The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-03-12


Miss Ito Ogawa, at the graduating ex-
ercises of the Honolulu Kindergarten
Training school:
Play is the most important factor
in the education of the little ones. To
educate children by play is not right
ly understood by many, because they
look upon it only as empty play with
out any serious purpose. They think
the child seeks mere amusement
when he plays. We know this is not
so. Is it not the natural and univer-
sal activity of the child?
All plays, in their elements, have
originated from childish instincts. It
is the means by which he gains
knowledge and experiences from
quainted with the life about him,
and with his own powers. In fact, it
is the first means Of development of
the human mind.
A Purpose In Play.
It is true the child, at first, recog-
nizes no purpose in it, and is supposed
to understand nothing of any aim
which is to be reached when he i'm
itates by play. It is q spontaneous
expression of his inner life flowing
from an inner impulse.
In the kindergarten, these activ-
tiles should be brought out in such
a way as to serve for the develop
ment of both body, and mind by care
full and conscious guidance. Without
this guidance, these activities will
degenerate into mere aimless plays
instead of being educational. On the
other hand, there must be no constant
oversight, for then the children will
be restrained from giving free express
sion and this would be violating one
of Froebel's principles, as he said,
"All nature is destined for culture in
all its stages, and In all its Kingdoms.
but culture must never go against
nature"
This is we'll illustrated in plant life.
It does not disturb the plant in its
growth when the gardener protects
and waters it and takes the best care
he can of it. Indeed, 1t helps it to
grow into perfect tree.
The Kindergarten may be likened
TO g garden, the children, the plants
and the Kindergartener the gardener.
She must strive to be good, thought
ful, conscientious one, understanding
the wants of each child and watching
the developing of her little ones, just
of his plants from day to day. With
out care, even plants grow rank and
wild, how much more necessary 1t Is
then to take care of childhood and
protect it, the more tender its age the
more it needs guidance that the body
as well as the soul may not be Grip
pied.
FroebeI was the first to organize
and utilize play as factor in educa-
awaken the child's perceptions, and
that initiating the life he sees about
him, he is develo ping the possibilities
of a complete human being. Even
educators before Froebel noted this
tireless play instinct in the child,
Plato said "The plays of children
have the mightiest influence in the
laws" Luther thought that to re-
strain the natural gayety of childhood
serves only to spoil the temper of both
body and mind. Again Richter said,
Activity alone can bring and hold
serenity and happiness"
The playful spirit should enter into
every exercise in the kindergarten.
In any gift lesson, if the exercise is
presented In a playful manner, we are
sure to arouse the interest of the
children, and the exercise will be
success. Although il seems play to
them, the kindergartener must I'M
derstand the deeper meaning and aim
which must be there, and have in
mind definite end to which she must
lead them, or else the exercise will
fail to be OF any value. Through play
the children gain, uHconseiously,
ideas OF form, color, number, direc-
ton, position, etc.
The play spirit is ESPECIALLY needed
experiences taken in5 from the gifts,
and stories and occupations, and give
opportunity to live out what has been
previously observer. Allow the chill
dren TO give expressions to their own
ideas in their Individual ways to en-
able US to see what Impressions have
been made. In games representing
nature, first the children should be
encouraged to interpret what they feel
to be the right characteristic of the
thing represented, and then suggest
changes il necessary.
In playing these games. first the
physical being is brought into exer-
else. If a boy is q carpenter saving
boards, or II he joins with others TO
represent STREAM flowing under
bridges, he lis constantly exercising
different sets tof muscles and his whole
body is in active play. Although the
physical training is very IMPORTANT,
it is only incidental. The mind is at
work, his creative powers are awaken
ed. When{he represents caterpillar
he gains knowledge of the life and
actiOns OF the caterpillar, therefore
his INTELLECT is being trained.
Moral and religious training are also
included in playing game. KuoWl-
edge of GCyd is made possible to the
little ones through this life and actIv-
ity in representing nature, for they
are led to seee and feel the hand of God
everywhere around them that God ia