Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-06-20
FrOebel and the KINDERGARTEN

More and more frequently the questions
are asked, who was Froebel? What is his
system? Newton was called discoverer
because he noted and held up to view the
old law controlling matters under the new
name of gravitation Watts is hersldcd as
an inventor, because he realized the unseen
force of steam. Should not Froebel, who
noted the beat of the opening human mind,
who realized its controlling force, who aP-
piled both his own thoughts and it's under
lying principle as a motive power in the
devel, pment of mind-should not Froebel
be called both discoverer and inventor :?
True, the name Of his system savors more
OF home life than Of scientific culture. 1t
is the kindergarten.-gaIden for children.
The facts are simply these: Froebei;s very
wide and often unsatisfactory experience in
teaching. led to the observation of some
general facts which, in his mind, soon as
sumed the form and force of universal laws;
in fact, they have since been admitted as
fundamental principles in the development
of the human-physical and intellectual
The kindergarten has been called "the
Paradise of children" 1t gives pleasure in
developing, and is development which is
itself a joy. The studies, or rather exer-
cises, seem like play, but under the skillful
gardener, they bear directly and constantly
to the bringing out of the best faculties
hich the child possesses and this, too
by process so natural that the child is in-
structed without being weared, and taught
while being amused. would not here at
tempt minute description of the process
or the means. Suffice it to say that the
culture is in keeping with the laws Of nat
ural Development The young plant being
kept in a healthy state, its powers of appro-
priation or appetite is always craving
Enough is given to answer the demands of
nature, but care and tact combined to pre-
vent a surfeit. The textbooks, in the be-
ginning at least, are such materials as balls,
cubes and pieces of paper, differing in size.
color, shape, &c. Instead of desks they
have tables about l6 inches high, diagram
med in squares of an inch, circles, trangles,
etc. The children never sit more than
twenty minutes at time, and their lessons,
though consecutive, are free from sameness,
and are interspersed by physical exercise.
Their working materials come to them as
toys, and are entitled "gifs" The pleasant
use OF these, with the diagrams upon their
{,
metic and develcpes their constructiveness
first in form, then in invention Then, too,
as if improptu, and yet with studied care on
the part of the efficient teacher, much his
toric and other il formation, biography and
natural history are clothed in the garb OF
story and given to the children as diversion
the whole being ever and anon eniveued
with song. Thus it may be seen that the
kindergarten is not substitute for the
common school, but it is the best prepare.
ton for it. Here the mind, loving in play
acquires strength for its maturer work
Here an appreciation of things in their re
lation to each other is begotten, which viii
make it comparatively easy afterwards te
combine letters into words. Here, too the
perception Of means to an end must Leaf
the mind ont towards an analysis of though
which will guide it in all its future activity
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