Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-09-07
THE K1NDERGARrEN FOUNDER.

J When Froebel was fifteen years old,
| he went to the house of a forester, who
agreed 10 give him two years instruc-
| tion in forestry, geometry, and survey
| ing. The forester WAS, however, too
| busy t. keep his agreement; and
/ Froebel, thrown on his own resources,
availed himse of the forester's books,
and gained for himself the knowledge
/ which his master had agreed TO give
| him. At this time, also, he made the
acquaintance of a physician who IN
strnctel him in natural philosophy "a
| favorite study with the physician)' anu
! lent him botanical books, by means OF
| which he made the acquaintance OF
| other plants besides those which grew
| in the woods. and was erahled to find
the lelntIons of the wood plants.
At the close of the two years Fro
ebel returned home. He was, soon
after sent on business to one of his
brothers, who was studying medicine
IN jena. Froebel reached that town
nbont slght weeks before the close of
the school hnlf.year, and his brother
arranged FOR the youth to study there
for that length OF time. He devoted
himself to drawing, knowledge of
which is required by surveyor.
He returned to jena after the vaca-
ton, and then studied mineralogy,
natura! history, chemistry, aud archi-
lecture. besides continuing his former
studies of geometry, natural philoso-
ply, aud botany, aud acquiring more
information on the subjects of forestry
and surveying. The experiments in
natural philosophy did not satisfy him.
He wished to perceive the inner con-
nection of the whole. he was, how
ever, fortunate enough to have for his
teacher of botany and natural
history, one who went into the sub
iects thoroughly, and increased
Froebel's natptal inclination to learn
by observing.
His knowledge OF the subjects above
mentioned was completed, and the
study of mineralogy and of the laws
and forms of cry stalls (crvstalography)
thoroughly mastered, at the univ, rsity
at Berlin. He gave up his first private
pupils III order to attend this univer-
sity. and supported himself while there
by giving lessons IN private school.
After the war he was appointed as.
sis ant in the Museum of Mlneralogy In
Berlin. This position gave him excep-
tonal opportunities for examining and
comparing the different minerals and
crystals.
Froebel's father was n minister, and
Froebel, IN his childhood and early
youth, was frequently with him in his
study. Thither the PaTishioners caue
to consult their pastor about their
spiritual and moral difficulties. The
thoughtful boy studied the souls thus
revealed to him, and also his own soul.
He thus fitted himself to understand
little ch lircn, who are so often misuu-
derstopd hccause their powers of ex-
preston are as vet too weak to enable the
little one to explain the often innocent,
even prnisewo~thy motive of blameable
actions. The FOL owing true story may
serve 20 illustrate this fact:
4 little boy, only three years old,
broke OF the head of hls sisters doll.
The little girl ran to her mother to
complain of the deed. When the
mother reprCved him for his unkind-
ness, the little fellow looked up inno-
Gently into her face. "Wby, mamma, |
wanted to see what was inside" The
mother, who had studied Froebel's
system, perceived that the chIld's de
strnctiyeness was caused by a desire
for Investigation. She PROVIDED him
with suitable materials, and his de
structiy eness changed to constructive
ness, thereby rendering unnecessary
the sacrifice of more dolls and other
playthings.
4 review of this article will show
that floebel had acquired all-and
more than all the know ledge which
Kindergarten needs before he es-
tahlished the first kindergarten rather
more than fifty Years a9o.