Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-06-21
MSS wnErlocK.s ADDRESS


Training Glass at Friends school.
The following is the address Of Miss
Lucy Whcclock of Boston, 10 the gradu
ates Of the kindergarten training class
at Friends School Friday morning;
The term commencement which we
apply to the close OF 4 years studies seems
particularly suitable to describe the posi-
ton we then take, For rs the end of
winter is the beginning of spring, and the
end Of spring is III turn the beginning of
summer So the END OF a years work is the
beginning OF something higher and better
for which the previous studies have been
training And as traveller on high place
can look back upon the path trayersed aud
forward TO the path To come, SO on our
commencement day We look back upon
what has been gained in YEAR, study.
To the traveller, on looking backward,
much OF the way appears different from
what hu thought It ON his Journey. We,
too, see that our hard things were all ne
ccssary to be gone through; the parts of
the landscape adjust themselves and form
a perfect whole. The work mastered sug-
gcsts effort on the part of those who have
mastered II. And much effort is needed
to accomplish all that is required. We
must look back upon the experience of
past ages ana learn from .he history Of
education what has been accomplished by
those before rs,
The light that led them shineth yet
and may be n guide to us rs well. We
must also study the mind OF the child.
But with the back ward look we also
take forward one towards the shining
goal, which we must ever Keep before us
II We would finally attain tuit.
We cannot stay upon our heights. After
the tran>liguration the discip pies and their
Master came down from the mountain
50 "a .lti hal
80 our work lies at the foot Ot the
mountain. 1t begins In the earliest dawn
OF child life. In tile kindergarten we see
the child trailing clouds OF glory"
Fruebels name Of garden" for the school
was good one. Like the farmer, we SOW
~ hope " che golden harvest that shall
sooner or later fOhUw the seedtime of our
efforts.
troebel said that the kindergarten gave
to the child the beginnings Of all things
All human effort is thTee-iuid, the striving
Tor purer life within, for the perception
.. the outer lie aud Tor the expression or
putting forth OF what has been taken in.
Hence we have the culture of the inner
Ire, or religion; the training of perception,
or science, anu the culture OF expression,
/ Or art. Tile committee OF ten in their re-
! port have recognized frOebels principles,
i that children should be trained in these
4 three directions. Nature study has
/ hitherto been tuo isolated. The kinder
/ garten teaches the child to appreciate
4 Things As lie should BY showing him their
I inner connection and interdependence. 1t
recognizes the Necessity OF an accurate
/ scientific knowledge on the part OF the
teacher Of all that is given 10 the child.
Also the kindergarten gives the beginnings
| OF Art, ~ its manual work,
| THIS is not merely the production of
pretty articles, but IS training Of the
constructive faculty and the Will power.
1t is All attempt to direct the child's cease
less activities and has IA directly moral in
| iideuce. Blocks and strips OF paper have
their purpose and are means 10 an end.
They are used only wisely when directed
toward the attainment of knowledge The
kindergarten il more than place which
simply amuses or employs children. 1t re-
quires wisdom and power of direction.
Tie Ghild's work in color and arrange.
nIent of pattern is not solely to produce q
good design, but also desire to do what
is beautiful, and TO recognize the close
connection between the good and the
beautiful Tie things which we see and
make are the things which determine us
The kindergarten must also cultivate
religious lie. This form OF teaching Ia:
been too much neglected in the past
Education has been mainly intellectual
But Socrates of old said that anything gooC
and intellectual in the soul was dragged
about toy its lower elements. Professor
Baker in the report of the committee of II
says: Ideals must be added to any scien
tihc method"
Froebel recognized that morality wa!
only an outward dress. True moral teach
ing means the awakening of the innel
consciousness and striving after an ideal
, So we must give the children ideals BY
means OF stories; we can teach self-denia
by such story as that of the dying soldie
who passed the cup of cold water 4
another, or generosity and self-sacriiice b,
the tale of a bird that protects the lives o
its young at the risk of its own. 10 in
flame the mind of the child with ideals i
the end of education, knowledge ant
, physical training are good, but this alon
is lasting And we must ever hold on
own ideal before us i'll training children i
our work is 10 be perfect ana complete.
The lsraelites Of old represented tn
Holy of Holes in the form of perfec
cube. So the inner life of human bein
has three dimensions faith, which look
: downward, hope, reaching EDWARDS an
love reaching outwards. The Apostle job
saw the New Jerusalem coming down frol
heaven, from thence also do our ideal
come. We hold before ourselves visio
OF perfected humanity when we get o
high places. Humanity can only be perfet
s when individuals become perfect. W
| have to help forward the perfection Z
. humanity. Teaching implies the creatio
4 of a human being in the perfect image {
God. We delight in sculpture paintn,
music and literature as the product
master minds. But teaching is the highe!
form of art.
I. This is your work and welcome vo
to the field you have chosen. You tax
: the child from the first dawn of bis lif
And though you may meet with discou
agement III your work, yet never lose sigl
> Of the ideal and the glorious end to whic
! you are working. For it is not 1.-THE wi
Of your Father that one of these lit
Y ones should perish"