French academic, educational thinker and researcher, pacifist and left-liberal politician,
Founder and President of the Human Rights league
(1913-1926)
Nobel Peace Prize (1927)
Ferdinand Buisson’s words echo back or question :
“To make a republican,” he wrote, “it is necessary to give every human being, no matter how young or meek, the idea that he must think on his own, that he must be faithful or obedient to no one, that it is up to him to seek truth and not receive it ready-made from a teacher, guide or leader of any sort.”
“You hold the intelligence and soul of children in your hands; you are responsible for the homeland.
The children in your care are French and must know France, its geography and its history: its body and its soul They will be citizens and they must know what a free democracy is, what rights confer to them, what duties the sovereignty of the nation imposes on them.
Finally they will be men, and they must know what is the principle of our greatness: pride united with tenderness.
They need to be able to picture the human species in broad outline and disentangle the main elements of this extraordinary work called civilization.
We must show them the greatness of thought; we must teach them respect and worship of the soul by awakening in them the feeling of the infinite which is our joy, and also our strength.
The master himself must be fully imbued with what he teaches He must have whispered in awe of the human mind Then, and only then, when through solitary reading and meditation he is full of a great idea and enlightened inwardly, he will easily communicate to children the light and emotion of his mind. Ah! You will be more than paid for your trouble, because you will feel the life of intelligence awakening around you.
Children have unlimited curiosity, and you can slowly take them to the ends of the earth When you have spoken to them of the great things which concern human thought and conscience, you will have easily done in a few years the complete work of educators In every intelligence there will be a peak, and on that day many things will change. ”
1° What is the document? 2° What is the topic (=subject) about? 3° Which tense (=temps) is used? (the Present, the Past or he Future?) How do you know? (Give a clue) 4° Say the same 'message' by using "can" and "must".
Most school children are taught that Native Americans helped the Pilgrims and were invited to the first Thanksgiving feast. Their conceptions of Native Americans often develop out of media portrayals and classroom role playing.
But this early conception of Native Americans is both inaccurate and unfair and do not correspond to the historical facts, which explain why many Native American today call Thanksgiving a "Day of Mourning". Peaceful relations between Native Americans and the colonists didn't continue for long. Why? What happened? You may see some controversial posters and campaigns. Observe and read the following. React and try to explain, and understand!
