Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-13
Friday Morningites Discuss
Herr FrOebel.
The Association Joins the Fed
GRAFTON Of Clubs.
An Interesting Discussion of Kinder.
garten Principles.
Mrs. Osgood's Paper on Frederick Froe-
bells Life and Ideas-The Fea-
lures of the System
He Created.

day. Mrs. Hubbard, as chairman of
the home and education committee, had
charge of the programme.
The first half hour was devoted to
disposing Of the question OF the feast.
bility of joining the federation of clubs.
Mrs. Staunton read the qualifications
necessary to eligibility for membership
in the federation. Warm discussion
followed, but when the question was put
before the club, the result was decidedly
in favor of joining the federation.
Mrs. Osgood opened the literary pro-
gramme with dainty and thoughtful
paper upon The kindergarten. She
frst gave a short sketch OF Friedrich
Froebel, the author of the kindergarten
system. The trials of Froebel's early
youth refined and ennobled his nature,
and suggested to him this lovely method
OF instruction for very young children.
The purpose and aim of the kinder
garten was most clearly presenteds as
the method OF beginning with the con.
crete and gradually proceeding to the
abstract. This is almost lost sight of in
our primary schools, where the little
toys and amusements. to the work of
the schoolroom full OF many mysterious
letters and figures. But in the kinder
garten this is taught most easily. First
come "The Gifts.' The colored balls,
the blocks, cubes, cylinders, planes, tri-
angles, the rings and peas, all in their
turn teaching color, form, solidity, COM
parison, and producing images or pic
lures upon the mind, gradually advanc-
ing step by step toward the abstract.
"The Occupations" begin with out
lines pricked on paper, and pass on to
sewing, drawing, weaving, cutting, fold
ing and modelling.
A vital point of connection between
the gifts and the occupations lies in the
latter affOrding means of embodying
in visible and permanent form the
Impressions received through the for
mer.
BY the countless and beautiful
combinations of color and form, the
esthetic nature is aroused, the
senses sharpened and the hand trained,
appealing to the whole nature of the
child; they reach at once his intellect,
his emotions, his physical activities, and
produce balanced development not
attainable by any other system.
FroebePs favorite formula was, I'VE
learn through doing" His so,called
2 ''doctrine of opposites" is the intellect.
ual basis of the kindergarten. We can
not think up without implying down,
nor light without darkness, nor extern
sion without limitation. Frodbsl claimed
that as thought is conducted by this law,
education should recognize and apply it.
The kindergarten system provides for
the physical development of the child
by gymnastic games accompanied with
songs. These being more or less dra-
matte, develop the Imagination and sym.
pathies. There are no punishments in
FroebePs methods, gave the isolation of
the willful or naughty child until he is
glad to be once more with the happy
family of little ones. Individuality is
cultivated, and the rights of each limited
by the rights of all. The kindergarten
is world in embryo. Virtue is strength.
ened by exercise; faults overcome by
the effects being fully shown, and char
acter developed harmoniously, because
the same truths realized as law are felt
as love.
Mrs. Spencer followed this paper by
an article from the January Overland:
A Day in Pestalozzi Town, by Kate
Douglass Wiggin. The article, full of
sparkle, described an amusing visit in
the public schools and ramble around
the quaintest, quietest and sleepiest of
small Swiss towns, Yverdon Mrs. Spen-
Ger gave very brief sketch of Pestalozzi,
his reputation as writer, his plan of
labor schools, and the adoption of his
system by the Prussian and other Ger.
man schools.
Mrs. Ordway read from the January
Californian an article entitled Kinder
gartens, by Minna V. Lewis. This was
a short account of the kindergarten
work done in San Francisco, begun thir-
teen years ago, work sled by the hand,
the baby figure of the giant mass of things
to come"
Miss Andrews followed this article
with brief paper on the manual train
ing school. She urged the symmetrical
dicted that the coming education would
school work, the American youth TAX
ing his industrial lessons with his sci
ance and literature.
Mrs. Severance told the club little of
our Los Angeles kindergarten work.
Tie little charity school has been moved
from the mission Of Sansevain street to
Mrs. Ducommun's house on Ducommon
street. The sunny, wide parlors of this
building have just been rented ior $6 a
month. With its bright rooms, wide
verandas and generous yard the chill
dren are in almost ideal quarters.
To pay rent, teachers salary,
and procure supplies, the ladies
of the kindergarten board are
heavily taxed. The Cable and O'Rell
lectures were to raise money for this
charity. As Cables lecture only paid
expenses, Mrs. Severence urged each
lady to be responsible for one ticket to
the O'Rell lecture, that the tiny, needy
children, with go little of sunshine in
their home life. may find it in their new
kindergarten home.
Next week Miss May Allen West will
address the club. Miss West, editor Of
the Union Signal. and president of the
Illinois Women's PRESS association. is q
woman of marked ability, and much
pleasure is expected from her paper.