The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1890-10-11
COMMUNICATION.
KiNDERG NRrES.

Many persons ask, ''What is kinder.
gaften SCHOOL, There is no such thing.
The term is misnomer. The word kin
dergarten itself means
"a garden Of children" 1t is not a
school but preparation for school. In
the kindergarten no books are used, but
IN there place concrete objects, which the
children may see and touch. Instead of
merely being taught by others, children
are led to discover facts by their own
efforts, which is the only true growth.
The children come together in the kim
dergarten from three to seven years, from
nine to twelve in the morning-after
Moons an hour is spent with the
chlldren-ages from seven TO nine-for
what We Undergraduates call "a connect
ing class" properly fitting the little ones
for the primary grade at school.
The time in the morning is divided
into periods of not longer than thirty
minutes each; in which to work and PLAY
and to prevent the children from grow
ing weary. Exercises begin with march
to simple piano mHsic, in which the time
should be strongly marked. A little con.
versation then takes place in which the
children ara allowed to talk, also to lis.
ten respectfully to anyone talking and
to wait their turn to speak. Some times
story, or little song. or game appro.
pirate to the weather. For every day in
the wet. the first twenty minutes should
be always alike in getting the children
nicely seated in a semi-circle in the cen.
ter of which the teacher sits. The chill
dren bow their heads, fold their hands
and say little morning prayer. When
this is tau .ht care is Used to be sure they
understand evesy word, facts the teacher
may be sure of by the answers the chill.
dren give to questions. This principle is
carried out in songs taught, especially to
draw out the children's ideas concerning
God and what He loves in littlechildren,
Next twenty minutes for gymnastics;
following this short reading exercise.
putting words Gu the board which they
first Learn, to sound then recognise at
sight; then print on their states, and f.
nally spell Play games to music during
part of the next period; after which a
simple lunch is served. Care is taken to
see that it is not lawlessly eaten or self.
ishly goardea. They are allowed to talk
freely during this period, but the teacher
will gently quell all language that is not
kind and polite; after this the children
take: their places 1T tables whose upper
Surfaces are covered with lines crossing
each other at right angles, and forming
one inch squares. These lines teach the
children to count, also to place their
work on any sp designated by teacher.
The children now study one of the
"gifts. Froebel terms all the material
used in the kindergarten gifts" This
gift mas ho enla, n straight on curved
line or an embodied point. The little
ones find out what the object is made of
and as many qualities as it can, the OBJ
ject possesses.
The gifts are so numerous that had /
time and space l could increase their use
aud number to legion. One must be
trainel thoroughly in the use of the gifts
Or else the good in the use of them will
be changed to a grevious wrong. A Kin.
dergartner will vary as much as possible
zach days work. And now / will bring
my letter to close hoping the parents
and all who ave interested in this subject
will, in the near future, pay my little
Kindergarten visit.
Very respectfully,
Miss May Earle.