The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-07-27 00:00:00

MR. MIINDELLA ON THE KINDER-
GARTEN SYSTEM.

A meeting was held an 13‘turday evening at the Kinder-
garten College, at 21, Stockwell-road, London, under the
presidency of Mr. A. J. filnridella, M.P., one of the vice-
presidents of the British and Foreign School Society. The
institution comprises a College for training teachers on
Frobel's principles, a model and practising kindergarten, and
a transition class, which forms the connecting link between
the kindergarten and the school. The movement was com-
menced in 1.575, and the present commodious premises were
opened in 1876.
After presenting the certificates the Chairman pro-
ceeded to give a most interesting address. He spoke
of Germany, from which Fraiilein Herwart and the
kindergarten system came, as the country where the
science of teaching had been chiefly studied; and also
referred to the services which the British and Foreign
School Society had rendered to the cause of education
in England. He considered the training given in the
kinderearten as of great importance, and rejoiced
that the society was making efforts to spread the
system in England. Some years ago he visited a town
in Saxony, where he was shown over a school with
500 pupils— not more than 50 in a room, and
the whole suo provided with desk accommodation,
with the light coming in over the left shoulder; such
was the care bestowed on the school buildings and
appliances. He ascertained that there was not in that
town a single child over six years of age who was
habitually absent from school. The attainments of
the children, and especially in writing, were remark-
able, and the explanation given was this, that all of
them had received preparatory training in the kinder-
garten. The Chairman went on to speak of the great
importance of their future work, not only the instruc-
tion they might convey, but also the education they
would give unintentionally to children, who would re-
ceive impressions through every sense, wculd observe
and be affected by the teacher's temper, manners, self-
control, attitudes, movements, and even by the stile
of her dress. Every sign of tawdriness, every appearance
of flippancy would have its effect. Doubtless the
first lessons of most of their children would be learned
at a mother's knee; but the more important lessons
would be learned from the teacher, even if actually
more time were not spent in the teacher's society
than in the mother's. He had not yet, though
between fifty and sixty years of age, lost the im-
pression made on himself by his teacher's cruelty,
and he knew a lady in the midland counties, now
above eighty years of age, whose pupils, scattered
over the world, felt it to be one of their first
dnties and pleasures, on returning to England, to
visit one to whom they owed so much. Mr. Mundell&
expressed much satisfaction with the examination
papers to which his attention had been called,
and urged the students to use all their Dowers highly,
holily, under the eye and with a view to the approval
of the great taskmaster Himself. He wished for those
who were leaving a career of prosperity and happiness,
and above all things desired that they might be able
to do the very highest work in the formation of the
characters of the rising generation. He would like to
say to them, as Charles Kingsley once said to a girl
who asked him to sing to her :

My fairest child, I have no song to give you,
No lark could pipe to skies so °old and grey;
Yet ere we part one lesson I can leave you,
For every day.
Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever;
Do noble deeds, not dream them all day long;
And so make life, death, and that vast for ever,
One grand, sweet song.
-

A vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman for his
valuable and eloquent address. In acknowledging the
vote Mr. Mundella expressed pleasure at being present
at the first distribution of the Stockwell Kindergarten
certificates.