Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1886-07-24

young minds, and gradually gave them
an accurate acquaintance with the es-
sential and distinctive qualities of OBJ
iects considered first individually.
then in construction as a whole, and
then again as part or parts OF the
great system of the universe.
Thus began the Pestalozzian SYSTEM
of education, MS now praeticed in our
infant schools.
"From morning till evening. he
SAYS. IL was in the midst Of the chill
drcn. All that concerned their mind
and body proceeded from me. All help,
all succor, all instruction, came forth
Immediately from my hands and heart,
My hand lay in their hand, my esc
rested on their eve. When they wept
wept, and their laugh called forth
mine, They were ont of the world :
they were out of Stanz; they were with
me, and was with them.
Their bread was my bread, their
drink was my drink. | had nothing
but them no household, no pay, no
servant around me c-l had only them.
If they were well. | was among them
if they were i'll, was at their side.
slept amongst them. was the
last that went to bed at night, and the
first that rose in the morning. Even
when in bed, prayed and talked with
them until they fell asleep,
Pestalozzi now made great progress
in his work as an educator. The poor
children lived under his care as broth
crs and sisters. He hG.sS reached their
hearts, and they regarded him with
their love. His gi6ral and religious
influence upon .sflem was very great
though he did.not talk to them much
about religion, but only showed them
the religious life that he himself led.
The numbt,r Of his pupils increased 50
much that he could not teach them all
| himself. lie had no means OF hiring
other teachers,
Bot he was never without expedients.
He employed the best aud most orderly
scholars to teach the Others. This
method succeeded admirably, for ready
/ learners are often tht best teachers.
And thus began the Monitorial System,
afterwards better known as the Bell
and Lancaster System, though long
before either Bell or Lancaster had
become known as popular educators,
When the war came to an end, Pcsta-
lozzi's school was broken up, amidst
| tears on all sides, He provided the
pupils with provisions for their Jour
| neY, and dismissed them with words OF
Kindness. He himself was greatly dis
tressed at the parting.
"When, after toiling and restless
nights, he says, "a shipwrecked sailor
gains sight Of land, and begins TO
breathe hope of life, but suddenly, by
an adverse blast is driven back on the
boundless deep, and once more strains
all his limbs until they are numb and
powcrlcss, so was
Nevertheless, he continued to teach.
He entered an elementary school, as an
assistant Here he introduced and
taught his lessons on Objects, lie
did not remain long in obscurity, AS
sociating himself with krusi, he opened
school in large castle at Burgdorf,
which he was allowed to occupy.
There he drew around him large
number of children, and finally estab-
| lishcd his educational system and APP
pliances. In his "How Gertrude
| Teaches her Little Ones, he cndenv-
ored to attract the mothers TO his side;
for he rightly held that the truest edu-
cation not only begins at home, but
ends there.
1t centers round the mother; she is
the crystal of domestic life She cdu-
Gates The heart. though she may leave
TO others the education of the tntellect.
But Pcstalozzi endeavored to combine
the two in one. His school took the
place of the home; and when the home
was poor, miserable and full of petty
cares, the school was the only place
where the children could learn the
lessons of life, morality and duty.
Pestalozzi had now drawn the eyes
of all upon him-of all, that Is, who
took an interest in the culture and ed
ucation of the rising generation. HIS
name was now European; and scholars
and teachers came to him from all
parts. Kings and empcrors visited the
| great educator. fichte declared that
he saw in his labors the commence.
ment Of new era in human culture.
His life was utterly self-sacrllicing. All
that he did was done for the good oi
others.
A tomb was erected over his re-
mains. which contains the following
inscription:
Here lies Pestalozzi, born inIurich,
the 18th of January, l746, died al
Burgg, the 18th of February, 1927; the
deliyerer Of the poor at Neuhof; at
Stanz the orphans father at Burgs-
dorf aud Munchenbuchsee the founder
of new schools for the people; at Iver-
don the instructor Of manhood; rs 4
man, Christian and citizen, he was
all for others, for himself nothing
Peace To his ashcs!'-- Samuel Smiles,
Iii. D., IN ToWh's Companion.