A child one year old—(a) Recognizes its parents imperfectly. Has slight coördinate movement of the upper extremities, and beginning of coördination of the lower extremities. Manifests its wants by making noises, but has no articulation. Sensations of pleasure, pain, and anger are more plainly expressed. Playfulness is greater. Fear is exhibited. (b) It has no mind, no intellect, no will power. No God, no religion, no soul. No thought, no idea, no conscience. No faculties, no memory, no judgment. No knowledge of objects, or numbers. It knows nothing of comparison, relation, liberty, morality, love, hate, shame, joy, sorrow, despair, envy, ambition, pride, etc., etc.
6. Second year.—
- The master tissues begin to perform their functions—the muscular and nervous tissues.
- Digestive apparatus more completely developed by the appearance of teeth.
- All the special senses more susceptible.
- Voluntary muscles begin to act, though imperfectly.
- Coördination still uncertain.
- Muscles of articulation attempt to produce articulate sound—beginning to imitate.
- Recognizes some objects; cannot discriminate.
- The sense of taste shows signs of development.
- The sense of smell—no discrimination.
- The sense of hearing recognizes simple sounds—voice.
- The sense of sight more distinct.
- The sense of feeling slightly improved.
- Attracted by bright-colored objects.
- Selfishness exhibited—seizes objects indiscriminately.
- Shows fear; knows nothing of danger.
- Manifestation of affection toward those who care and provide for its comfort.
- Excretions still pass involuntarily.
- Responds feebly to calls.
- Playful.
- Cognizant of light and darkness, indoors and out of doors.
- Shows signs of preference.
- Training begins; involuntary acts checked to a slight extent only.
At the end of the second year the child (a) recognizes its parents and others about it. Has coördinate movements comparatively correct of both lower and upper extremities. May manifest its wants by imperfect articulation. The sensations of pleasure, pain, and anger are more emphatic. (b) The will power is slight. The memory is very feeble. Discrimination begins in simple matters.
7. Third year.—
- Training progresses.
- Coördination complete.
- Nerve centers formed.
- Will power attempted.
- It depends at this age upon the surroundings—the guidance, attention, direction given to the child.
- It is more susceptible to impression.
- Memory improving.
- Perception manifested, but little discrimination.
- Articulates more perfectly.
- Imitates to some extent.
- Excretion controlled.
- Playful, active.
- All the senses work.
- More subject to discipline—obeys more readily.
- Teachable in right and wrong of a simple character.
- Likes and dislikes more prominent.
- Recognizes objects.
- Begins to pronounce.
At the end of this period there is no manifestation of anything innate. The child knows nothing. Only the muscular tissues are more active, and the nervous tissues more susceptible to teaching. It has no faculty of any kind.
The functions of the brain are more distinctly manifest through the organs of special sense. The child will become just what you make it; though the latent inherited qualities will give impulse to some directions more than others. Thus inclinations and susceptibilities are awakened that may lead to greater or less distinction.
All that the child thus far has developed is instinctive, checked and modified by those in whose care it is. The animal nature predominates, and the child at this stage will become a brute if left to itself.
If the proper training, teaching, discipline, or education is from this time forth properly applied and the latent power judiciously brought out, mind and intellectual qualities may be developed—differing in degree and intensity—by the bias or bent given to the functions of the great nervous center. On the culture of this organ depends the kind of creature we may have when full grown in the shape of either man or woman. Any kind of sentiment, belief, or superstition, prejudice, hate, brutality, humanity or inhumanity, good or bad habits, vicious or benign—with no end to the variety, such as we witness among ourselves and among the various nations upon earth—may be inculcated.