Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-11-22
TIIE KTNDERGIRTEN.
II. Relation to the Public schools.


gartcn aud its recent adoption as "A part Of
the common school system in several lead
/ ing cities make it desirable to understand
something Of its underlying philosophy and
/ Of its value rs Hn educational process
| Many erroneous ideas seen, to prevail con
ccrning it, and also in regard to its relation
to the public schools Not few consider
| 1t merely means of entertaining little
children. Nothing could bee more removed
from the truth It is not play in the ordi
nary sense Of the word. but play trans
formed into work Froebel, the founder Of
the system ha. been called the philosopher
Of childhood" ." To him alone belongs the
high distinction Of first teaching that the
symmetrical development Of the physical,
intellectual, and moral powers should be
begun in early childhood Quoting from
Joseph Payne. AN eminent English author
ity, He was the first to convert what is
usually considered the waste steam Of child
ish activities into the means Of fruitful ac.
tion. and, moreover, to accomplish this ob
Irct, not only without rcprcssing the nat
ural free spirit Of childhood, but by making
that free spirit the very instrument Of bis
purpo,e.
This wisest aud most childlke Of teach
er,, in all the songs. games, aud occupations
Of the kindergarten, had definite aim, to
develop the self activity Of the child ac
rording to the laws OF its own nature. lie
devised exercises ia connection with music
which increase the physical strength and
give freedom aud grace Of motion He
contriy,d means for a definite training Of
the srnsrs which result iu Juickness and az
curacN ul vision. hearing, and touch He
planned ways for educating children IN the
art Of observing which give them clear
perceptions Tie employed simple materials
which lead them to invention and con
,truction, and develop a taste for svmme
try and beauty Viewed M this light. the
building with cumcal blocks, the stick lay
ing the ust oi tablet, and rings, the folding.
cutting and weaving Of paper, the pricking
sewing and measuring, the walking and
singing seem no more childish play. but
means hy which the child gains uncon
sciou,ly, and with greatest pleasure ideas
pt distance aud measurement perceptions
"i color. sound and form. which are the
basis Of future requirements
ars -. yalI ~ 49,. ,,,.,; pH, ppHH
learns "tn krn,, Ly limo and ,n L., H.,
kuu,,in,, II ,l.valn,- h.tL ,La ,r...,,,..'
tive and the reureseutstiva f.cnlties IA.
cause It train. not only uercepti,n hut sIs,
memory and imagination. 1t is acknowl
edged that this system has its foundation h
psychological truth, AMI Is the initial step
~ the pruces, of education There can be-
mo- guf b4ty,e-r II and ,h,. ,,,.,,nar,. sch,.,,l-
conducted sccnrIip,, f., rdr,nai ,,.tba1'
sine. tb. .a,,. ,I,,I,.n,,b,' ,,Jarl;.. r..
bnth Tbos,. ,Ln' ,,,.,jor IL at ,.oria,,..,.
with ia. rpblir .rb.., .,.t,,,, ,,,II La i,'t,,r
.sted To kpny, What Mr. EoIL.t tLa ma,
,ut.u3,ut ,f .,I,,.J. il, -,,r,,,,,f.IJ III
,tst,.. IN I'M. r.,,,,,t r., tt. Iabi ,',,,rit,....
Those L. ss,. .vb, b.,.. .,u,l,aJ III.
.vstam and J,..,,.I H. 1t. ..r.ll,
.,p,.d.
~ Tb. children, t,a,u.,l Ia. +, .r.. n,,....
submissive Il, .,.b,.,I J,s,.,nl,,.
'9 The, are. mara. INTELLIGENT ,,,,.r...v
sct observers and ,,,..,, l..a. ,,,,.,, ,.a,liI.
than other.
"3 They u,k,. ,,r,.,,t,.r ,,,,,.,r..- -, ..b,.,l
,,rL ...,,a,.,alI,' .ri,I,l,i,N i;., IT,
science. and th,. 49,. aC Ia,,.,''a',. -,
,,r,... th.ir ,J..,,.
