The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-08-08
Froebels S Great Discoveries in the
Field of Education.
PRINCE OF WALES Z KINDERGARTNER
Paper on the Growth Of the Kinder
garten Movement-FromS Small Begin
ninGs 1t Spreads All Over the World.

"To him who in the love of Nature
holds communion with her visible
forms she speaks various language"
even so while living in close contact
with the great world of Nature, i'm
bi5ing her true spirit of harmony and
gentleness, there sprang into exist
ence in the mind of one Frederick
Froebel grand and noble scheme,
the developing of which was to
strengthen and beautify the whole
child life.
AS we look into the past of every
great reform we see a Significance at
tached to every beginning. II was
something more than merely the first
act in a series. 1t was a seed out of
which great results would spring.
beginnings are the water sheds that
decide the direction of the great
streams of character
Previous to the time OF Froebel
lived other great reformers. Corne-
sicus who cherished the thought of a
"new education;" later on, PestaloZZi,
whose one aim was to give the idea
birthday, then came Froebel to nur-
ture and rear the growing idea.
Many weary years the great re-
formers mind was centered on the
education of early childhood, the
development and growth of the little
child as regards the inner and outer
life. 'I order my whole life with
reference to it," said he. Having a
deep consciousness of his own unhap-
piness and lonely boyhood only deep
ened his desire to cheer and elevate
the whole child nature.
Like many others who had the
welfare of humanity at heart, he was
nh fnI 70 -
life was tinged with darkness, but
behind the cloud hope cleaned, and
courage failed not.
AS he once remarked to his parents,
"In spite of all obstacles have never
for moment lost faith in my educa-
tiOnal mission
II was while residing in Berlin that
the fundamental thought Of his edu-
cational work seemed to appear more
plainly to him. He felt impressed
with the necessity of bringing his
plan of the "new educationn to a sys-
matte form by the establishment of
an institution for the development of
early childhood. In 1887 he made
arrangements for carrying out this
plan. The locality chosen was the
beautiful little town of Blankenburg
in Germany. The question now
arose. What should be the appro-
pirate name for this institution
The question was answered while
Froebel was passing through the
lovely valley of Blankenburg ac-
He observed the richness and vari-
ETY. of color, the wonderful har-
mony existing, the perfect arrange
ment throughout the great garden of
nature, to which "eVeu the beautiful
growth of flowers was subject" He
caught the purity and simplicity OF
natures haudiwork, and at once
these things we're intimately associa-
ted in his miud with the purity and
simplicity OF the little child, and sud
denly he exclaimed, 81 have found
it. Kindergarten or Child Garden
shall be the name of my first nursery
school,
In 1910 the kindergarten was found
ed as Universal Institute at the Gut
tenberg festival. As is often the case
in reforms, the experiment was re-
ceivcd with little enthusiasm 10y the
people. FIOebel, however, allowed
nothing to hinder him. Persever-
ance was written on every act.
He prepared papers, the design of
which was to bring before the people
the elementary idea OF his new school.
1t was not long, however, before they
children in their new home life, the
fascination that seemed to character
ize their every occupation. Friends
gathered about the "great reformer,"
inQuiring into the secret OF the new
educational movement.
FToebel felt that with the opening of
this kindergarten, his star of hope had
appeared and he seemed TO see the
dawning OF brighter day for the
cause he loved so well.
In order that tho enthusiasm al
ready lliudle might be increased, he
visited all the leading cities of Ger
many, there advancing the ideas of
his new system OF education
That We may have clearer under
standing of the true nature of the kim
dcrcartcu aud its object il is well 10
give il more than passing thought
II il too often the case that judg-
ment Is passed on new scheme or
movement before looking into the
principles underlying IL.
The kindergarten provides for the
education OF the child during the first
six years of his existence, for the
author OF the system looked upon the
training of the infant ns thc most im-
portant part of the entire system Of
education, because mt this stage of life
Impressions are easily made. That 10
IL unlike any other process of oduca-
tiOn Ia evident because IL requires n
thorough study OF the child. He