The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-06-20
BOSTON KINDERGARTENS.
EDUCATING THE LITTLE FOLK.

BOSION klNDEkGAkIENSs
EDUCATING THE LITTLE FOLK.
Kindergarten, or no kindergarten is
a question likely to be much discussed dur
ing the coming Summer, not only by man.
mas anxious to know how best to rear and
tend their human flowers, but by School
Commissioners, and those in authority gen.
orally. AS Boston is the headquarters OF
the Kindergarten movement in America,
perhaps some account of the theory and
practice here will not be uninteresting. In
my researches on this subject, went first
to that dear, old patron saint Of the move
ment-herself wise, blessed, grown up
child-Miss Elizabeth Peabody.
There are just four true kindergartens
in Boston," she said, "all the rest are
Spurious" l have learned since that she
ought to have included two more, recently
established under the auspices of the North
End Mission, with trained teachers, and
conforming to the ideas of Froebel as far
as possible. Miss Peabody seemed to re-
gard Miss Garland's in Chestnut street, as
rather the model establishments so | spent
there one entire forenoon this week in Or
der to see, as thoroughly as might be, what
it is to be human flower in child gar
den. Miss Garland's hours are from $50
A. n. to 1890. Her school year is &c weeks
in duration, and her terms are $50 per
annum. To have longer school year, she
said, was of no use, because such families
as sent their children to her never returned
to town before October, and some of them
had even already gone into the country.
Three hours day she found quite long
enough to keep her little people systemati-
cally busy; for busy they are every mement
of the time.
She takes children of from three to seven.
She would like to have them the entire four
years. 1t is a fundamental theory of the
kindergarten that no child should even
begin to learn to read until it is seven years
old; and the progress of some children
taught on this system, when once they
began to study, has been truly marvellous.
Miss Garland has an assistant, and sec
ond school room, where few of those who
have been under her care until they were 7
are now devoting small portion of every
morning to learning to read, and they are
so trained in habits of minute observation
and close attention that they seem to learn
almost at sight. Her maximum plumber is
%; but she admits so many only because
among such little ones there is seldom a
day when all would be present. One has a
cold, another the measles, or another an
anxious grandmother, who thinks the
weather is too inclement; SO that not more
than 16 or 10 are likely to be in school at
once, and that is as large number as the
true kindergarten ought to contain.
wish 1 could make picture for you of
this room and the little people in it. There
are pictures on the walls, such as Cheney's
crayen of the Sistine Madonna; on brack-
cts are graceful busts; bouquets are in
pretty vases; but, above all, there is a
wealth of green things growing-potted
plants, in large variety and in very thrifty
condition. This idea of growing plants,
you must understand, is one of Froebers
essentials. 1t is good for the body, he
thinks to tend them; it is good for the soul
to love and watch them. Each child has
one or more. His plant is as much his
own as his cap or his mittens. He waters
lt-he picks off the dead leaves-he turns
it toward the sun-he is proud of it beyond
measure. The children who are present
each day are allowed, as a favor, to tend
the plants of the absent; and they do this
faithfully and with great delight.
Imagine in this picture adorned, bios
soming room, dozen little tots, more or
less-girls and boys being about equally
represented. Fancy them seated in little
chairs, SO as not 20 tire their tiny legs,
before long, low tables, just about as high
as the seat of grown up persons chair,
made of light, polished wood, divided by
black lines into square inches, by which
the eyes of the children presently become
accustomed to measure objects. Here they
sit for half an hour, busy perhaps at build
ing with blocks, perhaps at modelling in
clay, perhaps at folding paper, or drawing,
or embroidering on cards; for no John or
Richard who has been trained in kinder
garten will be necessarily dependent on his
wife's caprices as regards his buttons.
This work goes on for half an hour and
then there is half an hour of play. But
first l must tell you about the g. occupa-
tion," as they call it.
Building with blocks sounds like mere
fun, doesn't it !? but really it exercises these
little minds very actively. They were
given, when l was there, a cube, which in
fourth. 1t is composed of eight wooden
oblongs two inches in length, an inch wide,
and half an inch thick. These little OBJ
longs are shaped like bricks, you perceive,
and with them the children are instructed
to build. Each one must have his own
idea, and plenty of room is thus given for
invention. One built bridge, with steps
leading up to it, suggested by the one in
the Public Garden. Another made a Sum-
mer house and explained his notion of its
construction. Another made what he call
ed an engine, with the gate to shut when
the bell rings and the sign board over it.
He had a spare oblong and he set it up on
end and said it was the man to tend the
gate. Another little fellow, full of fun
and brightness, made school house and
set a solitary oblong in front of the door.
"Who is that ~ asked Miss Garland
did this morning." he said, laughing.
Elise was small maiden, with bright eyes
| and many rufflss, who was usually escorted