The Child Under Eight, by E.R. Murray, Vice-Principal, Maria Grey Training College, Brondesbury; and Henrietta Brown Smith, L.L.A., Lecturer in Education, Goldsmiths' College, University of London

Published: London, Edward Arnold, 1920

One of the Modern Educator's Library series of books

CONTENTS:

THE MODERN EDUCATOR'S LIBRARY
EDITOR'S PREFACE
AUTHORS' PREFACE

WebRoots Section 1:

PART I
THE CHILD IN THE NURSERY AND KINDERGARTEN
BY E. R. MURRAY

CHAP.

I. ---- "WHAT'S IN A NAME?"
II. --- THE BIOLOGIST EDUCATOR
III. -- LEARNING BORN OF PLAY
IV. --- FROM 1816 TO 1919
V. ---- "THE WORLD'S MINE OYSTER"

WebRoots Section 2:

VI. --- "ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE"
VII. -- JOY IN MAKING
VIII. - STORIES
IX. --- IN GRASSY PLACES
X. ---- A WAY TO GOD
XI. --- RHYTHM
XII. -- FROM FANCY TO FACT
XIII. - NEW NEEDS AND NEW HELPS

WebRoots Section 3:

PART II
THE CHILD IN THE STATE SCHOOL
BY H. BROWN SMITH

I. THINGS AS THEY ARE
   XIV. --- CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF GROWTH
   XV. ---- THE INFANT SCHOOL OF TO-DAY
   XVI. --- SOME VITAL PRINCIPLES

II. PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF VITAL PRINCIPLES
   XVII. -- THE NEED FOR EXPERIENCE
   XVIII. - GAINING EXPERIENCE BY PLAY
   XIX. --- THE UNITY OF EXPERIENCE
   XX. ---- GAINING EXPERIENCE THROUGH FREEDOM

WebRoots Section 4:

III. CONSIDERATION OF THE ASPECTS OF EXPERIENCE
   XXI. --- EXPERIENCES OF HUMAN CONDUCT.
   XXII. -- EXPERIENCES OF THE NATURAL WORLD
   XXIII. - EXPERIENCES OF MATHEMATICAL TRUTHS
   XXIV. -- EXPERIENCES BY MEANS OF DOING.
   XXV. --- EXPERIENCES OF THE LIFE OF MAN
   XXVI. -- EXPERIENCES RECORDED AND PASSED ON
   XXVII. - THE THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX [not included in WebRoots online edition]

The following volumes are now ready, and others are in preparation:--

Education: Its Data and First Principles. By T.P. NUNN, M.A., D.Sc., Professor of Education in the University of London.

Moral and Religious Education. By SOPHIE BRYANT, D.Sc., Litt.D., late Headmistress, North London Collegiate School for Girls.

The Teaching of Modern Foreign Languages in School and University. By H.G. ATKINS, Professor of German in King's College, London; and H.L. HUTTON, Senior Modern Language Master at Merchant Taylors' School.

The Child under Eight. By E.R. MURRAY, Vice-Principal, Maria Grey Training College, Brondesbury; and HENRIETTA BROWN SMITH, L.L.A., Lecturer in Education, Goldsmiths' College, University of London.

The Organisation and Curricula of Schools. By W.G. SLEIGHT, M.A., D.Lit, Lecturer at Greystoke Place Training College, London.

The Modern Educator's Library has been designed to give considered expositions of the best theory and practice in English education of to-day. It is planned to cover the principal problems of educational theory in general, of curriculum and organisation, of some unexhausted aspects of the history of education, and of special branches of applied education.

The Editor and his colleagues have had in view the needs of young teachers and of those training to be teachers, but since the school and the schoolmaster are not the sole factors in the educative process, it is hoped that educators in general (and which of us is not in some sense or other an educator?) as well as the professional schoolmaster may find in the series some help in understanding precept and practice in education of to-day and to-morrow. For we have borne in mind not only what is but what ought to be. To exhibit the educator's work as a vocation requiring the best possible preparation is the spirit in which these volumes have been written.

No artificial uniformity has been sought or imposed, and while the Editor is responsible for the series in general, the responsibility for the opinions expressed in each volume rests solely with its author.

ALBERT A. COOK.

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, KING'S COLLEGE.

We have made this book between us, but we have not collaborated. We know that we agree in all essentials, though our experience has differed. We both desire to see the best conditions for development provided for all children, irrespective of class. We both look forward to the time when the conditions of the Public Elementary School, from the Nursery School up, will be such--in point of numbers, in freedom from pressure, in situation of building, in space both within and without, and in beauty of surroundings--that parents of any class will gladly let their children attend it.

We are teachers and we have dealt mainly with the mental or, as we prefer to call it, the spiritual requirements of children. It is from the medical profession that we must all accept facts about food values, hours of sleep, etc., and the importance of cleanliness and fresh air are now fully recognised. We do, however, feel that there is room for fresh discussion of ultimate aims and of daily procedure. Mr. Clutton Brock has said that the great weakness of English education is the want of a definite aim to put before our children, the want of a philosophy for ourselves. Without some understanding of life and its purpose or meaning, the teacher is at the mercy of every fad and is apt to exalt method above principle. This book is an attempt to gather together certain recognised principles, and to show in the light of actual experience how these may be applied to existing circumstances.

The day is coming when all teachers will seek to understand the true value of Play, of spontaneous activity in all directions. Its importance is emphasised in nearly all the educational writings of the day, as well in the Senior as in the Junior departments of the school, but we need a full and deep understanding of the saying, "Man is Man only when he plays." It is easy to say we believe it, but it needs strong faith, courage, and wide intelligence to weave such belief into the warp of daily life in school.

E.R. MURRAY.
H. BROWN SMITH.