The Child and Childhood in Folk-Thought / Studies of the Activities and Influences of the Child Among Primitive Peoples, Their Analogues and Survivals in the Civilization of To-Day

Produced by David Moynihan, Lee Dawei, V-M Österman,
Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Dedicates this Book
Vom Vater hab' ich die Statur, Des Lebens ernstes Führen; Vom Mutterchen die Frohnatur Und Lust zu fabulieren. — Goethe .
The present volume is an elaboration and amplification of lectures on The Child in Folk-Thought, delivered by the writer at the summer school held at Clark University in 1894. In connection with the interesting topic of Child-Study which now engages so much the attention of teachers and parents, an attempt is here made to indicate some of the chief child-activities among primitive peoples and to point out in some respects their survivals in the social institutions and culture-movements of to-day. The point of view to be kept in mind is the child and what he has done, or is said to have done, in all ages and among all races of men.
For all statements and citations references are given, and the writer has made every effort to place himself in the position of those whose opinion he records,—receiving and reporting without distortion or alteration.
He begs to return to his colleagues in the University, especially to its distinguished president, the genius of the movement for Child-Study in America, and to the members of the summer school of 1894, whose kind appreciation of his efforts has mainly led to the publication of this work, his sincerest gratitude for the sympathy and encouragement which they have so often exhibited and expressed with regard to the present and allied subjects of study and investigation in the field of Anthropology, pedagogical and psychological.
CLARK UNIVERSITY, WORCESTER, Mass., April, 1895.
III. THE CHILD'S TRIBUTE TO THE MOTHER (Continued)
Oneness with Nature is the glory of Childhood; oneness with Childhood is the glory of the Teacher.— G. Stanley Hall .
The Child is Father of the Man.— Wordsworth .
It was an Oriental poet who sang:—