service.” by J. Krisnamiirti).