The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-05-11
educational golnmr.
Conducted bT c. r. PALMER.
SIGNIFICANCE OF KINDER GARTEN
CULTURE.

The literal meaning Of the word Kin
der Garten, is child-garden, hence it
true significance is child culture-har
monious human development
Frederick Froeble, the greatest Ger
man teacher is said to have found th'
key to unlock the childs being. 1t va
his mission TO make the wants Of child
hood understood.
The truest ministry we shall evel
know is that Of sympathy with child
hood-the ministry that seeks to build
up a lovely symmetrical being fitted for
grand and noble life work here and an
eternal progression beyond Too much
attention cannot be given to the laws Of
mental development
In every child, as in every seed, lies
an infnity of possibilities; which, il
rightly developed, would result N har-
vest Of blessings to mankind. These
possibilities should be early developed
and brought into toproperexercise through
the senses
All primary education must naturally
begin with the culture Of the preceptive
faculties, and should combine pleasure
with instruction, and where it does not,
there is something wrong in the man.
ner ofimparting knowledge.
Perhaps the greatest defect ofprimary
instruction is the failure to develope
very young minds by easy and natural
methods, depending too much on the
@cramming process" Education is "de-
liverance," and means drawing out, not
filling up, and that system Of training
is the best which best develops all the
innate powers of mind and Dody alike.
This is the grand significance Of the
German Kinder Garten system-that it
takes the child of the tenderest age and
instead of dwarfing Its mind by impossi-
BILE tasks, it seeks to develope all its fac
ulties tremendously in accordance with
the natural laws ofits being.
The more we look into the simplicity
of this method of human culture, and
the more we realize ofits sympathy with
child nature, the more we are inclined
to admire and recommend it.
That this method of child training is
growing in favor in this country, and
will at no very distant day be made
available in all grades of the primary
work, will be seen from the fact that
the national association of German teach
ers, which recently met at st Louis,
adopted report that Froebel's system
of Kinder Garten instruction, in its gen.
uine form is the great want of our ma
tional system of public schools, &c, &c.
This report in full was considered and
endorsed by the American National
Teachers Association at Elmira-
One peculiar and distinctive feature of
Kinder Garten culture is that it adapts
itself to the natural instincts or inclina
tons of the child, and all faculties are
gradually developed and invigorated by
being brought into proper exercise. 1t
seeks to arouse the curiosity of the child
and crafty its love of activity by ming
ling delightful associations with learn
ing, and never over tax its powers by
keeping the tender mind too long di-
rected to one object
The system also recognizes the signif-
ance of play, by combining amusements
with instruction, hense the Kinder Gar
ten is sometimes called a play-school
We will here quote what a correspond
ent of the Boston Globe says of our pet
system" after visiting one of these play
schools"
children come cut of the Kinder
Garten, if it is conducted by those who
understand the science, with a good
knowledge of the relations and proper
ties of small numbers gained by con-
tinual counting of the lnesand squares.
and sticks, with an understanding of |
the geometrical forms-squares,ob ,oblongs.
cubes and triangles of all sorts; stick |
and slat-laying, the making of transparent
forms with peas and pointed sticks, with |
knowledge of drawing sufficient to ena |
BILE them TO invent symmetrical patterns |
on the squared states or paper. with
much facility in little arts of manipula
tiont that make the little fingers dex-
ferrous; with a great many pretty songs, /!
both devotional and picturesque; with |
symbolical plays taught musically; with |
simple. easy gymnastc exercises, and, |
above all, with the power and habit of |
expressing themselves clearly and cor
rectly."
Can all this be said of the two first: or
even three years in our primary schools.
Children naturally love knowledge and |
delight in occupation. Hence the sig
nifance of of the following list of Froe
ble's Kinder Garten occupation-mater-
all, or as he styled them, Gifts"
/ Six soft ball, of various colors.
2 Sphere, cube, and cylinder, made of
wood.
8 Large cube, dived into eight small
cubes.
4 Large cube, divided into eight oh
long blocks.
5 Large cube, consisting of twenty
one whole, six half, and twelve quarter
cubes.
6 Large cube, consisting of eighteen
whole oblongs, with three divided
allu SlA
z Quadrangular and triangular tablets
for laying figures.
s Stats or wands for laying figures.
9 Whole and half wire rings for lay
ing figures.
10 Material for drawing.
IL Material for perforating.
u Material for embroidering.
13 Material for paper cutting and
combining the parts into symmetrical
figures.
IA Material for weaving or braiding.
Is Stats for interiacing.
16 Stats with four, six, eight and six
teen links
IL Taper strips for lacing.
Is Material for paper-folding.
19 Material for peas work
20 Material for modelling.
Unfortunately. Frobel's works are in
German; however we have such trans 1