National Republican., 1877-12-31
KinderrartenInG Again.

DEAR EDITOR: Having been . careful
reader Of that pleasant feature Of THk REruB-
LIcAN, tho "Woman's Corner,p have seen
with lively satisfaction o discussion springing
up (for this indicates that people are thinking
of it) In regard to that subject nearest all true
women's hearts; tho education and conse-
quent betterment of children. / refer to the
Kindergarten" And now, a. there sees,s to
be some misconception Of the meaning Of the
word, as well rs Of the mission Of the thinA
some calling it q Kindergarten school, lot us
see what its signifcation Is: Kinder plural
Of child in Germany garten tgarden) Is lit
orally "childrengarden," place where thoss
young and tender shoots Of humanity, scnt
into this tangled, briary world of ours, may
be placed to grow, to develop. Now one Of the
aids to this growth, this development, was pua
into practice by that great chiDd-iover, Fried
rich Frobel, In the institution Of the Kinder
garten, In which the system Of gifts" for the
occupation and development Of the chid's
mind is the grand and central feature. yir-
chow, that eminent German educationist. has
epigrammatically said That which enters
the head through the portals Of the eyes never
departs" The truth Of that requires no Illus
tration, no argument In after life how
vividly come up before us the scenes of our
childhood. Nor Is this the result Of memory,
independent of the sense of sight, for childreh
are not in the highest degree thinking, reason
ing creatures.
Who, even of tho present generation, does
not remember tho hard, dry facts thrust AZ
him in his young days without that which
would have made their presentation bearablo,
illustrationH Why Is 1t that the rising gener.
alton bears evidence Of
HIGHER CIVILIZATION
than any other3 Becauso Of illustration.
Why, Mrs. Editor, you might publish volume
| after volume Of plain types and figures upon
the art Of fabricating ceramics that is now at
tracing the attention Of the artistic world, and
what practical good would 1t dor But inter-
sperse the leaves Of those same volumes with
illustrations. and place on the shelves of your
| art galleries the embodiment in clay of tho
| ideas and rules contained in those same vol
umes, and your success in educating the peo-
| pie is complete.
In a true kindergarten the child is taken at
the tender age Of three or four, and that innate
principle Of life and action is turned into such
direction as will be of use and benefit. The
| child undergoes that most delightful of expo
riences, learning while not being aware ofit-
| q true exposition Of "learning made easy"
The little eyes are busy peering into the mys-
teries of life, the little hands are occupied In
forming objects with which to please the eye,
and all work, physical and mental, u in har-
mony. Character and
ABILITY TO WORE ~
arc being formed temper is being softeneA
pretty ways OF pOiiteEen are Deing 1nCulcateQ
the childs pcnchant for play is being utilized
The gymnastic exercises develop the child's
| form. Let not parents think that because
their children are not learning their o, b, c's,
they are learning nothing; book-learning is
| not all of knowledge.
| And right here let Q protest be entered
against placing book in the hands Of q child
under six years Of age. How the writer Of
this had delighted in the alphabet blocks Of
the present but their day was not yet; and,
further on, with what delight was Webster'a
spelling book. hailsdP for in 1t were there not
Illustrations Of th6 milkmaid, the bad boy In
the tree, who would not come down for grass,
but who was Obliged to surrender for stones
Also, protest against that most
| ANTI-rRoBELLIAN IDEA
of annual exhibitions, so frequently indulsed
by many kindergartens Of this country. Too
often the work that is exhibited has been fash.
ioned by the skillful. hands of teachers thu
giving an untrue showing Of the childs capacity
A still more serious consideration Ii that the
eIcitement consequent. to such an occasion Il
injurious to young children and always to b
deprecated.
Kindergarteners. be true Ito your high call.
ing, and educate the people up to corrocl
idea Of children. garden. VERITA6