The record-union., 1897-02-13
PHILOSOPHY OF FROEDEL.
Relation Of the Kindergarten to the
Public School System.
A Paper Read Before the Teachers
County Institute at Its
Last Session.

The following paper was read before
the County Institute of Teachers by
Miss Pritchard Of the Kindergarten
Training School at it's last session, and
was so generally concurred in that a
request was made that it be printed,
in order that those who were not pres
ent might have an opportunity to pc
ruse it:
This is comparatively a new phase
of kindergarten work in this country
the kindergartens of to-day standing
upon quite a different basis from the
position which they formerly occupied.
kindergarten has for many years been
in existence in this country, but on
trial for it's life, as it were, and the
severe examination, analysis, criticism
and misunderstanding with which II
has had to contend, would have utterly
obliterated a less worthy cause.
But with the deep abiding root in
eternal truth which it has, it was bound
to stand the test, and that it has come
forth victorious in its glory And now
the term of probation has passed. The
voice of acceptance has been given,
and the advent of the kindergarten into
the educational system of this country
is significant, bringing with it, as it
does, an impulse which is destined
to affect the entire educational scheme.
From the statistics of 1890 it was
estimated that the kindergartens of the
United States numbered some 5000.
In this number all our larger cities
stand in the lead with their public
school kindergartens, which range from
% in some places to 12O in st. Louis,
the largest number in any city at pres
ent; and daily come the reports of its
adoption in smaller cities and town
after town, which is falling into line.
This onward march and rapid advance
ment which this work has made in the
last few years, is due largely to the
hearty support and Endorsement of the
best and greatest educators of the day,
who consider the kindergarten move
nlent as the most significant movement
of the times. and who all stand solidly
in their appreciation of FrOebePS phi
losophy. which they believe should be
made the basis of all education.
Our National Commissioner of Edu-
cation, DR.. w. T. Harris, has been a
strong factor in the advancement of
this work, believing as he does that
'the principles upon which lnindergar-
ten is based are scientific and funda-
mental and should guide the teacher in
the work Of teaching and training the
child through its entire school course. "
There is no longer any question in re-
gard to the value of the kindergarten
1t is generally acceded to be the neces-
sary first step in education. FroebeP s
hope is realized Of the permanent root
ing, vigorous growth and scientific cul-
ture Of his system Of education on this
continent"
The question which is now agitating
the educational mind is, How shall the
relation between kindergarten and pri-
mary school be established so that they
shall both be parts of one harmonious
system of education, where the devel-
opment shall be continued and the
chain Of impressions unbroken? Let us
consider for a moment what kinder
garten is and what it does for the child.
Educat tion, when closely analyzed. is
that training which gives one the best
control of all his powers and best pre-
pares one to meet life and its problems,
and must include the physical and
IIiOt al dS " eli i4A~4AAdl- AAA ~ - -
ahe forming of character. Froebel be-
lieved L should he a process Of devel-
opment. not a scheme of instruction. A
process Of development for the entire
child, leading him to knowledge of
lis relation TO nature, TO man and TO
God"
His system of education is a sciencd
of the most scientific order, and has a
place for every God-given faculty Of
man It bids us take the child Is a
thought of God, and in faith and trust
cultivate every faculty of its nature.
FrOebel believed that education should
begin with the first breath Of life, and
considered the first years of the child s
life as the most important time Nor
is he alone i'm this belief. Educational
teachers in all ages, including the
philosophers Socrates, Plato, Aristotle,
Daintllian and many others believing
the same In these first years the child
gains the use Of all his faculties and OBJ
tains his first fund Of the world :
knowledge Is it not important that the
cleaning Of this initiatory knowledge
should be guided Alright?
As an aid in this first teaching Froe-
bel has given US his work entitled
Songs and Mother Play" which h,
SAYS contains the key to his entire phi
losOphy II is a unique book in the
worlds literature, but for insight into
human nature it deserves equal rev
elence with the works Of Goethe, Dante
and Shakespeare" for Frederick Froe-
bel saw deep into the heart Of the little
child as never man before, save he who
blessed little children and said. "Oi
such is the kingdom Of heaven" The
careful study Of this work Will bring
10 any thoughtful mind 4 clearer in
sight and a deeper heart knowledge
To bridge over the interval between
the free. joyous. uneonstrained home
life and the almost too severe restraint
of the school is the mission Of the kin
dcrgarten. That this transplanting Is
oft-tlrnes severe and painful, We too
we'll know 1t is aptly illustrated by tbs
d. descrfpiion of little Tommy, who upor
returning home after his first day a.
school was asked by his father, We'll
my son. what did you learn to-day
"Didn't learn n0ffin." Didn't learr
{ 81, - "IOb'