The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-11-23
THECHILD-GARDEN
Mistakes of Those Who
Take Up the Work.
ACCESSIBILITY of Thorough Course.
Superficial Study Will
Not Answer.
philadelphia Record.)

finished her common school education,
studies generally relegated to her bro
theirs, received her quota of music and
drawing, according to her parents
means or her own inclination, she was
considered educated, accomplished,
finished" as it were, and was accord
ingly turned upon the world without
the slightest effort at any training
that would fit her for the duty of moth
erhood, should she ever attain that
honor.
Now, however, things are vastly
changed, and the mistaken idea prev
alent among most people that it comes
naturally to all women to bring up
children properly is being replaced by
the proved knowledge that instinct can
never take the place of insight, and
more and more mothers are urging
their daughters to take a course of
kindergarten training, though they are
not expected to use it as a means of
bread winning.
The truth is that, though higher edu-
cation for women is an established
fact, If their health and ambition per-
NIT they may equal or outstrip their
brothers in educational aspirations.
The higher training never has been
entirely satisfactory. The most SEN
sible women feel that something is
l., kI,4A ola ri
wear the cap and gown and receive
her diploma on commencement day
with her head crowned with laurels,
some faculty, some power has been left
uncultivated, and that after all her ed
ucation is not completely rounded.
Now the question is before all per-
sons, Shall women study the kinder
garten as means of more perfect edu-
cation?" The answer? One has but
to look into our best training schools
to Judge whether or not it is worthy of
the extra year or more of study which
is demanded by the teachers.
"The science of education is the sci
ence of Nature and the science Of man"
That is the true field of study.
kindergarten training is true culture,
and it will carry her into regions never
6nI6TeO dIlHOuSn bic lldy nave
acquired a great knowledge of books.
Elizabeth Peabody said of kinder
garten training: 1T is the highest finish
that can be given to woman's educa-
ton
Some have suggested that it would
be well for girl to study kindergar
tening by herself, or possibly join in a
private class that meets once or twice
a week believing that she could at
tain the same proficiency which would
be the result were she to enter train
ing school. Let all those who think
few odd hours or days would suffice
to turn them out thoroughly educated
kindergartners disabuse their minds at
once of that idea. They would reach
as high a degree of proficiency in kim
dergartening studied in that way as
theyswould music or drawing-possibly
not so much, for in the kindergarten
there is no veneering of accomplish
ments. No superficial study of desul-
tory reading does here. One must be
thorough in every sense of the word,
must pass slowly from A to q, and
when they have finished must know
not only that thing is so, but why
it is so.
1t seems so simple to the onlooker
who spends morning in the kinder
garten This building with blocks,
this talking of flowers and natures
beauties, the merry songs, and rollick-.
ing games, with never hint OF the
hours which have been devoted to
psychology, geology, botany, physical
culture and a course of reading the
length of which would strike terror to
the average girl graduate.
At the annual meeting of the Inter
national kindergarten Union the Com
mittee on Literature gave short CD
list of books for undergraduates to
read and study, aside from the regular
course of kindergarten work. Pos
sibly a part of the list may prove of
interest to those who are disciples of
the kindergarten theory. First and
foremost the dear Froebels Mother
Play" blow heads the list, followed
by F'roebel's Education of Man" (Hail-
mani, FroebePs Pedagogics (Jarvis),
"Reminiscences of Froebel' CVon Bue-
low, symbolic Education" Blow,
Child and Child Nature" won Bue-
low, FroebeI's Autobiography mich
aelis and Moore), Froebels Letters
(Michaelis and Moore), Froebels Let
tiers (Heinmann), Life of Pestalozz1
Ode Guimps), Educational Ideals Mon
roe), Educational Reformers (QuIck),
Talks on Pedagogy (Parker), Psycholo-
gy dewey, Systematic Science Teach
ing (Howe), Natures Studies Jack
MANI, Songs of Life CMorely), Lectures
to Kindergarteners (Peabody), Myths
and Mythmakers (Fisk), Stones of
Venice (Ruskin), Education of Greek
People Davidson, Education Through
Activity (Bowen), Anteropology (Ty-
Ier), Literary Landmarks (Burt), Her
oes and Hero Worship (Carlyle), Els
says (Burroughs), Philosophy OF His
tory (HegeD.
The foregoing is only partial list,
only a very few of the books an earnest
student should read. But why has