| There is more to atmosphere than white ruffled | | | | Mason's philosophy of education it is an excellent |
| curtains fluttering in a sunny breeze and red | | | | thing to have an opinion of your own, provided |
| geraniums on the window sill. These cozy things | | | | you are not bent on sticking to it. We preserve |
| do make for a pleasant setting in a home, but | | | | the natural candor of children by listening with a |
| they are only the beginning. It is the life-supporting | | | | patient sympathetic hear, and we can expect |
| atmosphere of home working in a child's life that | | | | attentive listening from children if we do not scold |
| is so important in his education. Atmosphere is | | | | them. A helpful book to read, for those desiring |
| one of only a few instruments the educator has | | | | gentle encouragement to improve the |
| at her disposal to encourage the work of thinking | | | | atmosphere of their homes, is Henry Clay |
| in the student and to stimulate healthy growth of | | | | Trumbull's book Hints on Child Training |
| the whole child. | | | | (conveniently sold on page 59 of this magazine). I |
| Ideas Children absorb ideas from the "thought | | | | particularly like this paragraph from the chapter on |
| environment" we provide for them. Ideas are | | | | sympathy: A parent loses his opportunity for |
| food for the mind. A child's mind automatically | | | | good to his child, if he fails to have sympathy |
| grows as he considers ideas. What is an idea? | | | | with this child in that child's weakness and follies |
| Charlotte Mason tells us: An idea may exist in a | | | | and misdoings. It is in every child's nature to long |
| clear, distinct, definite form as that of a circle in | | | | for sympathy at the point where he needs it |
| the mind of a geometrician or it may be a mere | | | | most; and when he has done wrong, or has |
| instinct, a vague [association] towards something . | | | | indulged evil thoughts, or is feeling the force of |
| . . like the impulse which fills the young poet's eyes | | | | temptation, he is glad to turn to some one |
| with tears, though he knows not why. To excite | | | | stronger and better than himself, and make |
| this relationship or appetite toward things lovely, | | | | confession of his faults and failures. If as he |
| honest, and of good report is the earliest and | | | | comes to his parents at such a time, he is met |
| most important ministry of the educator. | | | | with manifest sympathy, he is drawn to his |
| How are we to impart ideas to our children? Ideas | | | | parents with new confidence and new trust. |
| are of spiritual origin and God has made us spiritual | | | | Let Home Have the Greater Influence As children |
| people. | | | | grow older, they may become more and more |
| Therefore, ideas are passed on from person to | | | | fascinated with the world. |
| person - through conversation or books written | | | | When they are very young they may fill their |
| by those who love their subject matter. Charlotte | | | | pockets with rocks, acorns, pinecones, shells or |
| urges us to give children a regular feeding of ideas | | | | feathers. When they are older they will more |
| through sweeping tales of history, wonderful | | | | consciously collect impressions of the ways and |
| inventions and discoveries in science, lives of great | | | | happenings of the people around them. The pull of |
| men and women, and stories that radiate the | | | | this curiosity seems to be felt most strongly in |
| moral life; as well as paintings, plays, Psalms, | | | | the teen years. We grown-ups may forget what |
| poems, and symphonies. | | | | once enticed us, since our fascination with the |
| Wanted - Homemaker Our children will pick up | | | | world has faded. The influence of the world over |
| many ideas from the atmosphere we provide in | | | | our children really depends on what standards we |
| the home. What do we need to ensure that this | | | | set at home - the standards by which the children |
| atmosphere inspires them on to the kinds of | | | | are accustomed to measure things. God's World |
| things we want them to learn? First, someone | | | | publications (800-951-5437) supply children with |
| loving needs to be home to make it home. | | | | knowledge of current events while helping to |
| We are living in a career-minded, materialistic | | | | temper the influence of the world by presenting |
| generation that depreciates the role of a mother. | | | | the news in the light of a Christian worldview. |
| But the mother is the irreplaceable foundation of | | | | My family has benefited by knowing other |
| a home. | | | | homeschooling families because they are close |
| During World War II, when America was | | | | families. A respect for parents, the satisfaction of |
| imprisoning Japanese families in camps, a reporter | | | | learning together, a fondness for simple pleasures, |
| stepped up to a little Japanese-American girl | | | | good humor amidst hard work, sympathy in |
| waiting at a train platform. "How does it feel to be | | | | sorrow, the joy of worshipping together - these |
| without a home," the reporter asked. | | | | are a few consequences of the atmosphere of a |
| "Oh," replied the little girl, "we have a home, we | | | | close family. Such homes give the gift of |
| just don't have a house to put it in." Protecting | | | | unworldliness. |
| Wings A Christian home provides the protecting | | | | Manners - More Than Meets the Eye In the |
| wings of a religious atmosphere. A catechism is | | | | eighteenth century, etiquette was expected from |
| essential teaching for children to understand what | | | | all persons of "good breeding." One needs only to |
| and why one believes; but as absolutely | | | | read one of Jane Austen's delightful novels to |
| necessary as such teaching is, it will not in itself | | | | become acquainted with the mannerly characters |
| create a religious atmosphere. In an article on | | | | of her time. Today, however, any form of |
| atmosphere in Charlotte's original magazine, the | | | | etiquette seems to belong only to these "prim |
| writer said, The test will be whether religion is the | | | | and proper" Victorians. You will find an almost |
| center of our life - our joy of our joy, the | | | | universal lack of manners everywhere by people |
| consolation of our sorrow, the one eminently | | | | who are supposedly "educated." Perhaps today |
| important thing for which all others have to give | | | | the necessity to use manners is seen as infringing |
| way; whether we view the things of daily life | | | | on the "freedom to express oneself" without |
| primarily with reference to it, and whether all else | | | | constraint. |
| is felt to be relatively devoid of interest and value. | | | | Are manners the hollow tactfulness some use on |
| . . . As love and faith are the two wings of the | | | | the selling floor - a kind of manipulating flattery? |
| Divine, so they are of natural religion, and it is | | | | No, our children can have worthier reasons for |
| their strong protecting wings that our children | | | | exhibiting manners. Good manners can be another |
| must ever feel around them. | | | | term for duty, for righteousness, for morality. |
| I like what Charles Spurgeon said about the | | | | True politeness simply consists in treating others |
| religious atmosphere of home: "When home is | | | | just as you like to be treated yourself. This polite |
| ruled according to God's word, angels might be | | | | treatment comes from direct teaching, but also |
| asked to stay with us, and they would not find | | | | results from a caring home atmosphere where a |
| themselves out of their element." Wow, isn't this | | | | child will acquire a servant's heart like that of our |
| a high ideal? Don't be discouraged, dear parent, | | | | Savior's. |
| with the heavenly command, "Be ye perfect." We | | | | More to Education than Atmosphere But we |
| may not reach our ideals but it is our fervent, | | | | would have a one-sided view of education if we |
| faithful reaching towards them that matters | | | | determined education to be an atmosphere only, |
| greatly. | | | | just as we would if we viewed education as only |
| Open Communication Another essential ingredient | | | | that of gaining skills in the three Rs. In my next |
| in the home atmosphere is intimate | | | | article we will look at that other powerful |
| communication. By this I mean the freedom to | | | | instrument of the educator - the formation or |
| express opinions in an atmosphere in which | | | | "discipline" of habits. |
| discussion is open and far-reaching. In Charlotte | | | | |