The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-02-12
The Kindergartpn.

n French writer, Is more interesting
than o visit to German kindergarten.
1t consists of large, well-ventilated
structure, to which is attached garden
planted with trees and flowers. The
children occupy its various rooms ac-
cording to age, the boys on one side
and the girls on the other; child is
admitted as soon as it can walk; they
number all sizes from two to six years
of age. Frebel, the originator of the
system, was averse to sending children
to regular schools before the age of
seven. The children of the rich have
kindergarten of their own, for which a
charge of seven dollars year is made,
while the Kindergarten for the poor are
free excepting an average charge OF one
and half cents per day for two meals
supplied to them.
Frebel's educational system is based
on experience. All infants like to play;
give them, then, as curious playthings
as you can. They soon tire of curious
things which they do not comprehend,
and before which they remain passive
spectators infants accordingly break
toys to pieces and in turn fashion some
thing else, restless activity ever OBJ
tanning out of fragments new materials
for more interesting objects. The fash
ioning of something new out of some-
thing old or chaotic, is q natural in
stinct. Frebel devoted himself to
regulating this creative infantile in
stinct, the recognition of which is so
important in the development of the
faculties of observation and imagina-
tion. He accordingly organized the
kindergarten with view to an exercise
of the infantile hand and mind by easy
work and simple amusements, while he
disciplined the understanding by sing
ing and by games of ever increasing
complexity. In carrying out this plan
never did he depart from the scope of
infantile accomplishment.
Ler us visit one of the kindergartens
for the poor. 1t is 9 o'clock in the
morning, and the children enter, bring
ing along with them a small bit of bread
to eat before the midday meal. An
inspection for cleanliness takes place ;
no large spots, holes or rents are allow.
ed, all this, indeed, being forestalled
by the pride as well as interests of the
parents. Each child passed to it's place
at table on which playthings are dis
played the smallest occupy themselves
with little wooden blocks, building
walls, gateways and houses, each COM
peting with the other. Anidea of lines,
shapes and propertions-every concep-
ton, in fact, necessary in the perfection
of high or complicated edifice is
awakened in their little brains. Each
observes his neighbor's work and, when
invention flags, copies and initiates.
Talking is permitted, and, thanks to
every one being occupied with his own
work, there is no noise.
The more advanced pupils are given
more difficult tasks. Some weave to-
gether strips of paper of different
colors and of symmetrical design, like
squares, circles, stars and other shapes
which require closer attention. Prac-
tice renders the children skillful, it be-
ing surprising to see how rapidly the
paper glides through their fingers and
issues from them in proper shape.
Others fill up with lead-pencil pro-
gressive geometrical designs traced be-
forehand, and, which are afterwards re.
produced without the model with re-
markable accuracy. Others execute in
transparency, with the point of pin,
houses, dogs and flowers, or repeat the
outlines of these objects in worsted
work.
An hour of physical exercise always
: follows an hour of labor. Then comes
singing, which is learnt by ear; ther
marching about the floor, turning an6
winding as in ballet; then sporting il
the garden with small spades, consist
ing of digging in the ground and build
ing up or excavating tenements of al
, kinds. A part of the time is devoted tt
: gymnastic exercises. The children are
j made to stretch their arms and fingers
) and stand on tiptoe; play soldier, ant
finally practice games, devised by Free
bel himself specially to exercise the or
gans of hearing, touch and sight. Man,
, time, says our author, the results hav,
astonished me. On visiting a Kinder
garten of sixty pupils have witnessed
| q sort of blindman's buff, in which
every child in turn had to guess, by al
exclamation, the name of the child wht
seized its hand. Not one in so large
crowd made mistake.
These exercises develop, to remark
able degree, perspicacity and thought
} fulness, while love of labor under thi
form becomes seductive. The children
are eager to get to a school where all i
) frolic; and every evening they take bacl
3 some new acquisition to their families
r Children are naturally open and com
/ municative, and are consequently cheer
| full; the child who is supposed, a priori
} to be of q good disposition, is LEI
3 wholly by gentleness and kindness
Boys and girls are treated alike. TIL
5 children are not taught either reading
3 or writing; but when they leave tn
kindergarten and go to regular school
5 their progress is much more rapid tha
9 that of other children; the schoolmaster
! all agree that the kindergarten gradu
ates excel others in vivacity of intellect
Frebel's aim was to make childre
thoroughly understand that which
: ordinarily only indicated to them; the
3 are obliged to talk and get excited
: their intellect, in word, being ren
l dered active in matters where it
= usually passive.
There remains one point more O
{ which to say something, and that is tn
! philosophy of punishment. In princi
pie, punishment is not considered eithe
3 as curative or with view to make a
4 example. 1t is avoided as much as pos
5 sible. Never is the child whipped o
5 the contrary it is placed in a corner
; away from the playthings, and whe
: convinced that it has done wrong, th
r punishment ceases, lasting but shol
: time and ending when repentance show
+; itself. The object is to let the child Sc
E that labor, far from being trial,
0 really pleasure, true punishment col
8 sisting of priyation of work. Childre