TRUE EDUCATION, KINDNESS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1876, 12 September 1918, Page 1

TRUE EDUCATION, KINDNESS.

(From “Education as Service,” by J. Krishmamurti.) There are crimes that, although common, are not recognised as crimes. A teacher must use discretion in dealing with these, and should teach a doctrine of love in so far as he is permitted, and may at least set a good example himself. Three of these crimes are put by my Master under the heading of “Cruelties caused by superstition.” Parents and teachers should tell their hoys that no custom which is cruel can be really part of any true religion. For we have seen that religion teaches unity, and therefore kindness and gentleness to everything that feels. God cannot be served by cruelly and the killing of helpless creatures. 2. Much more widely spread is the still more cruel superstition (hat man needs flesh for food, and this is a matter that concerns the parents more than the teacher. They may gradually lead their boys to sec the cruelty involved in killing animals for food. Then even if the boys are obliged to eat meat at home, they will give it up when they reach manhood, and give their chidren a better opportunity than they themselves had. 3. If parents at home and teachers at school would train young children in the duty of loving and protecting all living creatures, (he world would be much happier than it is at present. To get rid of cruelty, every child must be taught the great lesson of love, and much can he done for this in schools as well as at home. The hoy at school has many opportunities of learning this lesson, and the teacher should point out the duty of showing courtesy and kindness to all who are in inferior positions, as well as to the poor whom he may meet outside. All who know the truth of reincarnation should realise that they are members of one great family, in which some are younger brother* and some elder. Boys must be taught to show gentleness and consideration to servants, and to all who are below them in social position.

A groat part of the teacher’s work lies in the playground, and the teacher who does not play with his boys will never quite win their hearts. Time should be given for games during the school day. Even the teachers who have learnt to play in their youth should come to the playground and show interest in the games, thus sharing in this part of the boy’s education. Bright ami affectionate teachers will he looked on as elder brothers, and difficulties which escape rules will he got rid of by love. In fact, all the many activities of school life should he made into channels through which affect ion can run between teacher and pupil, and the more channels there are the better it will bo for bo.th. As the boy grows older these channels will naturally become more numerous, and the love of the school will become the friendship of manhood. Thus love will have her perfect work.

Religion and morals must not only be taught as subjects, but must be made both the foundation and (he atmosphere of school life; for these are equally wanted by every boy, no matter what he is to do later in life.

lleligion loaches us (hat we are all pari of oneself, and flial we ought therefore to help one another. My Master said that people Iry to invent ways For themselves which they think will he pleasant for themselves, not understanding that all are .one, and that therefore only what the One wills can ever he really pleasant for anyone. And He also said, “You can help your brother through that which you have in common with him, and that is the Divine Life.” To (each this is to teach religion, and to live it is to lead the religious life. At present the value of the set moral teaching is largely made useless by the arrangement of the school. The school day should always open with ■something of the nature of a religious service, striking the note of a common life and a common purpose, so that the boys who come from different homes and different ways of living may be tuned to unity in the school.