The Portland daily press., 1874-06-08

Interesting Session Of the School Com
mittee.

tee are becoming very popular with school
teachers and other educators. Saturday after
noon the room of the Committee was crowded
with teachers and the friends Of education to
hear Miss Jennie D. Proctor OF the Kindergar-
ten Normal class of Boston explain that system
of instruction.
Hon. Geo. f. Talbot, chairman Of the COM
mittee in introducing Miss Proctor said that
one of the questions which the Committee
found most difficult to solve was: How shall
we instruct our primary schools?" The Com
mittee, had given more attention to this than to
II other questions. Parents are very anxious
to get their small children into the schools.
The primary school rooms are over-run with
small scholars; and so long as largo majority
of parents insist on sending children of five
years of age to school, We must devise some
means to absorb their attention, for they cannot
study. In view Of this people are asking about
the kindergarten system and to get some idea
of it, the Committee have invited Miss Proctor
TO explain it.
Miss Proctor did not attempt to lecture on
the subject, but sitting in her chair gave in a
conversational manner, simply and clearly. the
kindergarten, she said, 10 not school. There
are no books. 1t is a garden Of children; they
are the plants; and the plan is not to stuff
them, but to direct and quicken their powers of
observation. Three years of age is good
time to enter snch a school, children can re-
main with profit until seven. In this time the
perceptions of the child are clearly defined. his
observation is better; consequently, it has prov
ed that the kindergarten scholar makes great
or progress in other studies when put to them
Bythis mode of instruction the scholar reads and
understands what he reads at seven and writes
50 plainly that one can read it. There is, how
such school rooms of ordinary size can be
used for no teacher can instruct more than "a
pupils. There is no special need for grounds
outside, but they are very desirable. 1t will
require six months for ordinary teachers to ao-
quire sufficient skill to teach successfully.
Miss Proctor then proceeded to give An idea
of FrobePs system. The distinct objects given
to the child for his amusement or develope-
nent. or rather to take his ate ntion, are called
gifts" The first gift is six worsted balls,
three of primary colors and three secondary
colors. These are gwen to the child whom it
comes to consciousness. In the colors is seen
the law of contrast and the contrast of the
secondary ones the connection.
The second gift consists of sphere, cylinder
and cube of wood. The contrast is in mate
rial, connected by the form, a sphere. The
cube makes contrast In the gift itself, united
to the sphere by the cylinder, which has . like
ness to each.
The third gift is cube, making . connection
in this point with the second gift. This cube
besides being larger, is divided in eight small
cubes, forming a contrast. A differene comes
between one of the parts and the whole in size,
while the form of them is the same
The form of cube is still kept in the fourth
gift, which being also divided unites it to the
third gift, while the difference in the manner
of the division, makes the opposite. There are
eight oblongs Of wood, the material connecting
the parts to the whole.
The fifth gift is larger cube divided in two
different ways making the law apparent, the
connection being in the form of the whole and
parts. The difference in the divisions make
the contrast in the gift ITSELF while the relation
of these parts to the whole form the connection
as well as material.
Number six is alike in form and material to
the preceding gift, but is opposite in divisions.
These last two gifts are progression of the third
and fourth.
From the solids, the child considers the sur
faces or planes in the eight gift. These surfa-
ces are of various forms in parcels or boxes like
toys. They repeat the forms of the solids in
pictures.
The eighth gift is called the embodied line
This is composed of stats of wood, connected
by material with what has been given and con-
trasted in power. These stats are from one
to five inches in length and by their relation in
material connect contrasting lengths.
Gift nine is box of brass rings, largo and
small, with halves of each size. The embodied
curve in contrast to the line; change in ma
terial in itself has the opposite in the size of
the rings and whole and broken parts Draw
ing, switch is called the tenth giftand follows the
use of the embodied line and progress i've curve
done by the staffs. The lines are of the sam
comparison to each other in length and COM
bine to form contra stlng forms.
The eleventh gift is pushing a needle having
raise the surface. This paper is first covered
with ruled paper to direct the eye which with
the hand acquires accuracy and skill by this
occupation. The idea of . point is to be
drawn This of course makes the opposite to
the other gifts.
Paper of greater thickness with various
colors of worsted is the twelfth gift, which is
called sewing. The forms worked are lines
and connections Aside from other lessons
taught, it gives skill to tn. hand.
The thirteenth gift is cutting paper into va
rious forms beginning with simple and pro-
ceeding to complex. Two or more colors are
used.
The weaving of strips of paper Of different
colors into the divided surface Of the same
material is the next gift in order, tho CON
trastins Of colors.
Passing over one or two gifts the nineteenth
is using the stats of gift eight in making
skeletons Of various kinds by the use of peas
for connections.
The twentieth gift is clay modelling.
Simple ~ these lessons appear and useless a.
they may seem to the practical mind it is
claimed that under the guidance of skillful
teacher the child's mind is developed in won
derful degree, so that be perceives correctly
expresses perceptions clearly and acquires
rare degree of skill in the use Of his eyes and
hands.
Miss Riggs, one Of the city teachers, expires
sed her faith in object teaching. A. far al
tried by her in her school it had been uRusu
ally successful.
DR.. Dana being present was called upon
He said he came in because he WAS interested
in the subject. He said the error with tn,
present system is that we overlook the natural
law of Development The faculties should b,
developed; first ,She perceptive; second the con
cepton; and third the reflective. The first il
the basis of oil true knowledge One of hi
children once attended kindergarten schoo
@uu nc WOO odtiouCu bHdL Uuc iAStTuCbiUu ne re-
celved was of the most useful character be
cause the child was taught to observe and die
observe better than other children of his age
Rev. DR.. Hill said that he was satisfied thai
the idea of the kindergarten system 10 correct
and gave illustration. He said that Boston
was burned in 1872 because the steamer at
tempted to play on the top of the buildin,
where the fire originated instead of going int
it and playing upon the base of the FIRE which
would make steam to e1tinguish that on the
roof. He said the teacher played too high.
Rev. Mr. Buck, J. M. Palmer, Esq, ant
Mr. Haines of the Park street school advocated
some change in the present system.
In closing, Mr.. True of the committee
thought the com mittee were bound to consider
how far the system could be applied to ou
primary schools.
The meeting was adjourned to next Saturday
at 3 o'clock.
Personal.
Dr.Torsey, the Principal of the Maiue Yves
layan Seminary, is expected home from thu
South in two weeks.
Hon. j. J. Eveleth of Augusta, who has beer