The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-16
THE KINDERGARTEN,
Its Importance in Connection With
the Public Schools.
The Value of Training to the Little
Child Clearly Set Forth.

Uue puDllc SCHOOLS was reaQ by MISS
Margaret L. Barr at the recent meet
ing of the Southern Minnesota
Teachers Association, and excited
much discussion and favorable COM
ment. 1t is here reproduced in full:
With a true sympathiZer of the
Kindergarten there is no question in
regard TO the demand fer Jhe kinder
garten in connection with every
public school system. Yet objections
Will be raised aud they must De met
and argued. So surely are sensible
people overcoming the once prevalent
prejudice to the kindergarten that we
lind 1T almost unnecessary to suggest
the difference between real kinder
garten and the one from which they
formed their at one time cOnScien-
ti0us opinion. The Kindergarten is a
place where the individual child is
guided into threefold equal develop
ment.
Is such place injurious?
1t is place where a child under
careful guidance and watchfulness
finds aud enjoys the COmpaniOnship
of his peers.
Can such enjoyment be harmful?
1t is place where child ia the
most impressionable period of his life
is taught in his simplest and most
innocent and childlike play to appre-
ciate the greatest and best truths Of
living.
Can the value OF such training be
over estimated?
Self-activity, self-restraint, self-con-
troll cooperation lead to the grand
result-freedOm, which is true edu-
cation.
Finally it is place where children
are happy.
Can any fault be found with such 8
place?
From the very fact that FrOebel
was Mystic, we have been forced TO
battle with prejudice, and contend
for his theories which all must admit
were only two vaguely expressed by
the philosopher himself. But FrOebel
was right in his ideas OF early educa-
ti0n and he is becoming more and
more acknowledged as a man mar
VelOusly wise in his day and genera
tiOn. 1t remains for us to interpret
him wisely and adapt his methods, in
their wisest and best uses, to our pres
ent conditions and surroundings.
He laid foundation sufficiently
broad. We must not build an insig-
nifiCanG SuperStructure.
Undoubtedly the groundwork Of
FrOebels theory is firm and strong,
but l am sure that ia many ways we
in America at the present day must
remodel and improve some of the
practices that were full Of merit
in Germany fifty years ago. AS sensi-
BILE people we must not allow our
selves to dwell too much 90 the SEN
timental side Of the question. Is it
our duty? Is it practicable? Why
put kiDdergartens in our towns and
villages in connection with our public
schools? These are the questions
that concern US as parents and teach
erS. There surely is nothing more
essential in life'S work than an aim.
Certainly the constant working to-
ward something definite is the best
possible discipline. Should not the
recognition of purpose be one of the
earliest lessons taught children?
Furthermore, the contact with other
people and the hindrances to be met
with by this very contact, is of the
utmost Importance 10 life's discipline.
We cannot afford to shield our chill
dren from possible little moral blows
to the exclusion Of their social rights
until they are Of an age when they
must go from us to risk their own
judgments in an untried atmosphere,
A little child commits little wrongs,
requires little punishments and is
with little rewards.
If these things are povor poplao+o5
he is bound to grow into an appreci-
alton Of right and wrong; into a lust
regard for his neighbours rights and
clear judgment and reason as to his
own, The school must profit by the
moral training of the Kindergarten in
the matter OF discipline and cOnscien-
tious obedience.
A child should learn in his first
years to recognize justice, mercv and
truth. The time to begin to influence
child is in his earliest years. The
time to impress him and lead him to
see and take the first steps in dis
and the formation of
clear judgement is when he is little.
1t is just as important to prepare a
child for school-life, as it is for his
teacher to be prepared to teach him.
There is a vast step between the
home and the school-rOom and Chill
1ren from four to six years of age
need to be with other children regu-
larly, constantly in guided play-pIay
which teaches them something which
will not weaken their memories nor
impair the physical development. The
kindergarten offers this as nothing
else can.
A child studies more intelligently
who has learned to observe, to think.
TO compare, to reason, A little child
may just as we'll, yes, he may better
acquire an orderly knowledge of GER
tain things before he is introduced to
books. We need not shorten his baby
hood, We must not-but we must
lake him in his own play and instead |
If allowing him to accumulate good. |
for-nothing mental power, we must
employ these early years toward |
which will abound to his
future good. Indeed we ought to
10 this.
Children will not be good unless
hey are interested. 1t is almost i'm
possible for one teacher TO do Justice
10 full room full with three classes.
especially if the children of one of
N 10 n Il