Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-17
KINDERGARTEN SYSTEMS.
INTERESTING AND TIMELY SUCCESS
TIoNS REGARDING THEM.
Practical Subject That Will BE Thor.
oughly Discussed During the ses-
sions of the Federated Clubs
in This City This Week.

The problem of the successful and har-
monious advancement of mankind lies at
the root of all educational, social and re-
ligious progress, and more forcibly than
ever before is the conclusion being driven
home to every thoughtful mind that to
accomplish successful character building
successful development physically, mental
ly and morally-we must study alike hered-
ity and environment.
We have passed the age of factless as
sumption, wherein child's mind was con-
sidered as blank tablet and the process
of education meant merely the inscription
of the teachers knowledge thereon, and
to-day we stand face to face under the
study of heredity and psychology with the
fact that the child is a bundle of possibili-
ties, either for good or evil, and that the
will is result of the coordination of fac
ulties, strong or weak as 1t is matured and
developed in the right way or the wrong.
Admitting these facts, as all thoughtful
people must and do, how can we avoid
the conclusion that that method of educa-
ton which purposes to catch and hold the
attention of the child toward an orderly
and successful use of opportunities, begin
ming atthe earliest practicabl moment after
his Unborn faculties awaken, TO an under
standing of his outward surroundings, must
be the correct and, in the end, the only
successful system?
Said Napoleon: THE greatest of women
is she who bears the greatest number of
children" irrespective of their rearing.
But Napoleon was considering the estab-
ishment of dynasty along purely Napo-
leonic lines.
Said General Grant: 'In a republic like
ours, where the citizen is the sovereign
ba oil
er is exercised except by the will of the
people, it is important that the sovereign,
the people, should possess intelligence.
The free school is the promoter of that
intelligence-which is to preserve us as a
free nation"
Between these two opinions, one the die
tum of n conqueror who waged war to
bring forth glory for himself; the other
the judgment of n simple citizen, whose
battles served only to secure unity and
peace for the people, we get a broad out
look upon the origin of that system of edu-
cation which is the logical and coherent
outgrowth of a government for the peo-
pie. of the people. and by the people,"
which must consider. not the exclusive
few, but the whole body social, as well as
polite.
And, once conceding the duty of the state
10 educate its people, can there be a ques-
ton as to the wisdom of employing those
methods which best conserve the general
good? Every mother knows that the point
at which she should begin the direction
OF voluntary effort is the point where she
Is able to hold, for little time, the atten-
tion of her child. Every observant mother
knows also that these earliest impressions
are the most lasting-are the simple foun-
daton upon which must rest the COM
pick structure which we call character
Froebel recognized this fact with the clear
ness of seer. and now every teacher Won
GERS now II escaped attention till his time
someone has said, ''it is the right of every
child to be well born" That is dream of
the future
But II would seem to be an imperative
DUTY OF society to assist, by every possible
means ats children-whether well born or
lily porn, but particularly the unfortunate
cRlidren OF unfit pareuts-toward the paths
TEN offers.
In every city, the kindergarten means