The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-01-31
The kindergarten
81 L. y. ANDREWS.

81 T.. y. ANDREWS.
As the electric light, if proved successful,
will be to physical science, SO is the Kinder
garten system of FIR. Froebcl TO the moral and
intellectual world.
The one discovery IS not at this date a pub.
hcy approved or well tested tact; the other Is.
Yet it is astonishing that though IT is nearly
fifty years since the system of Froebel was es-
taGlished IN Germany, II Is only a few years
since even the name was heard of in this coun-
try, and scarcely six years since anything def.
mite was known or taught Of the Frocbel sys-
TEN Us far west is the Mississippi.
But today, III accordance with the eNpan-
sivc character of this part Of our country, we
seem quite likely to soon surpass our Eastern
educators in that enthusiasm of which the sys-
tenn Is worthy and bound to enlist. st. Louis
has already over sixty Kindergartens connect
cd with her admirable public schools. Chlca-
90 the much more modern city seems likely
to follow such good example at an early day.
To make very rough estimate, there are now
in this city thirty private kindergartens, one
or two charity Klndergartens, and one connect
ed with Il public school. As to the importance
of the system, that is, the true Froebelan sys-
tem there is not much doubt but that it is as
valuable tor the child as the college is to a
young man. We might be safe in asserting
that it is as important for the man himself as
would be his future college course. Rather
than go into particulars as 10 what this system
is, or what are the several gifts or occupations
in their order, and how they are used it were
better to hint at the philosophy of the system,
or Its adaptation to the actual wants OF the
child. The kindergarten, or child garden, is
nursery for the young, from the third say to
the sixth OF seventh year of age. That Is the
plastic period the very time for moulding the
lchu pf the futurp the
time also when the hand can best be trained,
the limbs and fee. properly exercised, the eye
taught to see, the ear to hear; in short, this Is
the sowing or seed time, which, If properly
used, the whole man or woman will be greatly
moulded or influenced for the future, physl-
cally intellectually and morally. Now, it is a
fact that III this very period is the child apt to
be neglected both at home and at school. The
parent knows not what to do with the little one
and the child is not yet old enough for school
| There is no place for it. 1t is in the way, and
more likely TO be learning mischcfthan good
But the Kindergarten says: Bring that child
to our room where are Il few others of similar
age Everything shall be pleasant. We will
have little tables and chairs, and pictures, and
songs and plays. The little one Is never in the
way Indeed, each one if not king IS to be
recognized as Il person, with all the rights that
| God gave him; and as man is being of both
work ana play, So these little men and women
shall have play for their work and work for
their play. The hands, the most useful mem
bers shall have plenty Of occupation" They
shall have blocks for building, sticks tor form
ing figures and counting, papers Of various
colors for braiding or weaving. Form, color,
proportion, size and number shall engage the
attention constantly. Therefore the perceptIve
faculties are speedily developed and trained,
IL, Mt ,t.,l
lectual education But will not the ordinary
primary school accomplish this? No. The
school, far too early, deals with the abstract,
And it is just here that we see the great value
for quite young children of the kindergarten (!
The latter seeks results through the tangible
or material objects: it Is, indeed, true object
teaching. Now, it may be SAID that the Kin.
dergartCn is u nursery rather than school,
aud this is true. But it Is 4 nursury with a
system, and u plan Of growth and development,
The individual traits, wants, capacities OF
each child are noted All this is desirable in
well regulated family, but only the rich can
have it, The kindergarten takes the children
OF several families, thus relieving the msther
of much care, even if, which Is by no means
always the case, she be capable rightly tram,
ing her own child.
Froebel recognized such deficiency on the
part of the mothers and stroye earnestly to first
educate them. And is it not probable that If
the mothers We're what the relations of true
motherhood demand there would be less i'm
perative call for the true Kindergarten to-day
Lack Of space forbids anything further at
present, except to say that while the Kinder.
gartcn is a study, and, indeed, Il philosophy re.
Iquiring usually one Or two years study on the
part of one who would be teacher, yet gen.
era idea Of the gifts and occupations, and their
uses, can De obtained from the catalogues of
those who publish or manufacture the material
Nor should 1t be forgotten that the true Kin.
dergarten has also a literature for those who
would pursue the study Western EducatiOn-
al J0urnaj.