The Moral and Religious Training of Children [pp. 26-48]

MORAL AND RELIGIOUS TRAINING OF CHILDREN. 45
which enthusiasm, sympathy, generosity, and curiosity are at
their strongest and best, and when growth is so rapid that, e.g.,
each college class is conscious of a vast interval of development
which separates it from the class below; but it is also a period
subject to Wertherian crises, such as Hume, Richter, J. S. Mill,
and others passed through, and all depends on the direction
given to these new forces.
The dangers of this period are great and manifest. The
chief of these, far greater even than the dangers of intemperance, is that the sexual elements of soul and body will be
developed prematurely and disproportionately. Probably the
greatest and most experienced living teacher of physiology
has expressed the opinion that at least nine tenths of the
thoughts, feelings, imaginations of the average male adolescent
centre for a few early years of this period about this factor of
his nature. Quite apart, therefore, from its intrinsic value, education should serve the purpose of preoccupation, and should
divert attention from an element of our nature the premature
or excessive development of which dwarfs every part of soul
and body. Intellectual interests, athleticism, social and esthetic
tastes, should be cultivated. There should be some change in
external life. Previous routine and drill-work must be broken
through and new occupations resorted to, that the mind may
not be left idle while the hands are mechanically employed.
Attractive home-life, friendship well chosen and on a high plane,
and regular habits, should of course be cultivatedo Now, too,
tho the intellect is not frequently judged insane, so that pubescent insanity is comparatively rare9 the feelings, which are yet
more fundamental to mental sanity, are most often perverted,
and lack of emotional steadiness, violent and dangerous impulses, unreasonable conduct, lack of enthusiasm and sympathy,
are very commonly caused by abnormities here. Neurotic disturbances, such as hysteria, chorea, and, in the opinion of some,
sick-headache, are peculiarly liable to appear and become seated
during this period. In short, the previous selfhood is broken
up like the regulation copy handwriting of early school years,
and a new individual is in process of crystallization. All is
solvent, plastic, peculiarly susceptible to external influences.
Between love and religion God and nature have wrought a