Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1892-10-21
THE KINDERGARTEN !
Plans of the Work as Successfully Car
ried Out in all Large Cities.
Where it Has Been
Tried.
IT DEVELOPES THE MIND.
President Northrup of the State
University Fayors it. Mrs.
L. NJ. Roberts Explains
the System.
IT DEVELOPES THE MIND
From Fridays Daily.


For over a yearpast there has been
more Or less talk about establishing
a kindergarten school in this city,
the same as have been established in
many other cities Of this country for
years past. The practical benefit of
gradually developing the minds Of
the children has been found to be SO
successful that it is being intro
duced in all the cities. A number of
the ladies in this city are taking an
active interest in the matter and
with such good results that a school
will be established here in a few
weeks. The institution will lie en-
tirely nOnsectarian, and children re-
gardless of their religious training
will be allowed to attend. The
school will be separate and distinct
from the public school system, and
will be supported by the parents OF
the children which attend.
Wherever the kindergarten system
has been established it has been
found to have q beneficial effect up
on the children through life, and the
ideas inculcated in the school contin-
ue with them and prove to be inval-
liable even after they have reached
manhood and womanhood.
Even such a high authory as Cyrus
Northrup, OF the state university,
speaks in the highest possible man.
ner of the work of pupils who have
attended the kindergarten. Admit
ting that much good work has been
accomplished without the assistance
Of this early education he states that
much better and more satisfactory
results can be obtained in every
respect from kindergarten pupils.
Among the ladies in this city who
are deeply interested in the kinter
tergarten movement is Mrs. L. M
Roberts. Being thoroughly informed
as to the methods employed in the
schools, a TRANSCRIPT reporter
called on her today, and she
kindly explained the whole sys
tenn as used at the present time.
Mrs. Roberts said that the kinder
garten first started in Germany
about 1910, but it was about twenty
years later when the idea was
brought to this country by Mrs
Horace Mann and Mrs. Elizabeth
Seabury. The idea took from tht
first and spread allsover the country
until at the present time there il
hardly city Of any Importance, bu7
that has it's kindergarten.
The hid is not forced to learn as
is enormously supposed by some, as
for one very good reason, the chil(
can not be forced.
Is is well-known that the mos
satisfactory work is that which
utilizes play. and this is the funda
mental principles which underlies tn
kindergarten system.
The teaching is carried on b.
means Of gifts which are designated
by numbers, and run as high a
seven. At first the child is shown
number of rubber balls covered witt
different colored wOOlen. AlmOs
invaribly it will reach out for tn
bright red one. TO the young min
the bright red signifies love, an
warmth, while the round, pleasin
shape ball IN axes it at once attract
i've. A pecularity OF the child with thi
first ball is that it will hold it in it
two hands gently rockingit it two an
fro, giving the idea of bird in th
nest, or OF an egg.
AS soon as the child has becom
more thorougly acquainted with til
ball it is given gift number tw<
This consists simply of a woode
ball, in natural color. The differene
is at once noticed in the texture an
the developing mind of the child b.
gins to act for itself, following tn
is the third gift-a cube and cylinde
The cylinder has some OF the propr
eties of the ball but the cube is e.
tirely new to the mind.
In this gift, the first production e.
ercise is found, and the mind begil
to inquire as to the contents al
unity of the cube, and so, in tn
manner is the mind gradually devt
oped, without the knowledge of tt
child, and with no idea that he
learning anything. To him it is
matter of play and amusement.
J. The inquiring mind soon begins
ask questions, and seek informatit
OF it's own accord, gradually t
I teacher leads it into other direction
S1 and lays the foundation for t
future education.
The fourth gift is the divided cuI
or one large cube made up Of D nul
ber of smaller ones When iii
81 placed before the child IL Immediate