Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1879-12-20
SCHOOL MATTERS.

tees, brings to the minds Of those interested
in school matters, several subjects of thought.
Financially, the school would seem 10 be
doing very well; but as some retrenchment
appears necessary to the Board, they contem-
plate doing away with the kindergarten de-
partment, which, for the last six mo nths has
been under the supervision of Miss Babcock.
This department is especially for the training
of very young children, and its beneficial eff
iects cannot be readily estimated as a prelim-
mary discipline for the infant mind. 1t is
recognized by those who have made the edu-
cation of children a study, as of great impor-
tsnce and beyond question one OF the best
methods of training ever organized. The far
reaching advantages of this system of begin
ing the education of the pure page of the in
FAINT brain, ia set forth in such unmistakable
terms by r. L. Dugdale in his work upon the
causes of crimes and diseases, that We be-
speak for the following extracts careful read
ing by parents and those interested in the
welfare of the coming generation: Prom
bsbyhoood, infants must have liberty to use
their limbs, tops to occupy their attention
when awake, and when they are able to Wa Tx,
their play must be SO directed that, at least a
portion of it, shall take a systematic form
which produces objects of beauty or of use as
permanent results of their manual dexterity.
Various materials, such as those suggested by
Frosbel in his kindergarten education, must
be given to the child to be fashioned into null
tiform objects so that knowledge will be gained
by the use of the hands and eyes. The exer-
else Of the hands forms the basis of industrial
training and unconseiously organizes the habit
Of industry, SO that it becomes not only of
easy performance but an essentially necessary
activity of the waking hours. Given taste
for steady work and you have the best pessi-
BILE safeguard against the unbridled indulgence
Of the passions, and with this, an efEectual
check to the formation Of criminal practices
rect result of indulgence in exhaustiug vices,
or in the feverish pursuit of indulgence which
a hard working man does not think of and for
which thefts and embezzlements are COM
mitted But the industrial training here ad |
vooated must not be the arbitrary imposition |
OF formal task. Work is not an education, |
in its proper sense, unless it enlists the put
ting forth of the powers of body and mind,
and cheerfully, to accomplish
= predetermined result. Thus public health
nd inf. Cd in,
plan, to Frobel's kindergarten school, are the
two legs upon which the general morality of
the future must travel 1t may be objected
that the general community is not sufficiently
trained to understand and to establish rational
education as here indicated. ii this be so, it
10 at least possible to order that few of the
orphans supported by the State shall be dealt
With according to the most approved methods
II education. In st. Louis, Mo-, where this
system has been thoroughly tested, observers
Il its effects say that it has marked tendency
% prevent hysteria among girls. If this be
ru", how important an auxiliary must it be
% class Of human beings who are, according
o Bruce Thomson, seventeen times more lia-
lie 10 nervous disorders than the average
Does it not seem to be rather unjust to the .
fty. two little children comprising the Kin .
ergarten class to deprive them of this chance
4 life long assistance in order to give the q,
'riRcipal of our school a salary of more than 6,
ouble the amount paid the two teachers en- a
Logged in the kindergarten department n
Reference to the late report shows that Mr.. ?,
lowe receives o., 600 a year, "a larger salary h
Ian is paid to any other teacher in the State, Fl
9 are informed for teaching class of forty. a,
ur pupils in branches of study which could te
well be taught by any lady teacher who -
'uld obtain a first grade certificate, at cost st
$500 year,-the largest salary paid to any be
the ladies employed The class taught by gr
.. Howe is the smallest, numerically, in the La
strict some of the grades ranging as high as VA
veniy- eight in numbers; and we ask for the or
ndid reasons why the excessive drudgery of ha
aching seventy eight restless little pupils, se]
10 must be actually taught being unable to to
mint independently, should not be as well 90
id for as the easy position of hearing the da
stations of a small class Of wel-grown stu bv
ntsi We would suggest that the Board RI,
ght take into consideration the matter of 10
wing less salary to principal, increasing in,
pay of the over-worked grade teachers, 90,
Al l. r