The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-10-31
A Free Kindergarten.
IF. E. .Fryatt, in Rarper's Magazine.

In regard to the uses and advantages
of the system over others, come with me
to one of the ordinary "infant schools"
and you will see that for the early ac-
QUESTION of the rudiments of reading,
writing, and arithmetic, and for the
preservation of order and discipline,
every method is taken to subdue the
child's will and natural activityof body;
the little one bending wearily over their
tasks of senseless lines and figures, or
the monotonous dog dog, cat cat,
either looking pale, sullen and stupid, or
feverishly and unnaturally bright.
Now come with me ano listen to the
merry uproar of childhood unrestrained,
as the little ones in the Free Kinder
garten prepare for the charming game
of Birds in the Forest" See, all but
half dozen or so are standing in cir
Gle with uplifted arms, and fingers
moving in imitation of branches and
futtering leaves. The remainder run
in and out like flying birds, to the sound
of CHEEKY music from the piano, singing:
" Brides in the forest sing SO sweet and clear:
Sing of all the sunshine and the flowers here"
Two and two then join hands, forming
nest, inside of which sit the other two,
singing:
4" Brides in the forest build their little nest:
Never do disturb them, in their place of rest"
Then kneeling down in couples, each
child leans its head against the others
breast, feigning sleep, while the music
dies away to the faintest lullaby, the
teachers singing softly:
" Brides in the forest sing themselves to sleep,
Fearless like good children, whom the angels keep"
"Do you really think they under
stand what blue skies and green forests
mean, cooped up as they are in those
dreadful tenement-houses where they
never catch a glimpse of either" ques-
toned Musia.
"They gain some knowledge of ma
lures beauty" return I. "by their
weekly trips to Central Park. I was
conversing with that little child yonder
Just before you came up, to me, and she
told me, with sparkling eyes, of the
beautiful flowers and birds and the
shining fountains the teachers showed
them yesterday at the Park, and, 'Ohl'
said the little one, in conclusion, it was
SO lovely, and we had such good time
they let us walk all over the grass.
Miss Schwedler, the principal, tells me
they take great pains to encourage and
answer the little ones questions, teach.
ing them the names of the trees and
various plants, birds, or animals, SO that
really think you will. find them more
intelligent on such subjects than the ma
jority of the children we meet in daily
life. Why, they know more about treei
and flowers than many grown persons
who live in the country"
Truly until this moment I've though
the average "little boy" far from per
feet, but at this table dozen or NOR,
{ are deep in the mystery of cuttin,
forms of beauty, and they really ar
well-behaved, industrious little fellows
l and quite as tidy as the little girls, il
their jackets and bingham aprons.
} am sure there must be something unu
S sually attractive in theesystem, for som
3 of them look capable of deal of mis-
e chief.
t "Pve always thought boys rathe
h more difficult to manage than girls" sa
to passing teacher, "but these seel
|, altogether milder and more than ord
d narily gentle almost as much SO as th
o girls" $50 III ,5. IL,
>, "Shall I tell you the secret of the
IL good behavior?i' We give their mins
and bodies simultaneous employmen
q every one of our games and occup
t tions requiring action as we'll as though
u we constantly change from one game
re exercise to another, so that the itt
ct ones are engaged in no one thing lo1
enough to weary of it. This consta1
activity, change, variety, coupled wi
t song, leaves no minute of time for id
TO ness OF mischief"