The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-11-03
The kindergarten.
TEACHING THE LITTLE ONES THE
ALPHABET OF KNOWLEDGE.
Developing the Spirit of %Inquiry-The
Methods in Use ut Schools where
work is Turned to Play.

''
The word kindergarten. Ms every German scholar
knows. s!.nifirH child garden. and the Maine was eli" sen
by Fr"cI-l, the inventor Of thu System. hrcau>r undrr
il, gentle training the minds uf children develop and
flourish rs naturally aud spontaneously as flowers I'm.
d. r the care of WISE gardener.
The nrst gifr, that Of the c"lnr"d balls. tnny be given
to the balynt hume. and the kindergarten trimming may
thus c ,mInrnce In the cradle; hut the kinhrrgal ten
~ u scli"nl deals with rhiidren OF from three to seven
years If nge. For these there nre no honks nor LESSONS
10 the common accrIiaiinn Of tlr term. The teaching
CONSISTS chiefly Of little SONGS and plays. ruch one ni
which inculcaics some useful bit al information. ~
that the child learms nnrnnsc'nusly while II is l., Ing
amused aud thinks itself merely ~pl.ying. TO quote
Froch-l's own words. its pnrp"sc Is; 40 take the
oversight Of children before they ARE ready for sclinml
life nr exert IN inaurrcr over their whole being In cur
rrspUndricc with its nature to strengthen their bod
lily l"wcrs; t" exercise their sens 5: to employ the
awakening mind 10 make them thnughtiuily nc-
quaihtcd with the world nf nature and OF man: tn
guide their heart ami sonl In n right direction. and
lcu. them to the origin of all life and tu union with
Him.
Earnest thinkers have always appreciated the I'm
rnrtance Of II cllilds first impressions Plato speaks
strongly on this subject. and IN later ages 1t Is the
first ak years for which the Jrsnits ask. Bishop BIT.
Ter was once consulted by q mother MS 10 what NJ.
she SHOULD begin the education of her infant snu. then
four years old. Madam" rep y"d the great man. iii
yur hsve not already begun. yo, have lust those fnnr
years. Every tc9cfri. every one. indeed. VIII" is cal
lrd upon to control and direct Others, knows how rare IS
the habit Of application and concentration. The child
in the kindergarten acquires this insctsiLly, siinp v
frcm the luct that he is Kept ut each game of pleasant
occupation until 1t IN finished. For the kinder. arlpn
is q school Tor thu iacul,ies, md develop. them "nr
and all. The children arr encouraged II talk abnIt
what they hear and see thus the powers Ui Otrsrrra.
ton AMI expression are brought into play. what
did you see this morning on your way Irir!" ask the
teacher. "A cow" says n small boy: and then fnl-
low questions Md answers. i PHEASANT talk. every
word "f which Is perfectly simple, yet which is in fact
a lecture OH natural history.
WHAT Is TAUGHT.
A child hnsn bit Of sugar nr candy, perhaps and
the ,slk Is about that. Where dnrs sugar come from:
snd the wondering littlr one learns how IT, cruws.
Thus every day has its lttlc lecture In which the
child l. Interested and instructed MS well. The lru-
prrtirs NJ natter are another sntjrrt; the difference
b"twrrn wax and wood, wood unI stone. &c Shapes
are taught also, and the child ut IN early age brcnrnrs
falniiim With g""mrI,icul terms. it is NJ cil"rt
10 him. He learns 'hcm IA naturally as he learns
the narnrs Of the cat and dog, and once learned kc
never fprgcis them. 1t is aniuslng To hear one of
these young kindrrgarlcns in conversation some
times
"Norah." said a bright hoy Of FIVE to his Irish nurse,
edo you k"nw what Il sphere is'
~ III sSrrcd No All.
Al" you Know what Il cube is, then, or an oblate
sphernid:'
"Nn,' WAS again the answ,r.
"1Ihrn, Norah. ! think yon are very Ignorant"
Difference in color Is unr If the earliest lessons Of
the kindergarten, and We cnml! v.hirl lr instances
where children mlo Ii ,rc been prom uirc'l c"lnr bind
by physicians have learned 10 distina ui>h not only col.
UrS. but EVEN Shades. 0Tr from another.
Modelling In clay, weaving mats, ~pricking patterns
on cardboard aud working them with worsrrhs cnlti.
wales manual deytrriiy. Thr more res less and active
the child the k."nrr its delight in these PLAYS end
occupations. while the dull child Las It's faculties
draw ont. So to speak. and the shy one is enc,uras.
cd To talk and play with the others.
The ropia where the kindergarten II held Is wholly
unlike the nld-!a.hiupcd school room. Birds hahg In
the windows AID II prism is placed where The sunlight
falls IN II, maxim. u perpetual rIinbDw on the wall.
Flowers arr nj the windows and racl, child b iLvS one
of his own, 0f which he IN taIgh: and hrlfrd To take
care. Music on tie piano accom- ihnirS oil the sunrs
and marches, and tie little Iuri$, wh,n 1T work, st
on low chairs. st along, low table. the top of w,ich
is divided into squares HE q e cckrrlnarl. As each
gift" is done with 1t Is carefully put WAY by ;lr
children III, nsrlvcs. u lrss"n in orderly habits which
should BE-, hit, alas, ton often Is not taught at hnIu".
It has teen objected To the kinhrcgartrn that the
c.. iLrrn b, ii= ruIIslnnIly amused md talked Ia while
rlIrrr become rxacling ard expect To he entertained
~ Liz. manner ut home. This mry hr the case in
some instances. but most children arc found Ia cruw
more sell. reliant and better able to amnsr themselves
from bring Taught at the Mind, r:irtrn how 10 think.
Thus q little girl OF four years old nh" attends n kin-
%drirartrn culurs home every LAY nnl :"rs over again
with all She can remember III the exercises OF the
day NJ school. she rla,i = teacher. while her baby
brother and the dolls constitute The pupils.
Cal sllrti c exercises play m inn tant part In the
physical training Of the kinder :urlrn. and the ben, fiji
resulting from these Is lifr.,uu. Marrhin. round the
room with benin bags on the head. which they are not
allowed to t nch. is Il pleasant .alnr. which gives
cree: ness 81 CARR No and teaches The ch'h!r, how to
hold themselves. Every .ur:. every play. has its own
lrss"n, and The pupil iiids his n"w"ls Ut perception
AMI his understanding guIrkrnrd and enlarged with.
ont CONSCIOUS effort IN his part.
THE vALuE OF WINNERS.
II may he said that al this is the dl,y Of the moth