The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-01-18
From the Galaxy.1

kindergartens and Common Schools.
tits the occupations, the work of the
kindergarten that distinguishes it from the
purely mental training given in the primary
schools to young children. 1t teaches them
from the first the dignity OF labor; from the
first they do things for themselves and rejoice
in their work. Not alone the head, bat the
hand has been trained But the kindergarten
does not stop here. 1t educates the heart also.
In the common schools the children rise from
class to class, silence being the inhexble rule,
each Child working for itself. In the kinder
garten the little artists work like grown men
and women, happy and absorbed in their work,
but ready to help a neighbor, to drop casual
remarks, even to sing at their work
Besides this, the occupations never last
long. They alternate with games which are
really calisthenics and object lessons In dis.
guise. In all these, children and teacher are
together, associating freely politeness constant
ly lDculcated, and the golden rule of society
enforced by example. The Kindergarten has
but one punishment, but that is all sufficient
The sulky, selfish and disob- dent child is
doomed TO idleness, sent away from his COM
rades, and not allowed to play with them or
work with them. This method has never been
known to fail in reformation. The phosophi-
cal reader who has followed us through the
general features of the system will doubtless
have perceived ere this that the gifts and works
are founded on the constitution of the human
mind. The discipline is founded on the laws
of human society, which constitute its happi-
ness. The rudest child, brought up by sloyanly
and ill-mannered parents, learns in the kinder
garten the true basis of poiteness the gres est
good of the greatest number, and gives way to
its companions for Its sake.
In the public schools as q rule the children
either go home to dinner or bring their la nch-
boxes and eat their contents as best they can,
much as savage gnaws the bone he snatches
from the fire. Let them go to the kindergarten
and the atmosphere changes. Each child takes
its lunch in little basket and at recess the same
table at which they bave played is spread,
plate and cup OF water to each child's place,
and the lunches are eaten as a civilized lunch
should be, at the table, in company, seasoned
with cheerful conversation, good manners, in
cucated by good example. The effect of this
aod other apparently trifiDg features of the
kindergarten is. that the children who enter it
little untauRht savsges leave it polite little
ladies and gentemen. They know how to
speak to strangers without bashfuuess or for
wardness, and especially how TO behave at
table, having learned at the most impression
| able age.
We have now shown in a brief sketch of the
work of the kindergarten what it does for the
child 1t does it slowly and 10 the midst of a
variety. The different occupations alternate
with each other daily, and with the plays.
Even the smallest child begins to work at fold
| ing, stick laying, drawing and modelling from
the first, beginning with the simplest forms,
| and going gradually to the highest, and stimu-
lated to exercise invention aud make things
"out of its own head" The kindergarten
leaves the trained child at seven skillful little
workman, deft 10 finger and bran-an embryo
artist or sculptor, as its tastes dictate and free
to show the natural bias of its mind.
The question remains. What advantage is all
this to The child entering common school and
never having seen book? Will not the change
from the delightful freedom of the kipdergar-
ten infallibly disgust and dishearten ii, and
| will il not fall behind other CHILDREN who have
only received home training? A little while
| ago the answers TO these questions In America
| could only be made by assertion and probable
ity. The present year has furnished very de
cisive reply, overwhelming in favor Of the
kinderg arten.