Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-07-22

Some sunshine came at last TO little
Frederick Frocbel. A brother of his
mother, a minister also, while on visit
TO Froebcps father, saw and commiserat-
ted the situation Of his sisters child,
and easily obtained permission to carry
him home with him to the cOuntry-
where enjoying the wide liberty which
his uncle granted him, he roamed In the
woods after the school hours were over,
and finding himself behind other boys
of Lis age in athletic sports, he was of.
ten thrown upon himself in his hours Of
recreation. But here no unnecessary re.
straints were allowed and the boy was
very happy. A curious anecdote is told
of him little later: When, on his re-
turn home, he was often his fathers com
panion in his parochial visits, he observ.
cd-for little Frederick seems to have
had an early taste for observation that
a large portion of his fathers duties con.
sisted in conciiating quarrels between
| husbands and wives, he concluded it
would have been better if God had only
made people OF one sex, either men or
women. His elder brother, to whom be
suggested this method of avoiding diff
culties between men and woven. was at
home during n vacation at the Universe
ty, aud with kind interest in his little
brothers difficulties, showed him the
sexual development of various plants,
and explained the great law OF sex,
which Iuns through this realm Of nature.
This was the boys first lesson la the
great plan of creation-the first whisper
of which governs everywhere But it
was only by slow degl ees that this grand
soul ripcned; not all at once did he
come either TO clear understanding Of
the great laws which 60 through all ma
ture, but through years of slow growth,
patient and solitary study. under many
difficulties, did he reach the goal of his
| desires, to become a student of the nat
ural sciences at one of the Universities
Later, by the will of his uncle, to whom
he already owed the harpi,st time OF his
childhood, he received legacy large
enough to enable him to continue his
studies in natural science. lie made him.
self also acquainted with architecture,
and designed to become an architect,
when on being induced tn try his hand
at teaching in model school newly es-
|
ing, and in turn became so much inter-
ested in it, that he was advised by his
employer to resign his situation in the
model school, where he was assistant,
and throw himself at once on his own
genius.
He at this period, had become ac-
quainte'i with some of the pupils of
Pest stal0zzi, and himself went to visit Pes
talozzi's school and study his methods.
! The name of the latter educator is much
more familiar to Americans than that of
Froebel, and object-teaching, which was
a prominent feature in Pestalozzi's meth
od, is now so generally recognized aud
adopted, that it requires no plea for its
worth. 1t is pleasant to note that not
long after this, Froebel was earnestly
requested to take three lads as pupils,
whose parents were wise enough TO rec
ognize his genius and to accede to the
stipualons made by Froebel, that he
should take them to the country and be
their companion, teacher and friend, in
structing them in gardening as well as
from books, and leading them to depend
on observation of objects for their
knowledge of their qualities. To OBJ
serve caI efully to nJte th4 points of ike
ness and unIikeness, is the true process
by which children, as well as adults,
think aud judge. ..
While Froebel was employed as the
tutor for these three lads, the German
States made common cause against the
tyrant who invaded Europe at this time,
and Froebel, whose theory was that gen
erosity and noble sentimcI is are to be
instilled by doing the generous deed and
fulfilling the calls of patriotism, set his
pupils the example Of patriotism by en-
listing in the army raised TO resist the
invasions of Napoleon I. His term of
service was not prolonged to II great eX-
tent, for after few months the troops
were disbanded. Among his Comrades,
however, Froebel had found two men
who were destined to fulfill to him the
relation of willing and skillful hands to
carry out his ideas. Middendorf and
Langeibal were ever herafter to be his
aids in establishing schools after his new
methods. ,.. .. ...
In 1918, Froebcl was made Professor
in the Museum of Mineralogy in Berlin.
cish opportunity for reflection on the va
rious theories which had been gathering
in his mind and in connection with his
studies on crystals, he was suddenly I'M
pressed with an idea, which became
central one in his theory of education.-
The law OF attraction and repulson he
saw applied to education and burning
with impatience to test his new thought,
he soon resigned his position at Berlin,
returned to his native province, collect
ed the children of some peasants, and
the nceforward his long life was that of
an educator. His brothers, impressed
with the wisdom of his methods, placed
their children underhis care, and his two
friends, Middendorf and Langethal, be-
came more entirely identified with Froc-
bel by marriage with his neices. A lady
of high social position in Berlin, whose
acquaintance he had made while holding
his Professors chair in that city, came,
with enthusiasm TO place her fortune at