To rear the young and a generation of future adults; to preserve in their minds a cultural heritage, but to keep it tuned to the times and if possible to add to it with acceptable consistency: these are purposes in common both to home and school. In fact, home and school have remained an inarticulated and indivisible one until very recently in the history of man, the history of his growing up and his growing into certain traditions.
The homestead of a pioneer family at the American frontier, with shelter for humans and domesticated beasts, erected on land that was cleared by the sweat of the brow--the soil being tilled to raise mixed crops--, all that made in itself a first rate training ground for the ten, twelve, fourteen children who grew up in such a family.
Home was a training ground in concerted action, in group life, both concerned with production of all life necessities, quite personally felt,--as well as with their consumption in and by the group.
The food stuffs raised, reaped, processed, preserved, and cooked by members of the family working in teams on the preparation of a Thanksgiving or Christmas feast, were consumed by the very same group,--again consciously acting as a group.
A small boy or girl undoubtedly experienced a full day in a home like that.
Children were given from the earliest age roles of strict partici-
-56-
