Abstract
THIs is a sequel to “The Spiritual Foundations of Reconstruction,” and shows in further detail how some of the uggestions of that interesting book will work out in practice. It may be recalled that the authOrs—Dr. Hayward and Mr. Freeman—there insisted on the obviously. sound idea that in school education more should be made of the emotional, artistic, dramatic, and social approach. They believe, indeed, in scientific and historical wall-charts the gist of which seeps in to the mind through the eye; they believe in lessons that appeal to the reason—the lessons which bear so little fruit that many of us are often inclined to disbelieve in them; but their hope is in a vast extension of the principle already embodied in Empire Day, Shakespeare Day, and St. David's Day celebrations. Dr. Hayward looks forward in the present book to a national school liturgy of the Bible, literature, music, and ceremonial. The ceremonials would be predominantly oral rather than visual, consisting largely of reading and recitation, song and story; they will be memorial, expository, seasonal, and ethical. It must not be supposed that the author's suggestions depreciate the appeal to reason or propose to codify the emotions; what is suggested is wise and well thought out. We know a little about schools, and our conviction is that the methods suggested would grip in a way that nothing except the teacher's personal influence has hitherto done. They would grip because they are psychologically sound. The celebrations outlined are skilfully devised, but individual teachers would of course vary them. They deal with Shakespeare, the League of Nations, Democracy, St. Paul, bards and seers, world conquerors, Samson, eugenics, temperance, commerce, summer, flying, Chaucer, Spenser. The author has made a notable contribution to the experimental study of education. To test the value of this contribution is an urgent duty, for the school is not very perfect as it is.
A First Book of School Celebrations.
Dr.
F. H.
Hayward
By. Pp. 167. (London: P. S. King and Son, Ltd., 1920.) Price 5s.
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A First Book of School Celebrations . Nature 105, 707 (1920). https://doi.org/10.1038/105707b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/105707b0