राष्ट्रीय शिक्षा प्रणाली एवं भारतीय मानस (श्री अरविन्द - एकात्म शिक्षा दर्शन)

SUCCESSIVE TEACHING. 29
Education we need not bind ourselves
either by the ancient or the modern
system, but select only the most per-
fect and rapid means of mastering
knowledge.
In defence of modern system it is
alleged that the attention of children
is easily tired and cannot be subjected
to the strain of long application to a
single subject. The frequent changes
of subject gives rest to the mind. The
question naturally arises: are the child-
ren of modern times then so different
from the ancients, and, if so, have we
not made them so by discouraging
prolonged concentration ? A very
young child cannot, indeed apply him-
self; but a very young child is unfit for
School teaching of any kind. A child
of seven or eight, and that is the
earliest permissible age for the com-
mencement of any regular kind of