International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1932)

539 — alism and pedantry, as well as sceptical levity, dilettantism, capricious procedure, lack of organisation, infatuation with novelty, and originality and the abandon of the pupil to the impulses of his particular and changeable nature". The conclusion that is necessarily to be drawn is that the Pestalozzi method is the victory over passivity and the contradiction between the systems based on method and its opposite. As a conclusion to this rapid analysis, we give Fichte's significant eulogy: " I expect the regeneration of the German nation through Pestalozzi's Institute ". Gaetano Filangieri (1752-1788). The spirit of the century finds its completest expression in Filangieri 's work : La Scienza della Legislazione. He counts on the goodness of the laws, apart from any national consideration, for the reform of society. The " Plan of Education ", set forth in Book IV of this work, is inspired by Plato's Republic, whose deficiencies, however, he accentuates, as when he suggests replacing the education of family life by a rigid State education, and refuses to acknowledge any educational value in the family. The influence of Locke and Rousseau incline him towards a natural and progressive education : " After long and profound meditation ", he writes in Chapter XXIV, " I sought a guide in nature, and have determined to fix my plan on her infallible example. Let us, therefore, consult this old teacher ". While admitting the dualism between man and citizen, however, he offers a solution that is diametrically opposed to that suggested by Rousseau : " If we are not permitted to form the man, let us try, if we can, to form the citizen ". With sure and profound intuition, Filangieri perceives the efficacy of the new method promoted by Pestalozzi : " If the faculty of perception is nothing but the faculty of acquiring ideas from the impressions made on the mind by objects through the medium of the senses, the great art of education in making use of this faculty consists, therefore, in procuring the greatest number of these ideas and illustrating them with the greatest clearness ". The senses being placed as the foundation of the first notions, the value and efficacy of the visual method follow as a matter of course ; and therefore, in perfect coherence, he adopts Buffon's advice to gather together in suitable buildings, animals, plants and minerals, which the scholars should see again and again, in order to accustom their eyes to the great variety of objects. Whence comes the principle that it is necessary to see uselessly for a long time, in order to prepare oneself to see usefully. Intuitive, visual and attractive education : that is the education that Filangieri wants entrusted to the State for the formation of citizens. J. F. Herbart (1776-1841). The starting point of Herbart's pedagogy, is the intuition promoted and practised by Pestalozzi at Burgdorf and Yverdun. Whereas, however, intuition was almost an end in itself for the Swiss master, for Herbart it had a quite different meaning, having the sole value of a means likely to arouse that interest in the child on which alone culture can be securely founded. Now, the desire to arouse the scholar's interest implies an entire system of didactic auxiliaries, not the least of which are the visual aids that make the master's words live and impress themselves on the child's attention, which, however easily it is distracted, is just as easily concentrated on an idea that is made evident and attractive.