Annotation by Mary Brown: Olga Adams was a lifelong friend and wise teacher of young children. Allan was greatly interested in the education of children, which he said should be a "drawing out" rather than a cramming in. Somewhere in these letters he says that the word 'educate' derives from 'educe', or to draw out. I don't know whether these letters to Olga Adams (the woman who lives with Allan's sisters and who taught at the Senior kindergarten at the University of Chicago) bring out this aspect of Allen enough.
Referring to that beautiful toad you sent us, I have in mind the famous Etruscan casket known as the Barbarini casket, the feet of which are lion's claws resting on toads. Even those toads seem serene, reminding us that our weal or woe must be equanimus, not merely enduring evil but transcending both good and evil. I hope dear Louise is progressing.< I tried to indicate equanimity to her in connection with card playing but I fear without success because the last I heard from her she was talking about being a good loser.
Thank you so much for your report on Erikson.1 In my ignorance I have never heard of him before and am very glad to know that he is a recognized figure in the school system. You have marked one section (No. 1) and you say that it is too extreme. I agree with you that it is too positive, definite and dogmatic. Life is indefinite and children differ. Some children are problem-children and some are answer-children. By problem-children I do not mean what is ordinarily meant by the phrase, but children who welcome the appearance of a problem which they must solve, rather than focussing their attention on the right answer. There may be more to contend with than a feeling of mistrust. There may be absolute deadness so that there can be no base, even mistrust, from which trust can arise. As the old saying has it, what's the good of anything? Nawthin'.
As to your No. 2 there also is too much definiteness. It ought to be "some" mothers, just as you say. It also is easy to be too definite about the age. I agree with you, however, that while at any period of life a change may be made there is more chance in an early beginning. It is for this reason that Mary and I are greatly in favor of the pre-school work as indicated in your material herewith returned. Our interest was started by an article we read in the Saturday Review about two years ago which said in part that if children did not learn before first grade that words were symbols, they were handicapped in their further education.
Herewith some more cat books. Remember that cats have individuality as well as personality.
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