Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-24
THE KINDERGARTEN.
Sfss WOMAN WHO THINKS THE SYS-
TEN HAS SERIOUS FAULTS.
Children Get the Idea That There Is Moth
ing Serious In Life, and They Get Into
the Habit of Expecting to BE Always
Amused-Other Objections.

the Habit OF Expecting to lie Always
Amused-Other Objections.
1t is a brave woman who nowadays
dares to declare herself as out of sympathy
with the kindergarten and its methods in
even a slight degree. If with the courage
of her convictions she does now and then
venture an independent opinion, she is
morally certain beforehand that she will
be set down as a benighted heather by
her bosom friend and her next doIr neigh
Dor alike. Nevertheless, like all questions
of any Importance, there are two sides to
he considered.
think every one must acknowledge the
general superiority of the spirit of the
gentle Frcebel's methods to the stern, in
flexible law Of blind obedience which OBJ
tanned two or three generations ago, and
perhaps if we err today it is safer error
into which we have fallen than that of
which cur grandmothers were innocently
guilty so many years ago. But it is none
the less true that there is much which is
faulty in our training of children today,
and for large part of it the kindergar-
ten, as we have it in its practical results,
is responsible, however beautiful its the
cries may be.
In the first place, although it is sup
posed 10 have an exactly opposite effect, it
gets children in the way of expecting to be
entertained quite too much and makes
them dependent for their amusement on
their teachers and parents This defeats
the very object which the kindergarten is
striving to attain, which is to make the
child Independent, fertile in resources
within itself.
| have observed this one result in chill
dren again and again and do not recall a
single instance where the child has gained
in self reliance
Again, there is q tendency that children
may get the idea that there is nothing seri-
Gus in life; that it is all one big joke, and,
while in one way it is quite desirable to
make everything pleasant for children and
to keep the seriousness out of life as long
as possible for them, still it is equally tic
sirable for them to learn that there ar
times when it is necessary to obey at once
and quickly, without stopping to reason,
coax and explain, even though the reasons
are afterward to be told them.
The free kindergarten, where the chill
dren of the poor are gathered in, ami
where they have an opportunity to learn
beautiful thoughts and ideas, such as they
never could have gained in their own
wretched homes, is an institution whose
power for good cannot be overestimated.
and for such little ones it is a priceless
blessing. But for the fortunate children
who have good homes and refined, Chris.
tian parents it seems to me in very many
cases almost If not quito unnecessary. Tbs
mother, if she will, can bring ont the
same beautiful ideas in the training of her
own child, and because she knows its na
ture so thoroughly she can do infinitely
more than the teacher. If the training at
homo is wrong, the kindergarten will not
make it right, bat if the really beautiful
ideas and principles of the kindergarten
are carried cut in Christian homes by
Christian parents the results are most sat
isfactory.
l very often see mothers who spend al
most enough time going back and forth to
kindergarten with their little toddlers to
teach them all the pretty ideas which they
are supposed to learn, and often in much
more practical way. One lady of my aC
quaintance Is so enthusiastic on the sub
ject THAT, besides sending all three of her
little ones, she further tries to carry ont
some of tho fine theories by keeping her
children entirely by themselves outside Of
kindergarten hours. They are not even
allowed to play with the little flock be-
longing to her next door neighbor, and /
happen to know that these are better bo-
haved than her own.
A short time ago her eldest boy was fot
the first time permitted to go to school
and to ming.e with other children of his
own age. The mother conscientiously be-
lieves that she has been doing her whole
duty by her hoy, and that in being thus
particular about his very early training
she has now brought him to an age when
he may safely try his wings alone. With
no preparation to withstand outside influ-
cnces he has NIL of sudden been allowed
to hop out Of the homo nest, and the TO-
suit is that he is so beside himself with
delight at being allowed to play with other
children, their pastimes and practical
ideas are ali so very new to him, that he
acts like Wild thing set free. He causes
his teacher au immense amount of trouble
and is in fact u very naughty boy, refus-
ing to obey unless explicit reasons are as
signed and each day having to be coaxed
and persuaded in one way or another TO
of course.
1t Will perhaps be said in reply that this
does not alter the truth of tho theory,
which is true enough, but it is one of many
cases which 90 to prove that kindergarten
training in ITS practical results is open
to very many serious objections. My own
little boy has so often seen children be-
having in IL way which seems wholly at
variance with his ideas of what is right
and respectful that he is firm in the belief
that these Objectionable things have all
been taught them at kindergarten, even
though / have tried hard to convince him
Of his error. We have what we call our
"home kindergarten, which is pleasant
and profitable TO us both, and l am sure
it does not take as much of my time as
many of my friends and neighbors spend
going back and forth with their children
to the place of meeting.
| do not mean to convey the idea that
have found all kindergarten children rude
and ill behaved, for such is by no means
the case. / have only wished to call at
tention to tho fact that there are many
in the system which should
at least be made the subject of further
and reflection Mary M