The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-04-05
EDUCATIONAL.
Hindranccs 10 the Successful Intro
duction OF Kindcrgartning.
The Problem OF Special Promotions
Tho Study Of Word-AnaIySis.
KINDERGARTNING.

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successful introduction Of kndcrgart-
ming into GU educational system, rs a
national feature, are both UUN OF a
thorough understanding of its prince
pies, and Il corresponding jac& Of thor
ough preparation in all that pertains to
their application on the part of those
assuming to practice this art.
Kindcrgarn,n in its characteristic
cathoi!city. is intended TO be clplu,
not only TO i&tic children, but to pupils
of all ages and grades, from the most
elementary To the most advanced. The
principles involved in it apply to all
alike if varied to suit the age, advance
ment, and peculiar condition OF indi-
viduals and sc FOOLS.
This ignorance on the part OF kim
dergartncrs themselves, or those pre-
tending to be such, is very unfortunate.
This want of liberal knowledge, and
"a comprehension of the measuring,
scope, and adaptability of the kinder
garten principles to the universal wants
of the human mind and body, and to
the improved methods OF teaching all
subjects and sciences, as necessary
result, has led TO endless confusion in
the minds Of some, and TO n general
distrust in the mind of others, and to a
universal embarrassment of the adhcr-
ents of this system. IT has given rise,
also, TO disagrecmcnts and contentious
in the house of its friends, thereby af-
fording occasion for reproach from It's
enemies.
There are many teachers, also, and
friends of education who are willing to
study this system, and to adopt many
of its beautiful theories and practices;
but they say, IF kindcrgartens them
selves cannot agree, there must be
weakness about it somewhere. But
they must remember that kindcrTar-
tens are also human, and that this sys-
tenn is comparatively new and not yet
thoroughly understood by many in all
its bearings; and hence wrong appIi-
cations are made, whereby many OF
these beautiful truths are distorted,
weakened and wrcsted from their lc
ultimate purposes, and frequently com
prom scd for the sake OF gain.
Again many are impatient for re-
suits; it is not snowy enough; they are
disappointed. This arises from pre-
conceived notions of progress Their
standard of comparison is wrong, and
hence good result will di'appoint
them. They look for fruit before the
time, and, since il is not forthcoming,
they fall to complaining. This is a
erievous faul. 1 is, also, great
misfortune. II exist, in nearly all the
schools. 1t i, Kind OF INHERITANCE
one Of the traditions that is hard 10
change. 1t is n false standard by
which the child's progress is judged.
TO suppose, Tor Instance That Il knowl- |
EDGE OF the names OF The letters Of the |
alphabet i, real nee 'SSlry in order to
read; or, even to suppo'" that the abil-
ity to read or to say many words in |
reading lessons, or To spell, or to |
count, as it is usually done by merely |
repeating u lingo of number names; or, |
to rectc any lesson g!ibly from the |
tongue, is any evidence of true adj
yanccment, is as iallacious as to sup
pose mat because parrot might, in |
time, and with sufficient painstaking, |
be taught to sag The same things there
fore it is Il reasoning being, and is
making rapid progress in mental and
moral development.
The truth of the matter is, these ac-
quirements, after the style Indicated |
above, are real misfortuncS, or mis-
takes, rather, and are real hindran-
ceS to the chiid's healthy advance
mcnt There are higher and more re-
liable tests than these. Yet many |
people supp s. that a knowledge OF
the names of the lctttiS of the alphabet
is the first ding to be acquired in the
educational career Of the child, and
that his reading and spelling and
saying lessons are evidences OF genuine
progress; and further, that these
things. an such rs these, constitute
the whole end and object of education;
whereas, they are only incidental, and |
u means of culture, il properly taught;
otherwise. a hindrance. Kindergart-
ners themselves have frequently been
turned aside, o. driven from the truth.
by the pressure from this quarter, and
have abandoned their high ideals of
the art, and sacrificed to this moIoch OF
ignorance and gain. This, however,
could never be the case if they thor
oughly understood this deep philoso-
ply, being rooted and grounded in
the faith. and if they could only look
beyond the Kindergarten AGE into the
subsequent educational periods.
The philosophy of this art is based
upon the natural growth of human be-
ing. and is, therefore, as deep and
broad and high and as enduring as hui
itself, 1t runs parallel with the
entire educational career Of the ihild,
The youth, the man; and I'll that is
needed in order 10 maze it entirely sue
cessful as II system is the wise, patient,
firm, and persistent teacher, with OPP
portunitie, To make the right applica-
ton of the principles involved in 1t TO
all the different grades of school life.-
John Ogden.
SPECIAL PROMOTIONS.
One of the problems of the day is,
how to give the greatest possible elias
ticty to the graded school-systcm, and
vet TO keen each class from falling to