Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-18

The WORCESTER KINDERG ARTEN.-We are
reminded of the admirable school for very young
children which has been established in this city
by Mrs. Knox, by the following communication
from disinterested persOn-an esteemed lady,
whose lifelong interest in education gives great
weight to what she says upon the subject. We
know that the kindergarten, on Pearl street, is
successfully conducted by one who has made
herself acquainted with the German system es-
tabliShcd by Froebel, and is grand place to
prepare children under seven for the primary
schools.
OUR KINDRRGARTEN.-IIav you any children
from three to five years old? Because if you have
not, this is not written to you. was just going to
say word about few children of that age who
are having such happy mornings that wanted to
spread the news; because am sure there are many
parents in this city who love their children dear
y, that they would be delighted to grant them any
reasonable pleasure, if they only knew how to do
so. Our children go to the kindergarten on
Pearl street, and get world of fun out of it, not
TO speak of profit. But what is kindergarten and
what good do they get from itl A school, where
there are no a, B-abs and no learning to read?
They might as well stay at home and play, have
Don't you think there are other things in life be-
sides B-abs, and how much work day, pro-
/
believe that child will learn to read quite rapidly
with ten minutes instruction day, and surely any
parent can give that. heard the other day of a
little boy only four years old, who reads the 1st
char ter of Matthew without help, and read the
stories in the Nursery with perfect ease pronOunc-
ing words like though ana thought without SPELL
ing them. am glad he is not my bOv, for know
couldn't sleep o. nights l should forbid fish diet,
feed HIM chiefly on beeEteak, and buy him New
fOundland dog to rOmp with. | believe it is econ
omy of nervous force to devote the first few years
of life to the strengthening of the bodies 1t is
true. many child will learn astonishing things
and greatly surprise admlring friends, but it is
question if anything is gained by it.
But if they don't learn to read or to sit up very
prlm and straight, with folded hands, or to stand
on chalk mark, pray what do they learn at the
kindergarten? | might almost well try to tell
You the varied occupations of large family of
children throughout whole long summer day.
They have constant variety of exercises by which
they are every moment interested. They learn to
count to tell time by the clock to distinguish forms
and colors, right and left, vertical and horizontal,
squares, cubes, trlangles, sc. They weave bright
coored papers into particular FORMS and learn to
hold things in those little tapered fingers without
dropping them. Then various coored worsteds
into paper in regular lines In this lesson the eye is
trained, and the holding the needle and keeping it
threaded prepares them to learn to They model
in clay, balls, cubes and other forms. They build
with blocks, placing them at the right upper corner
left hand lever corner, &C., according to orders.
Iuey PRICK various forms upon paper, beginning
with simple subjects and ending with butterflies
horses, Sc The eye and hand prepared for
drawing Then they play games to an accompany
some introduce little gymnastic exercises. They
have lessons in singing, and learn some poetry; but
varied the exercises are, have never known the
children TO come home at all tired They have had
a delightful morning, and all ready TO enjoy
thei" playthings at home, which are now fresh
again. | value highly the benefit of associating
with other children of their age, and of learning
how to treat them. A child, who associates only
with its grown up friends at home becomes unnat-
ural, prematurey old. Where there is a large
family of course this is different, but are there
not many families, which can boast only one? Why,
in pure selfshness, shut up the poor little thing
from all this chld,happness, and give it no assOci
ates of its own age? You will say, it is happy
enough in society. True, but hear the old, the
wise speeches. and see how il initiates you. Place
il among children and mark the change. can see
the value of the kindergarten system the training
advances and hold it rare privilege to have such
a school in Worcester and so enthusiastic and ex-
perienced teacher. When the school was opened
last September, there twenty-siX pupils, but
cold weather and fear of the measles have made
havoc in the ranks. The next term begins April
1st and hope they may be then well filed and the
limited number o { seats all taken.
LITTLE PEOPLES FRIEND.
March Is, 1872,