The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-11
Ideas for GMn1nen.

perhaps had dipped into the higher stud
les generally relegated to her brothers,
received her quota of nus and drawing,
according to her parents means or her
own inclination, she was considered edu-
Gated, accomplished, finished as 1t
were. and was accordingly turned upon
the world without the slightest effort at
any training that would fit her for the
duty OF motherhood, should she ever at
tain that honor.
Now. however, things are vastly
changed, end the mistaken idea prevalent
among most people that it comes natural
~ to all women to bring up children pro-
perly 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 1t
as a means Of bread-winning.
The truth is that. though higher educa-
ton for women is an established fact, If
their health and ambition permit they
MAY equal or outstrip their brothers in
educational aspirations. The higher train
ing never has been entirely satisfactory.
The most sensible women feel that some
thing is lacking; that. although a girl
may go through college. may wear the
cap and gown and receive her diploma on
day with her head
crowned with laurelss some faculty, some
power has been left uneultfvated, and
that after all her education is not conn
pletely ounded.
Now the question is before all persons,
"Shall women study the kindergarten as
q means of more perfect edueation?' The
answer One has but ito look into u
best training schools to judge whether or
not 1t is worthy of the extra year or more
Of study which is demanded by the teach
ers.
The science of education Is the science
OF Nature and the science of man." That
is the true field of study.
So
kindergarten training is true culture,
and it will carry her anto regions never
entered before, although she may have
acquired a great knowledge of books.
Elizabeth Peabody said of kindergarten
t~raining:-sTt Is the highest finish that
ran be given to a woman's education."
The course OF study pursued in the
training school Is In itself sufficient to
entitle a woman to the term well edu-
Gated" and as a supplement to the high
school Is q training much to be desired.
some have suggested that it would be
wen for a girl to study k~indergartening
by herself, or possibly join a private class
that meets once OF twice a week, believ-
ing that she could attain the same pro-
fciency which would be the result were
she to enter q training school Let all
those who think q few odd hours or days
would suffice to turn them out thoroughly
educated Undergraduates disabuse their
minds at once of that idea. They would
reanh as high . degree Of proficiency in
kindergartening studied In that way as
they would in music or drawinst-possfbly
not so much, for In the kindergarten there
is no veneerins OF accomplishments. Ne
superficial study Of desultery 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 q thing is so.
but why it is so.
It see1ns so simple 10 the ont6oker who
spends q morning in the kindergarten.
This building with bloeks, this talking
lof flowers and natures beauties-the
berry = ana rolackins games, with
1sver a 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 gfrl graduate.
AZ the annual meeting Of the Interna=
tional kindergarten Union the Committee
on Literature gave a short (?1 list of
books for k-indergartners to read and study,
aside from the regular course of kinder
Earten work. Possibly q part of the list
may prove OF interest TO those who are
disciples of the kindergarten theory. First
foremost the dear Froebers Mother
Play B1ow} heads the list, followed by
FroebeI's Education Of Nan (HallmanJ,
FroebePs Pedagogies Jarvis, "Reminis-
cences of Frroeber' Won Buelow), Sym
bonc Education" Blow, "Chfid and Child
Nature" (von Buelow), Froebels Autobi-
ography Miehaeais and Moore), FroebePs
Letters fMichaelis and Moore), Froebers
Letters (H~einnann), Life of Pestalozzi,"
Ode Guimps), Educational Ideals fMonroe),
Educational Reformers Quick, Talks on
Pedagogy ParkerJ, Psychology dewey,
Systematic Science Teaching (Howe), Ma
lures Studies gackman), Songs of Life
Morely), Lectures to Heterogeneous
Peabody), Myths and Mythmakers Fisk).
Stones of Venice (Rusktn). Education Of
Greek People pavidson), Education
Through Activity Bowen), Anteropology
tTylerJ, Literary Landmarks Burt),
Heroes and Hero Worship Carlyle, Es-
says fBurroughs). Philosophy Of History
HegeD.
The foregoing is only a partial list, only
q very few of the books an earnest stu
dent should read. But why has she to
read all these things? you ask. She sure
ly does not teach them to the children.
The reason should be plain. The kinder
gartener strives to add knowledge unto
knowledge, TO learn truth and wisdom
from all thai is best in literature and life
for is not the task she now has before
her one more needful of careful prepar-
alton than the mere work of perfecting
herself in some study that she might
win new laureIs for herself? Now she
Is not working for herself, but for those
who VIII come after her, who will be
men and women when perhaps she has
ceased to be. Is IL not far more necessary
that she, therefore, learn the best she
can in order that she may be better fitted
to add her quota IN the work of prepar-
ing them for noble, earnest manhood and
womanhood?
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