Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-27
AT THE KINDERGARTEN.

EDS. REcoRD-UNIoN There is vague
idea in the public mind that kindergarten
is q school where work and play are COM
bined, while the purposes of neither are I'm
derstood. 1t will be interesting to many
20 know that Sacramento has a genuine
kindergarten. Those who would speak in
diligently of the "new education should
visit it. 1t is under the direction of Miss D.
A. Curtis, graduate of the Normal Train
ing School for Kindergartners, at Boston.
The novice notices, on entering the room,
the entire absence of books, alphabets and
figures, and learns with surprise that they
are never found here. The children are from
three to seven years of age, and are all occu-
necessary, speak when they choose, but in
doing so must conform to the rules of polite
ness and grammar If an error is made, they
are asked to repeat and correct it. But the
work goes on. Losing something of the nov
city of the scene, We are enabled to
classify the work of the kindergarten
as follows: the games, the gifts, and the &C.
equations. Of the games, we notice first
their endless variety. You may witness them
during many consecutive days, and you will
see new ones each day. while you may look
in vain for the repetition of one that you
liked particularly on your first visit, so ex-
haustless seems the store from which these
children draw. We notice next that each one
teaches some useful lesson. Many are illus
trative of occupations, as in 1.-The Farmer, :"
where blowing, sowing, etc., are illustrated
by the children. The Mill by the Rivulet F"
teaches in the same practical way. One
play tests the knowledge of color especially
the color of various fruits, and necessitates
the closest attention and an exercise of mem
ory. Now the children form circle around
one who invents some new exercise of the
hand, arm or foot, which all at once they be-
gin to initiate, keeping time and singing.
This induces invention and imitation, neces-
states muscular and vocal exercise, the keep
ing of the most perfect time, as well as a
knowledge of the right and left hand
and foot. This is great deal
notice how graceful these children are, with
what modest confidence they each in turn as
sumo the role of leader and stand before
their teacher and fellows, we realize that it
does still more. Each play is accompanied
by song, and we notice that many of these
are valuable musical exercises, evidently in
troduced for the purpose of giving the child
the practice it needs, which might otherwise
seem tedious. A Kindergarten must be a
singer. These plays are recreation, and no
child remains at his table for any great
length of time, lest he should tire of
his work. The natural activity of the
child is considered, and constant change
is the programme at the kindergarten.
Froebel's ''glfts are the result of a lifetime
devoted to their perfection and adaptation to
the wants of childhood. They may seem
simple enough, but when we see the lessons
drawn from them, we marvel at their beauty
and completeness. From the first gift, six
soft, colored balls, the child obtains a knowl-
edge 'of roundness, motion and color. This
is the simplest of forms, having but one sur
face From the second gift the child
learns that an object can have more than one
surface. 1t finds, also, that it may have
edges and corners, and learns the new quality
of hardness by comparing the ball, cube and
cylinder of this gift with the more yielding
substance of the first. Each succeeding gift
brings new discoveries and new delights
Divisible cubes, oblongs, the different TRAN
giles, rings and half rings follow naturally IS
the mind becomes prepared for them. Draw
ing, which is part of the kindergarten educa-
ton, seems naturally to follow the instruc.
lions in regard to the various geometrical fig
ures, taught by means of the gifts. In stick
laying the older children learn the first les
sons of arithmetic. The occupations are so
varied that there is no danger of wearying
the child. Paper-folding, weaving in many
patterns of bright papers of contrasting col
ors. perforating and picturing with a
needle and bright crewel or silk,
molding of clay into various figures,
under the direction of the Kindergarten.
Such are some of the many employments of
the kindergarten. The completed work is
carried home as gift to parents,
sister or brother, so the child realizes
the reward of industry and is taught to give
pleasure to others. In all the occupations
originality is aimed at. To construct, to in
vent, is the child's delight. The kinder
gartner gives instruction in regard to rain,
clouds, ETC., the growth and perfecting of
fruit the habits of birds and animals,
in regard to all of which the chill
dren are encouraged to ask questions and
express their thoughts. Then all attention is
given to some object. If it is a flower, it is
divided, carefully studied, and the parts
named by the children. So Froebel's chill
dren study Nature, while they know nothing
of books. To preserve the simplicity of the
child-nature, as we would its innocence, is one
aim of the kindergarten. In this "child's
garden" the tender plants are not bent and
trimmed to one pattern, but are encouraged
to develop each according to its nature.
Not an atom of individuality is
lost, not gift but is discovered
and made the most Of To keep them pure
as God made them, and encourage them to
grow to that perfection they are capable Of
can there be a higher education than this
ATre,