The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-12-12
large was it ?" "What was its color?n

large was it ?" "What was It's color?,
etc.
After this exercise blocks were
given the children, and they built, ir
concert, under the teachers direc.
tions, various figures, aided by tht
checked surface of the table. Thi.
exercise taxed their ingenuity and
imitation, and developed their eyt
for form. Following this was an ex.
ercise in counting and simple arith
metic, which was carried on in play
and was readily learned.
Then, as the children had been
quiet long enough, they all went into
the larger room and the teacher
Joined them in games. These were
all plays set to music, and were very
pretty and graceful. One struck me
as especially beautiful. One child in
a corner represents an absent mother;
one, with a piece Of paper in he,
mouth, represented a carrier dove.
The others were the children who
call the bird, and sing to her the
message they want taken to the
mother.
Then the bird, with pretty step,
and a movement of the arms, to rep
resent wings, dances over to the
mother, kneels down and presents
the billet which the mother takes.
Then she sings message which the
bird takes to her children.
Then the play is over, but it is re-
peated several times, so as TO change
the parts.
After tie games the children were
again seated at the table, wi b zephyr
work, and it was pleasant to see these
tiny boys and girls counting stitches
and drawing the bright colors in and
out the card board Some of these
patterns were very pretty and we'll
done.
They aided each other and the re-
quest was always prefaced with "If
you please" and a grateful "Thank
you," rewarded the helper. heard
one little boy say, as he accidentally
hit little girl at his side, Excuse
me-"
So these little ones learned manners
and morals with their mental train
ing, The teacher showed me their
and the work they had
lone in moulding clay. No doubt
there are those among them who will
develop into artists and sculptors,
while all will enjoy more of art,
knowing how to Judge critically.
The children were all happy in
he gentle development of natural
and their mothers were re-
ieved of a great care, knowing the
precious little questioners were safe
md happy while they had time for
,ther work or much needed rest.
Butte ought to be able to maintain
me respectable kindergarten. Free
,el's ideas may be carried out to some
,xtent in the public schools. .
More attention should be given to-
be moral and aesthetic parts of the
nature, aud although traini e of the
land is not always practicable, ex-
ept in penmanship and drawing,
eachers can find out the natural
'ent of their pupils minds and en-
0urage them to follow it out at
lome.
In the summer of 1882 I attended
he Wisconsin State Teachers Asso-
iation, held at Janesville. The ex-
rcises were extremely interesting,
nd suggested food for thought for a
ong time in the future
One of the interesting things was
visit to the kindergarten depart
aent, sent from one of the State Nor
aal schools, and another was visit
0 ball where was on exhibition the
landiwork of the Janesville public
chool pupils from 6 to 16 years OF
ge. 1t was all done out of school
Iours under the direction and en-
of the teachers. The
Exhibition was a veritable fair. A
reat deal of the work showed posi-
i've genius in certain directions.
here was sewing, fancy work and
cookery done by the girls, and cabi
let work, carving, ETC., by the boys.
here were beautiful drawings and
,aints by both boys and girls. One
oy of l8 had mechanical drawings
f an engine, and had a perfectly
onstructed model of an engine. No
$50 to try to make lawyer or doc
or of that boy, but he will make a
mechanic, and, perhaps, IN
entor.
What the Janesville pupils did,
Butte boys and girs will do, for the
Vest produces the "brightest and
est." +. A. ~
RailrOad Racket.