Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-04-18

II we help the little ones to control "the
servants of the mind as the senses have
been called and to use them well and
| wisely, surely we shall have done much
| towards giving them a good start in life
| If they can see with their eyes ana near
| with their ears, the innumerable voices
| of nature will tell them many stories, ana
| they will be learning, almost uncon-
sciously, from day to day, much that
otherwise would only be acquired by
hours of wearisome study in later life
Herbert Spencer says that child who
does not love play is not worth raising,
and surely play is the natural expression
| of the child. In the kindergarten 1t Is
| through well-chosen, directed play that
we wish to lead him.
| DR.. G. Stanley Hall, president OF Clark
university, pleads strongly for nature
study. not from books but from nature,
| and thinks it should be made the basis OF
| language, numbers, geography, history
even, not only in primary grades but on
| through grammar grades, IL not higher.
One of the best schools know OF in the
| 49,
New York city, established by Felix
Adler 1t was at first free, being
| supported by voluntary contributions,
| but it filled such a want that those in
charge were besieged by parents who
were eager and able to pay large tuition,
| so that it was decided to reserve half the
seating capacity for free pupils, and accept
tuition from the other half.
| Children are received here at the age OF
three and kept until they are fourteen
| For those entering at the age OF three or
four, there is three years course in
kindergarten, followed by three years
course in the primary classes, where
kindergarten methods prevail, and then
five years in what corresponds to the
grammar grade. The motto OF the school
throughout all the grades is Learning
by Doing" and manual and art work and
natural science are given prominent
| places and are in charge OF teachers
specially trained for that work.
The general testimony is to the effect
that the nature study here pursued
develops the powers of the mind, makes
the children observing, interested, wide
awake and capable OF thinking things
out for themselves-in fact lays so firm a
foundation OF education that those who
never enter higher grade, can, by them.
selves, go on rearing structure that will
be enduring.
| Let me now return to what l call an
ideal plan of education, and see what ii
should include, remembering always hat
it is better to strive for higher things
than We can attain, than to be satisfied
wit low standard.
We may call four years a good average
age for the child to enter kindergarten
I should give him, as have already said
pure kindergarten for two years. There
should be no question Of reading, but the
different objects presented to the child
are means of increasing his stock OF ideas
and he is also gaining words with which
to express these ideas.
Mr.. Ballet, superintendent Of schools
in Springfield, Mass, in recent address
delivered before the Maine pedagogical
society, spoke in the highest terms OF the
value of kindergartens. He said that il
was great mistake to teach child tc
read until his knowledge of things was
much greater than is usual at six or sever
years of age, without kindergarten train.
ing; that words are symbols Of ideas
and many OF them are meaningless to the
child who can read and spell quite easily
He advised that every child spend one
or two years in kindergarten, acquiring
an interest in and knowledge OF many
things, with words to tell of his daily ex.
perences and an intelligent comprehen
sion Of the language used by those about
him, and he was sure we should find the
mental strain of school life greatly
lessened. He will then learn to recog
nize the printed words readily, for he il
already familiar with the ideas for which
the words stand. He has also acquired The
rudiments of number work in those two
years, for it comes incidentally into al
the exercises of the kindergarten ano
especially by means of The building block:
which are given to the child in the form
OF cube, capable Of being divided anc
subdivided into many parts. By these ht
gets clear understanding OF number:
and their different combinations, o.
fractions and the possible division o.
things in the most practical manner. He
gets good start in free hand drawing
and begins, perhaps the first week il
kindergarten, to reproduce in very
crude manner the objects presented tC
him.
The various occupations of the kinder
garten are at the same time giving him
greater control of his tiny fingers. The
trade games form an important part OF
the kindergarten exercises. The children
are, in turn, imaginary blacksmiths. shoe
makers, coopers or scissors grinders, and
while enjoying a pretty game, are all I'M
consciously learning something Of the
way in which each conducts his business