- Cº.
A 545860
MORAL INSTRUCTION
IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
%.
ouTLINEs of A LECTURE By dr. E. E. whitº, of CINGINNATi, º, .
BEForth. The NEBRAskA state TEACHERs' º
Association, JANUARY 1, 1891. -
The highest efficiency of the public school is
tested by its results in moral character, and hence
its central aim is effective moral training. It is
vastly more important that the present generation
of youth in our schools leave them loving truth,
purity, right, and honor, than that they leave them
good spellers or good arithmeticians. Moral train.
ing is to be the leading school question during
the next ten years. -
What is needed is the founding of such train-
ing on as definite pedagogical principles as in-
tellectual training. The first step in this direc-
tion is to see that effective moral training involves
the training of the will—the training of the will
to act habitually from high and worthy motives.
There are seven results, called school virtues,
which are attained in every good school. They
are (1) regularity, (2) punctuality, (3) neatness,
(4) accuracy, (5) industry, (6) silence, and (7)
obedience. The securing of these results may af-
fold a valuable training of the will, but this will
depend on the motives by which they are secured.












2 MORAL INSTRUCTION
It is possible to secure these results by the use of
means that neither form nor strengthen character.
The essential thing is that they be attained by an
appeal to high and worthy motives. The school
must be made an apprenticeship in right living. -
It is not enough that the will be trained in the
direction of these mechanical virtues. The school
must purify the heart and quicken the conscience;
and, to this end, there must be vital moral instruc-
tion as well as training. This instruction must
not only be incidental and informal, but it must
also be regular, progressive, and systematic. It
must be provided for in the course of study, and
it must have an assigned place in the weekly pro-
gram of exercises.
ENDS.
Moral instruction should attain at least four
important ends. These ends are:
1. To purify the heart—to awaken a love for
* what is true, beautiful, and good in life.
2. To develop clear moral conceptions, i. e.,
clear ideas of right and duty.
3. To quicken the conscience—to train the
moral sense.
4. To train the will to act from worthy mo-
tives—to free it from bondage to low and selfish
desires.
PRINCIPLES.
The above ends cannot be attained without in-
struction. The will (to take the last end named)
can not be reached and trained directly.


IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 3
The following psychical facts may be accepted
as principles of will training:
1. Knowledge awakens feelings.
2. Feelings solicit the will.
3. The will determines conduct.
These principles may be thus stated: Conduct
is determined by the will, the will is solicited by
the feelings, and the feelings are occasioned by
knowledge.
These principles show the necessity of instruc-
tion in the training of the will and securing right
conduct. The psychical order is knowledge, feel-
ing, choice, action. -
The same is true in the training of the moral
sense and in developing moral conceptions. There
must be vital instruction,
The practical principles on which effective moral
instruction is based may be thus stated:
1. In childhood the conscience is quickened and
the moral sense made acute by presenting to the
mind eacamples of right and duty. “Nothing,”
says John Locke, “sinks so gently and so deep
into men's minds as examples,” and this is spe-
cially true in childhood. - -
2. Moral conceptions are best formed by ex-
ercising children's minds in judging of the actions
of others—actions presented by anecdote or strik-
ing narrative, i. e., concretely.
3. Moral conceptions may be deepened and
made more vivid by their expression in the beau-
tiful and impressive form of poetry.




4. MORAL INSTRUCTION
4. Rules of conduct are best presented to
children in the form of maacims.
MATERIALS.
The above principles suggest three kinds of
materials that may be used in moral instruction in
elementary schools. These are:
1. Stories and incidents, adapted to the awak-
ening of right feeling.
2. Literary Gems, selections of poetry and
prose, adapted to deepen and ennoble the feelings
awakened. Songs have also great value.
3. Maazims, those golden rules of duty that lift
sentiment to the plane of principle.
It must be added that this instruction must
come from the heart and life of the teacher. The
repeating and dull memorizing of stories, gems, and
maxims will not suffice. The teacher must feel
truly and deeply the truth which he teaches.
“Moral instruction,” says Compayré, “must touch
the soul to the quick,” and hence more depends on
the spirit than the form of a moral lesson
COURSE OF INSTRUCTION,
The lessons in an elementary course of moral
instruction should present the practical duties of
life. Ethics as a science may be wisely left to
the higher grades of school. What children need
is not the philosophy but the noble art of right
living.
The following outlines of lessons may serve as
a guide:
-
-
-

IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
5
MORATS AND MANNERS.
OUTLINES OF LESSONS.
1. Cleanliness and Neatness. (1) Body, hands, nails, hair,
etc.; (2) clothing, shoes; (3) books, slates, desks, etc.
2. Politeness. (1) At school; (2) at home; (3) on the
street.
3. Gentleness. (1) In speech; (2) in manners.
4. Kindness to Others. (1) To parents; (2) to the aged
and infirm; (3) to the unfortunate and erring; (4) to ene-
mies;–the Golden Rule,
-- 5. Kindness to Animals. (1) To those that serve us; (2)
to those that do not harm us—the killing of birds; (3) the
killing of those that do us harm; (4) cruelty to any animal
º Wrong.
6. Love. (1) For parents; (2) for friends; (3) for one's
º | neighbor; (4) for enemies; (5) for God, the giver of all
good.
7. Respect and Reverence. (1) For parents; (2) for the
aged; (3) for those in authority.
8. Obedience. (1) To parents; (2) to teachers; (3) to
those in authority; (4) to conscience; (5) to God.
9. Gratitude and Thankfulness. (1) To parents; (2) to
all benefactors; (3) to God.
10. Truthfulness. (1) In thought, word, and act; (2)
deceit and falsehood; (3) keeping one’s word. -
11. Courage. (1) True and false; (2) daring to do right;
- (3) courage in duty.
12. Honesty. (1) In word and deed; (2) in little things;
- (3) dishonesty. “Honesty is the best of policy.”
13. Honor. (1) One's parents; (2) one's friends; (3) one's
self; (4) home and country.
-
14. Good Name. (1) When young; (2) keeping a good
name; (3) reputation and character; (4) keeping good com-
pany.
| 15. Self-control. (1) Control of temper; (2) anger when
|| right; (3) wrong desires.
º 16. Confession of Wrong. (1) When manly and noble; (2)
denial of faults, “The denial of a fault doubles it.”
17. Forgiveness. (1) Of those who have injured us; (2)
of enemies.


6 MORAL INSTRUCTION
18. Good Manners. (1) At home; (2) in school; (3) in
company; (4) in public places.
19. Industry. (1) Labor, a duty and privilege; (2) right
use of time; (3) self-reliance.
20. Economy. (1) Competency depends on economy—
“Saving in early life means competency and comfort in old
age;” (2) duty to save a part of one’s earnings—“Lay up for
a rainy day;” (3) a spendthrift—“A spendthrift in youth, a
poor man in old age;” (4) a miser—the hoarding of money
needed for comfort orcharity—“No man liveth unto himself,”
(5) savings banks.
21. Health. (1) Our duty to preserve our health; (2)
habits that impair health foolish and selfish; (3) the sowing
of “wild oats”—“What a man sows, that shall he reap;” (4)
pain a warning; (5) the body never forgets.
22. Evil Speaking. (1) Sander; (2) talebearing; (3) faults
of others, charity; (4) kind words.
23. Bad Language. (1) Profanity, foolish and wicked; (2)
slang, vulgar and impolite; (3) obscene language.
24. Evil Habits. (1) That destroy health; (2) that des-
troy reputation; (3) that waste money; (4) that dishonor
one's self and family; (5) that take away self-control; (6)
that are offensive to others.
25. Temptation. (1) Tempting others; (2) resisting temp-
tation.
26. Civil Duties. (1) Love of country; (2) love for the flag,
(3) respect of rules; (4) obedience to law; (5) fidelity in
office—bribery; (6) oaths, perjury; (7) the ballot, buying or
selling votes; (8) dignity and honor of citizenship.
27. Justice. Due to all men.
28. Benevolence. One of the highest and noblest virtues.
In giving these moral lessons effectively, the
teacher will need a collection of choice and appro-
priate stories; and with diligence and care these
may readily be selected. Literature abounds in
examples of noble conduct, strikingly told. These
exist not only in the classic forms of parable, fable,
historic incident, and inspiring verse, but also in



IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 7
º
the impressive incidents of daily life, as told in
papers and magazines. -
The selection of effective stories will require
good judgment. As a rule, the stories used should
present virtue, and not vice, and the lesson taught
should be too evident to need a formal “moral.”
To these ends, the story should be brief and
pointed, and also attractive and striking. A few
skillful questions may be useful in securing needed
discriminations and deepening feelings.
[Dr. White expressed regret that he could not refer his
hearers to a collection of stories specially adapted to the les-
sons which he had outlined. He had a large numberin manu-
script that had been collected and used by the Cincinnati
teachers, some of which are excellent. He recited two sto-
Fies presenting strikingly the duty of respect for the aged.
A few good stories may be found in “Cowdery's Moral Les-
sons” and “Gow's Good Morals and Gentle Manners.”]—
Editor. .
GEMS,
The following selections are given as illustra-
tions of the gems that may be used:
Politeness—
“To be polite is to do and say
The kindest thing in the kindest way.”
“Hearts like doors can ope with ease,
To very, very little keys;
And don’t forget that two are these:
‘I thank you, sir,’ and “If you please.’”
Kindness—
“Be kind and be gentle
To those who are old,
For dearer is kindness
And better than gold.”

