I have spoken of the fundamental law of early education. The question is
“_how early?_” There are, of course, children who are backward in their
development. This backwardness may either be congenital or may be due to
some overlooked pathological condition that may be easily remedied by
proper treatment. In the large majority of children, however, the
beginning of education _is between the second and third year_. It is at
that time that the child begins to form his interests. It is at that
critical period that we have to seize the opportunity to guide the
child’s formative energies in the right channels. To delay is a mistake
and a wrong to the child. We can at that early period awaken a love of
knowledge which will persist through life. The child will as eagerly
play in the game of knowledge as he now spends the most of his energies
in meaningless games and objectless silly sports.
We claim we are afraid to force the child’s mind. We claim we are afraid
_to strain his brain prematurely_. This is an error. In _directing_ the
course of the use of the child’s energies we do not force the child. If
_you_ do not _direct_ the energies in the right course, the child will
_waste_ them in the _wrong_ direction. The same amount of mental energy
used in those silly games, which we think are specially adapted for the
childish mind, can be directed, with lasting benefit, to the development
of his _interests in intellectual activity and love of knowledge_. The
child will learn to play at the game of knowledge-acquisition with the
same ease, grace and interest as he is showing now in his nursery-games
and physical exercises.