River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-04-17
THE KINDERGARTEN AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
BY MISS KATE PETTIS,
ADAMS SCHOOL, ST. PAUL, MINI

The kindergarten utilities the time
of the children from three to seven
years of age, and its aim is to develop
the child in his threefold aspect
physical, mental, and moral or spirit
ual.
For the physical development, the
kindergarten has the beautiful games,
motion.songs and gymnastic exercises.
The use of the gifts and occupations
educates the mind. The talks, morn.
ing exercises and entire influence OF
the kindergarten educate the morals.
The gifts are the playthings for the
children. They begin with the color
ed ball. The next is the wooden ball,
as it is the simplest form. After
that, the cube and cylinder are given.
After they have played with and talked
about these, the divided cube is taken
up, and next these divisions are divid-
ed into plane forms. The analysis is
carried yet farther by dividing the
plane surfaces into edges. or lines,
which are represented by sticks, and
further still, by dividing the edges or
sticks into points, for which split peas
are used. By these means, we see
that the young mind is led uncon-
sciously from the concrete to the alb
stract.
With these gifts the child builds
forms of life, such as houses, church
es, ETC., or arranges them in forms
of beauty or forms of knowledge, as
squares, triangles and other figures,
as his fancy or the teacher may die.
tate. By this work, the child is
taught mathematical forms, ideas OF
numbers, and is led to invent. He
also learns simple ideas of architec-
ture.
The occupations begin with the
point and proceed to the solid by
means of perforating, drawing, sew
ing, weaving, paper folding, paper
cutting, peas work, and finally clay
modelling.
These occupations teach the child
drawing, designing, accuracy, neat
ness, precision, and observation.
They give desire for investigation
and lead him to seek after knowledge.
They cultivate the eye, and the hand
that most important organ of man, is
trained by them. The child also
learns colors, combinations and har.
mony of colors, and is led to look for
the true and beautiful in nature and
life.
The boys and girls educated in a
kindergarten see many beautiful
things in nature, where, to another
would be something devoid of inter.
est.
Thus we see that the kindergarten
is the only true school for children
but as most are not within the reach
of this advantage many elements and
some of it's material may be brought
into the primary school and also into
the primary classes of country
schools, with great benefit, not only
| to their manners and morals.
The young child should be govern
ed by love, not by fear of punish
ment. If in the primary school, this
be tried, and he is made to see the
right way by kind persuasion, the
teacher will find she has better
| more willing to-obey school than il
she were to rule them with scolding
and the rod, as is often customary in
public schools.
The beginning Of reading may be
| made more interesting, and it is more
easily taught, by giving the children
sticks of different length and box OF
rings, and showing them how to make
with these, picture of the word be
| fore them.
When they are not reading, print
| the words to be learned upon the board
and have the beginners reproduce
them with the sticks and rings, OF
have the words printed in large let
| tiers upon bristol or card board, and
have the class perforate them with 9
needle. Numbers may also be taught
with the sticks and rings.
The FIRST gift in the kindergarten
which is six worsted balls OF the sil
principal colors, will be found an in
valuable assistant in teaching color
| 1t may also be taught b. having the
children fold colored squares of paper
/ This occupation serves the treble
purpose of teaching color, mathemati
cal forms and designing, and it also
| cultivates the eye.
! Designing in drawing may also bt