Page:Preparation of the Child for Science.djvu/53

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THE UNCONSCIOUS MIND
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time and place, lay down certain necessary negative conditions for safety and health, and to avoid annoying other people; and let the child realize that during that time, in the allotted place, provided he conforms to the prescribed conditions, no one will interfere with his experimenting exactly as he pleases.

It is curious and painful to observe how many things have been proposed by true educationalists, simply for the purpose of ministering to the action of the unconscious mind, and afterwards perverted, by persons possessed with the teaching mania, to the purpose of stuffing into children's minds some idea which is in the teacher's mind. This is especially the case in regard to early kindergarten work. Each object is catalogued as intended to teach this, or to prove that, or to illustrate so-and-so; many parents seem to have no idea that it may be well to let a child have things and handle them, without any one talking, and find out what the things have to say.

We have now to consider three points connected with science:

(1) What kind of teacher is likely to err least in the matter of neglecting the unconscious cerebration?

(2) Assuming that many teachers will err in that direction, and that the parents wish to

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