The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-03-01
Sae '4,t~ 4erth'Hf't.
Saturday, March l, 1873,
the KlW0ER eARIeX.

the KINDERGARTEN.
For more than thirty year, new svstcm
NJ cducn:ion kr the trimming "f little child
rem has becn known and prxc,iced largely
In Germany. II 10 called Frobcl's Kinder.
esrten method, and from Ito excellence and
success, deserves especial attention.
What, then, hs kinderksrteni First. let
me cell youf astcntios to themesuinE Of the
word-"s garden for children"-which is.
In itself, very suggestive.
The analogy Of education to the gardeners
art IL very striking, and Fr0e'cl evidently
meant 10 symbolic. by the name lie gave II,
the spirit and plan of bis system. II pre-
supposcs gardeners OF tie mind. WIN are
quite aware that they have - little power
10 override the Characteristic individuality
of the CHILD a. the gardener Of the plants to
ssy ibat lily shall be . r'se; hut who.
nevertheless, must feel responsible for the
perfection Of tie development, IN so far No
removing every impeachment. preserving
every condition, and pruning every re
dundancc.
The first Kindergarten was Frobcl him.
self: who, IN the course Ot . long lite,
studied into the science OF chiIdl'OtM. and
worked ont . series of artistic exercises,
which aim 10 educnte-ilat Is draw forth
the powers Of children from more pro-
found depth than ordinary education re-
snec,s But instead Of beginning with put
ting checks upon childish play. he took the
hint of his method from this spontaneous
ACTIVITY. and began with gcnially directing
II 10 a more certainly beautiful effect than
.s.~ sNl.s Inf i.Ni aS1l
A very brief outline Of some ut the Occu>
nations. and their uses, will interest those to
whom the system Is unknown.
One of the most important exercises in
the kindery, rien Is block building. A box
Of eight little cubes Is So managed that II
will unfold ia the cl,ilds mind the lxw Of
svmmc,ry. Nv means Of series Of forms.
which the children arc led To make. In u
wsy difficult 10 describe here. There arc,
also. boxes Of iriAngles. one ut equilatcral,
one Ut right angle. and twO Of isOceles tri.
snvles-atFurding means for IN infiUity OF
forms Of beauty. and, in u pleasant, easy
way, laying the best possible foundation
for the abstract study Of geometry. Also,
through means Of the building lessons. the
creniiyc faculties Of the children are called
iE,O action. and they are helped aud en-.
cOurugcd to give outward form u tho world
Ot inward lancics. Of which their little minds
are full. Everybody conversant with child
rem knows how easily they will make bc
licvc," as they call II, aud that they are mos,
hnppy when the materials To I've transformed
by tlieir fancy are few. and easily changed
from one form 10 another IL IL too little
understood In this intensely practical land
Of ours what noble attribute ut character
imagination, rightly controlled and guided,
may become! But something more can bc
d0sis with the blocks. They can be made
symb0lical Of the persons aud objects Of u
story, q, d In the hands Of skillful teacher.
become the means Of impar,ing very pleas.
ant lessons on natural history, and very many
other subjects
The ''stick. laying teaches enumeration.
the alphabet. and the outlines of geOmetric
al figures. In the weaving Of mats, with
strips Of different col0red papers. the har
monies Of colOrs arc taught. while the work
Ing out Of the ''lnw of contrasts and their
, connections" Il law which under!ies oil IF
the 0ccups,iOns), In the various patterns
woven, keeps the mind as we'll o the hand
occupied. Modelling In clay Is one of the
InOss fascinating occupations to children,
and that, together with drawing. forms
most Thorough groundwork for art.
We hsye not time nor space to mention, ut
length. the other occupations, as the ''sew
Ing" ''psper.folding," and ''pricking," all
of which are made to subserve some use.
full purpose for the development of the
child. In natural, and, because natural,
happy way. 1t should be borne In mind
that the occupations are, oil Of them, only
. ''means to an end" 1t u not that the
mere weaving Of mat. Or sewing of . card
10 In itself OF any great value to . child,-in
the hands Ut On unframed kindergartner
they wovtd serve simply sal amusement;
hut u 10 that these very simple, and. ~ ti'e
uRltiatcd, apparently usclcss things, Gre
made tho means Of imparting lessons Of In.
colCalabIc value.
For Ill true development there must be
harmony. The intellectual must not be
cultivated 1t the expense Ut the moral and
physicsl, and Frol,el hes fully taken this
lao consideration In bic new system Of ed
ucaiion. Gymnastics ssd rythmical plays
serve 70 develop the body, while. at the
same time, In The plays the children are
taught, each for the others. Frol,cl thought
y very Important also, and ono ut the hap
p!esl ways Of calling often loving attention
u the heavenly Father. through his works,
10 have garden connected with every kin,
Vais 6owrrs
hui children reouire mt or,v an .,,.r..
tim OF nhvsitnl and mental anna. ,.r,s
BOT some ins,rucliOu. To H. nsssivsiv ~.
ccived. Thev drIisit In ,,ories .nd . xis.
teacher can make This subservicn. 10 ,he
S,i.L.... ,,ss" ~. " ...s.., .s,.s.:ss wy
A. win Charm and n"in ihc is:i. ',,,s W :, ~"
ssme time. - 49,
Anythine AZ Inn natura NJ .c,cc,,6c teach.
jur 10 done ~ r.rsen M si,isc,. f.,r c rs
inS,iOn and h. s,ivs,toS.l EE,~.rs ;ns..c,s
Amelia e,c ars sSsiiv. h.,I,"I 49,. :.
sIwnys nie.ssnt i.x IN ,.i'icH ,hs .rS..
ar n Ia dssv ol,.srs IN. ....' - ~ s .r:,S
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n Ivin- II, .Is.s' ~. "'~ ~''s'S'' VIM"
i'his n.w svsssss ~ r.o..,. /. ~. :.
Mss Eii,al.ib Pesh AZ ;'s r.rn,o ""'; 10y,
~ advoc.fs m xSsi.. ar n. ~,
~ = rl,..n ,ks,,,..S ..SC.sN rELE'"
at si.,nH - "rS.,s,crI s,o:,, IN ~.
ninc Tim, ktcd..~ss... s.d""s....S
cl,ssn Al. Tsr,r.. ~ sSSSssDI ~ "o'
ssrsEino ~ ,hs v.S,s - ~.
.Sw. ,s =. 's.s.aE pecsssaty toeI ssl WHO
''WOuld Z Cvmo,,s yiulin Ia I'M infn ,hs
, S.a; o. ~ pssson isnos.nt Of music, 10 b
iiMuvapd s,rinss;. . ~ Sscd ~ into
the hsnds Of every mother. ID. pssysos tun.
rs ~ recksessly cssinmttted. first to igu0.