The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-08-31


words. From words he proceeded to
sentences. and then he taught the chill
dren the meaning of them. For words
and sentences were but the signs Of
things. He thus put ideas into their
young minds, and gradually gave them
an accurate acquaintance with the es-
sential and distinctive qualities of OBJ
jectS-considered first individually,
then in construction as whole, and
then again as a part or parts of the
great system of the universe.
Thus began the Pestalozzian system
Of education, as now practiced in our
infant schools.
From morning till evening"" he
saws, Il was in the midst of the chill
dren. All that concerned their mind
and body proceeded from me. All help,
all succor, all instruction, came forth
Immediately from my hands and heart.
NV hand lay IN their hand, my eve
rested on their eve. When they wept
! wept, and their laugh called forth
mine. They were out 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 paw, no
servant around mel 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 10 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
ers and sisters. He had reached their
hearts, and they rewarded him with
their love. His moral and religious
influence upon them 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 number of his pupils increased so
much that he could not teach them all
himself. He had no means of hiring
other teachers.
But he was never without eXpedients.
He employed the best and most orderly
scholars to teach the others. This
method succeeded admirably, for ready
learners are often the 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 "a popular educators.
When the war came to an end, Pesta-
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
pOwerless, so was r.
Nevertheless, he continued to teach.
He entered an elementary school, as an
assistant. Here he introduced and
taught his lessons on Objects" He
did not remain long in obscurity. As
sociating himself with Krusi. he opened
a school in large castle at Burgdorf.
which he was allowed to occupy.
There he drew around him a large
number of children, and finally estab-
liShed his educational system and APP
pliances. In his How Gertrude
Teaches her Little Ones" he endeav-
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 edu-
TO others the education of the intellect.
But PestaloZZi endeavored TO combine
the two i'm 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 ewes
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 emperOTS visited the
great educator. Eichte declared that
he saw i'm his labors the commence
ment of a new era i'm human culture.
His life was utterly self-sacrificing. All
that he did was done for the good of
others.
A tomb was erected over his re-
mains, which contains the following
inscription:
Here lies Pestalozzi, born inZurich,
the 18th of January, 1746, died at
Burgg, the 18th of February, 1927; the
deliverer of the poor at Neuhof; at
Stanz the orphans father; at Burgs-
dOrf and Munchenbuchsee the founder
of new schools for the people; at Yver-
don the instructor of manhood; as a
man. Christian and a citizen, he was
all for others. for himself nothing!
Peace TO his aShes.''-SdnliseI SnliteS
LII. d.. tn Youths Companion.
A