HINTS ON CHILD-TRAINING

HINTS ON CHILD-TRAINING

BY

H. CLAY TRUMBULL

EDITOR OF THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL TIMES; AUTHOR OF TEACHING AND
TEACHERS, YALE LECTURES ON THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL, ETC.


PHILADELPHIA
JOHN D. WATTLES, Publisher
1891

Copyright, 1890
BY
H. CLAY TRUMBULL

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Hints on Child-Training may be helpful, wherea formal treatise on the subject would prove bewildering.It is easier to see how one phase oranother of children’s needs is to be met, than itis to define the relation of that phase of the case toall other phases, or to a system that includes themall. Therefore it is that this series of Hints isventured by me for the benefit of young parents,although I would not dare attempt a systematictreatise on the entire subject here touched upon.

Thirty years ago, when I was yet a young father,a friend, who knew that I had for years been interestedin the study of methods of education, saidto me, “Trumbull, what is your theory of child-training?”“Theory?” I responded. “I have notheory in that matter. I had lots of theories beforeI had any children; but now I do, with fear andtrembling, in every case just that which seems to[Pg 6]be the better thing for the hour, whether it agreeswith any of my old theories or not.”

Whatever theory of child-training may showitself in these Hints, has been arrived at by inductionin the process of my experiences with childrensince I had to deal with the matter practically,apart from any preconceived view of the principlesinvolved. Every suggestion in these Hints is anoutcome of experiment and observation in my lifeas a father and a grandfather, while it has beencarefully considered in the light of the best lessonsof practical educators on every side.

These Hints were begun for the purpose of givinghelp to a friend. They were continued becauseof the evident popular interest in them. They aresent out in this completed form in the hope thatthey will prove of service to parents who are feelingthe need of something more practical in therealm of child-training than untested theories.

H. Clay Trumbull.

Philadelphia, September 15, 1890.

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