PARENTS AND CHILDREN
+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| _BY THE SAME AUTHOR_ |
| |
| HOME EDUCATION: A Course of Lectures to Ladies. By |
| CHARLOTTE M. MASON. Second Edition, Revised and |
| Enlarged. Demy 8vo, 6s. |
| |
| STUDIES IN ENGLISH FOR THE USE OF MODERN SCHOOLS. By H. C. |
| BOWEN. Eleventh Thousand. Small crown 8vo, 1s. 6d. |
| |
| SIMPLE ENGLISH POEMS. English Literature for Junior |
| Classes. By H. C. BOWEN. 3s. Parts I., II., and III. |
| 6d. each. Part IV. 1s. |
| |
| ENGLISH GRAMMAR FOR BEGINNERS. By H. C. BOWEN. Fcap. 8vo, |
| 1s. |
| |
| ON THE STUDY OF WORDS. By the late Archbishop TRENCH. |
| Revised by A. L. MAYHEW. Twenty-fifth Edition. Fcap. |
| 8vo, 5s. |
| |
| ENGLISH PAST AND PRESENT. By the late Archbishop TRENCH. |
| Revised by A. L. MAYHEW. Fifteenth Edition. Fcap. 8vo, |
| 5s. |
| |
| THE MODERN FRENCH READER. Edited by C. CASSAL, LL.D., and |
| THEODORE KARCHER, LL.B. Junior Course. Nineteenth |
| Edition. Crown 8vo, 2s. 6d. Senior Course. Seventh |
| Edition. Crown 8vo, 4s. Senior Course and Glossary, |
| in One Vol. Crown 8vo, 6s. |
| |
| PRACTICAL FRENCH GRAMMAR. By MORTIMER DE LARMOYER, |
| Professor of the French Language and Literature at the |
| Crystal Palace School. Crown 8vo. New Edition, in One |
| Vol., 3s. 6d. Two Parts, 2s. 6d. each. |
| |
| LONDON: KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & CO. Lᵗᵈ |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+
PARENTS AND CHILDREN
A SEQUEL TO
“HOME EDUCATION”
BY
CHARLOTTE M. MASON
LONDON
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & CO. Lᵀᴰ
PATERNOSTER HOUSE, CHARING CROSS ROAD
1897
_The rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved._
_Printed by_ BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO.
_At the Ballantyne Press_
TO THE MEMBERS OF
THE PARENTS’ NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL UNION
_THIS VOLUME_
IS INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR
AS AN EXPRESSION OF THE AFFECTION AND
REVERENCE WITH WHICH THEIR
EFFORTS INSPIRE HER
AMBLESIDE,
_November 1896_.
PREFACE
The following essays have appeared in the _Parents’ Review_, and were
addressed, from time to time, to a body of parents who are making a
practical study of the principles of education--the “Parents’ National
Educational Union.” The present volume is a sequel to _Home Education_
(Kegan Paul & Co.), a work which was the means of originating this
Union of Parents. It is not too much to say that the Parents’ Union
exists to advance, with more or less method and with more or less
steadfastness, a definite school of educational thought of which the
two main principles are--the recognition of the physical basis of
habit, _i.e._ of the material side of education; and of the inspiring
and formative power of the Idea, _i.e._ of the immaterial, or
spiritual, side of education. These two guiding principles, covering
as they do the whole field of human nature, should enable us to deal
rationally with all the complex problems of education; and the object
of the following essays is, not to give an exhaustive application of
these principles--the British Museum itself would hardly contain all
the volumes needful for such an undertaking--but to give an example or
a suggestion, here and there, as to how such and such an habit may be
formed, such and such a formative idea be implanted and fostered. The
intention of the volume will account to the reader for what may seem a
want of connected and exhaustive treatment of the subject, and for the
iteration of the same principles in various connections. The author
ventures to hope that the following hints and suggestions will not
prove the less practically useful to busy parents, because they rest on
profound educational principles.
CONTENTS
BOOK I
_THEORY_
CHAPTER I
PAGE
THE FAMILY 3