~ 'rbis k,,d ~, ,r.,,.i,., .,,..,i...,..,.,.
other leads Jir.,,l, 49, in,l,,.,raI i,,,,a! "!
ti,p
In an nddr,s. ,psd,. Ia, Mr. a,.,li.,.r
TN. .u,,ar,nt,nJ.,,t at pbJaJ.l,L,a -, e.,
tim. nf tb. ,d,,ti,,, ,,r ,L, ,i,J.,,,ar,,,,,
intn tb. school st.t..r,. ,,f ,bat ,i,,. b7 .a;1
.Evar, ,,,t,ll,.,..,,t .,,l ...r,,yt ,,..,,I..r i,
ia. .cii, tpu.t find ..n,.,u,,,,,.,,,,.,t in H..
fort thar tbar.. L,,. I....,, ILL ,,, hl.'J
system "A f.atur. y,bi.h b,- ,,n, ,b. s,,,.
mort and ,nufd,.r,... ~ -. I.aj,,'', ,i
Tb, cit, of H,,stnn l's. r.c..,,,I,.. ;r,.l,.l.J
IN il, .y,t4m the f,rt, E,udsrgsyts,. .n,,
ported formerly by Nrs Sbsy, tho J.u.,b
Ter nf Prof A5assi, and a. f,.t A. ILL.
the school hoard nrr iptrodurin,, ,tbsr.
The Leland stanford ir I-n;yarsit,, in
California is tn start vitb the Eindar,ar
ten as its foundation aud nro,.aJ ~ tb..
highest rnur.. If stul, ,;t,. M, i,r',,.
than Lewiston NJ. bs. .cbnnls ~ tbis kind
in ever, shuiIdm,, that ,,,tai,y ,I.. -.
,,raj4. fb. L..t trai,,i,,., .,b,,is i, tb,
ruuntry hay. a d4,prt,n,,,t ,Ia,nt.d IN III.
iu4tb,j nf Instruction s,,J il, ,I,, Iar',..
,it,.s tL.r. ar. tr.iri,., ..L..J. f.r ~
alone
Tn. KiuJ.rvart,.u j. r., n, r,.,ns s..
some have supuns.J a d,y nurs.ry h,t
strictly educational inst;trtinn Ero.I,ar.
idea in taking tb, child AT tbra. y..srs nf
merely tn stlf al
mower, ., -,rl. I,pt ,..,,.,isIl,. q, ,j.,slo,,
hi, social iu.tinct. nnJ r. lr;n;, hin, under
the disriuline which r,,uas from, ,n;n,,lir,,
with others He is tan,bt to ra,,arJ tbs
interest, Of each member or the GttI. So
cety To which b,. h.lnu,,. III. moral ma
ture is devql,u.J h, tb. aff.ct ~ tb. trai,
ip,, of tb. hand ami .,. ,,,,,,, ,l,. ,,;u a,,I
by the atmosnbere of symnsth,' md love-
which surround him Tbi taacb.r' sbnrl5
have rar. Qualifications and tbnrnn.,b tran
| inc A moor Kindsr,,rtan has has,, ri,,b,I,
termed "a stu,,.n,I,u. fsil,ra
Becausa .n man, ba,... ,,,,i.r,aL.,, tb.
work knovi,,, no,Lin1, ,f IL. ,Luns,,i1,.
/ and bavin,, l.ss nf H.. f,u. .,,,,it II Lal M
/ Leen peneT,llv an,re,.ia,ad as its n,.r;ts 40
| serve That il is a ,r4at charity no on.
can doubt The writer has yisitsd scbools
/ of this Kind ir san Fronciscn ,,n,Iar tb.
| charge nf that cnituraJ and ,LiIantbror'ir
! lady Mrs Conner suJ has saln ,,bat can
| he done for mi, n.,,lacted children NJ
| CITY IN the Union bos Inrs sn much ,,nrl ~
/ tbis natur4 ~ San Ersn,.,.o,, n,,;n,, ~ ,ba
rnrt thai ,,,rso,,s If lsr,,,. ,y,,.ltb bs,. han
cnnvinc.j nr IL. ,,.,.,n,',,t mi ',r',at LII.
/ given S1O OOO for tIis ,,nrnnsa Tbs First
/ CONGREGATIONAL .lur,.L IN tlat .it,- s,,r,,o,t.