The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-11-22
THE KINDERGARTEN.

ture of the faculties through Pestalozzi
and Germany, through Frobel, has devel
oped the scientific method of PesUaiozzi il
his effective and winning educational art
The kindergarten is a grea: fact and fa
greater promise. 1t is a sign of the new
education that is to train our boys ant
! girls for the science and the art of the
common life. 1t means to restore the ole
paradise and to keep the devil out Lool
in upon that company of twenty or thirty
boys and girls who are under the guidance
| of an accomplished pupil of Frobel with
her assistants. You find them at theil
lunch around two tables, and laughing and
talking as merrily as birds hop and chat.
ter. Glance at the spacious and airy rooms
and you see little that looks like keeping
school. There are flowers and pictures and
birds and everything pleasant and enliven-
ing. Examine the cabinet of apparatus
and the specimens of work. You find nc
books, but here are geometric blocks Of
many kinds, paper and sticks for various
tasks of the ready fingers and the restless
fancy. Here are balls of all sizes for study
and play, and the whole aim evidently is
to lead the child to see nature and life for
himself, and learn to know real objects
instead of mere words. Now lunch is
over, and a basket is brought in which
holds what looks like lump of ice covered
with cloth. The cloth is taken off, and
there is large piece of clay for modelling.
Squares of boards are distributed to the
scholars, and the clay is divided among
them in due proportion, with modelling
sticks of the simplest form. The teacher
asks of the scholars, in turn, what they
propose making, and they reply at once
One says. 81 will make a plate; another
ga basket another ga house," another
a snake;" another "some FOWLS" anoth-
er 90 birds nest;;" another ga basket of
flowers" another ga cake" and so on to
the last scholar. To work meIrly they 90,
breaking out now and then in CHEEKY song.
until, with quite different degrees of sue
cess the work is done. The birds nest
and the basket of flowers and few other
things are quite pretty, while the house
and the hens may need some help from
imagination to interpret their construc-
ton. But all are wide awake, and senses
and fingers and fancy and thought are all
astir 1t is substantial education, and the
foundation of wholesome labor and artistic
training. This is an exercise that comes
only once week. This over, it is time to
rise from the work bench and 60 to the
more open room for more stirring move
ments and for plays, with motions and
songs that represent the farm, or garden,
or workshop, and carry joy and good will
into every gesture and tone. Soon school
is done, for it lasts OILY three honrs, and
the merry, rosy girls and boys come to
you, as they go out. and take your hand
and give you a graceful courtesy or bow
that is worth more than any stately
etiquette of courts.
This is glance at the kindergarten on
Frobel's plan, and it is evidently method
of training that allows of the utmost
variety of adaptation, and invites both
loving enterprise and artistic originality
without limit. If Frobel had, as some
say, more ingenuity and vivacity than
inspiration and depth, and if too much of
his song is deggerel, and his views smack
too much of materialism. these failings do
not belong to the principle, but to the man,
and he has started movement which is
likely wholly to revolutionize the educa-
ton of children. and to tell strongly upon
all ages of study. Our young people
must see things as they are, and learn to
observe, compare, judge and act for them
selves, or they will be set of imbecile
pedants in world that is now calling
them to have their eyes open and their
hands ready, or go to the wall. If the
true method is carried out, there is no dam
ger of losing either high inspiration or
solid utility. If we open our senses to
nature and life, and stir ourselves bravely
in all needed play and exercise, the intui-
tive and spontaneous faculties of the rea-
son and will are sure to report themselves,
and good healthy affections will give heart
and glee to our movements. So, too, the
best working training comes, and health
and intelligence and good will that start
from right principles go forward bravery
to their life work. All this We need, for
never before were men called upon to judge
and act upon such great principles and
interests as now, and civil justice and
social science are submitted to our judg
ment and vote.-Harper's Magazine.