MORAL INSTRUCTION
“Kind words are little sunbeams,
That sparkle as they fall;
And loving smiles are sunbeams,
A light of joy to all.”
“Kind hearts are the gardens,
Kind thoughts are the roots,
Kind words are the flowers,
Kind deeds are the fruits.”
Kindness to Animals—
“I would not enter on my list of friends,
Though graced with polished manners and fine sense,
Yet wanting sensibility, the man
Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.”
CowPER.
“He prayeth best who loveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all.”
Truthfulness—
“Without courage there cannot be truth, and without
truth there can be no other virtue.”
“To thine own self be true,
And it will follow as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
“Think truly, and thy thoughts
Shall the world's famine feed,
Speak truly and each word of thine
Shall be a faithful seed;
Live truly, and thy life shall be
A great and noble creed.”
BonAR.
Sel-Control—
“How happy is he born or taught,
Whose passions not his masters are;
Lord of himself, though not of lands,
And having nothing, yet hath all.”
|









IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 9
Courage—
“Do what conscience says is right;
Do what reason says is best;
Do with all your mind and might;
Do your duty and be blest.”
“Dare to do right! Dare to be true! -
The failings of others can never save you;
Stand by your conscience, your honor, your faith;
Stand like a hero and battle till death.”
Love—
“There is beauty in the sunlight,
And the soft blue heaven above;
O the world is full of beauty,
When the heart is full of love.”
“If there be some weaker one,
Give me strength to help him on;
If a blinder soul there be,
Let me guide him nearer Thee.”
“A good deed is never lost. He who sows courtesy reaps
friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.”
Wisdom—
“If wisdom's ways you wisely seek,
Five things observe with care:
To whom you speak, of whom you speak,
And how and when and where.”
Industry—
“Satan finds some mischief still,
For idle hands to do.”
“Do your best, your very best,
And do it every day.”
“If a task is once begun,
Never leave it till it's done;
I3e the labor great or small,
Do it well or not at all.”
“The boys and girls who do their best,
Their best will better grow;
But those who slight their daily task
They let the better go.”
10 MORAL INSTRUCTION
Little Duties—
“Little moments make an hour;
Little thoughts, a book;
Little seeds, a tree or flower;
Water drops, a brook;
Little deeds of faith and love,
Make a home for you above.
“Little deeds of kindness,
Little words of love,
Make our earth an Eden,
Like the heaven above.”
Good Namc-
“If you want an honored name,
If you want a spotless fame,
Let your words be kind and pure,
And your tower shall endure.”
“Reputation is what men and women think of us; charac-
ter is what God and angels know of us.”
Habit—
“Habit is a cable. We weave a thread for it each day,
and it becomes so strong that we can not break it.”
HoRACE MANN.
Confession— -
“And he that does one fault at first,
And lies to hide it, makes it two.”
ALICE CARY.
Nobility— -
“Howe'er it be, it seems to me,
'Tis only noble to be good;
Kind hearts are more than coronets,
And simple faith than Norman blood.”
TENNyson.
“I look up, and not down; look forward and not back:
look out, and not in; and lend a hand.” HALE.
MAXIM.S.
The following maxims are given as illustrations.
They present the principles of duty in a most im-
pressive form for the young.

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yOu.
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anythi
IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. * 11
Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Order is heaven's first law.
A place for everything and everything in its place.
Well begun is half done.
He who does his best does well.
Reward is in the doing.
Lay up something for a rainy day.
Honesty is the best policy.
An honest man is the noblest work of God.
Good health is better than wealth.
Not failure but low aim is crime.
True worth is in being, not seeming.
Being good is the mother of doing good.
Obedience is better than sacrifice.
A man is known by the company he keeps.
Keep good company and you shall be of the number.
There is nothing that costs less than civility.
It always pays to be a gentleman.
Fine manners are the mantle of fine minds.
Politeness is the outward garment of good will.
Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head.
The right will come out right.
The noblest courage dares to do right.
Denying a fault doubles it.
Charity thinketh no evil.
Love thy neighbor as thyself.
Honor thy father and thy mother.
Do unto others as ye would that they should do unto
Be friendly and you will never want friends.
Usefulness is the parent of happiness.
Reverence the truth, love, and God.
Think the truth, speak the truth, act the truth.
The tongue of the just is as choice silver.
Kind words are the music of the world.
Bad manners are a species of bad morals.
What a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
It is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong.
Obedience is better than sacrifice.
Blessed are the pure in heart.
A person good at making excuses is seldom good for
ng else.