The Boy and His School; What It Can and What It Cannot Give Him (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905. Excerpt: ... THE BOY AND HIS SCHOOL It were much to be desired that educational discussion could be lifted to the level of a sound logic, with its terms clearly and rigorously defined; then the movements which arise out of discussion would not bear such a dangerous likeness to the blind rushes of a riotous mob, which ever responds most readily to the cry "Down with" something or other, no matter what. For example, what is to be the meaning of the term Education? Most commonly it is used as the equivalent of Schooling; but it is also very often used in the wider sense of formation of a (satisfactory) character. But it is usually assumed that, even in this wider sense, it is a process which can be stopped at will, and is in fact stopped for the most part, if not entirely, during vacations and other off-hours. Yet since the mind is growing in some direction, and habits of some sort are forming, during every second of waking life at any rate, education cannot be made to mean less than the whole effect produced upon the mind by the sum of the external forces which exercise any influence upon its growth, whether satisfactory or otherwise. But serious practical mischief has been done, and is done still, owing to the confusion consequent upon the use of the term Education, sometimes in a very wide sense, sometimes in the restricted sense of schooling. How restricted a sense this is may not be generally realised, and so it may be worth while to give the actual figures. If we reckon that a boy sleeps sixty-three hours of the week, spends thirty hours in school, and twelve more in preparation, these forty-two hours of schooling only come to forty per cent, of his waking hours in a week of full work; taking the whole year, and allowing for vacations, the forty per cent, sinks to ...