THE CHILD OF TO-DAY.

Shannon News, 14 July 1925, Page 4

THE CHILD OF TO-DAY.

DR. MONTESSORFS VIEW. That parents are taking more interest ia iheir children is the opinion of Dr. Maria Montessori, th-3 educationist, who has returned from Austria, and is filled with admiration for what is being done there for children. "The child of to-day is not more intelligent than the child of yesterday," said Dr. Montessori to the "Westminster Gazette," "although it may appear to be so because parents have learned to lie more intelligent. The .post-war child shows signs of being self-consci-ous, but this fact presents no problem as far as education is concerned. The war had a far greater effect on grownups than on children. "Since the war parents have loomed to understand children better. Particularly is this true of tho.se countries that were (defeated. It is astounding what steps toward bettering the lot of children have been taken in Austria, Germany and Russia, especially in Austria.

"There they have scrapped old textbooks and substituted beautifully-writ-ten and illustrated new ones. The Governments look after the body as well as the mind of the child. In .he large cities huge buildings are being converted into self-contained flats, and let to working-class; people at a nominal rent. Care is taken that every child is well fed; those that can afford to pay lor the mid-day meal are expected to do so; for those who cannot, it is free.

'Aunl 'Ursa mbm wgfp wgfp wp "In Austria and Russia it is the Governments that are doing all this. They realise that their destiny lies wholly in the efficiency of the coming generations. In Germany, too, the people '•ealise this, and they are insisting on the Government running the schools properly. "To me it is astounding that whereas these countries that are in financial difficulties can find money to spend on education; countries with plenty of money cannot, or will not. do so."