The record-union., 1897-02-13

trusted to the primary teacher, be
based upon broadly defined plans also.
We know that the whole tendency
of educational thought at present is
| toward more inclusive and broader
idea. There has been tremendous
awakening all .over the country, and
the entire pedagogical world is awake
to its needs. 1t agrees that Froebel's
idea of what constitutes education is
correct, and is eager for ways and
means of carrying it into higher grades.
| In many places teachers of all grades
are studying Froebers philosophy that
| they may apply its principles and
methods to their work-its principles but
not necessarily its material. This pro-
miscuous Introduction of the llindergar-
| ten material into the primary grade is
an error which has characterized some
of the efforts to unite these two de-
Dartments.
Because Froebel found that the
blocks, sticks. tablets, rings, etc, We're
the best materials for giving expression
to his principles with little children, it
does not follow that they are the best
materials for it's expression with older
children. ''The most valuab BILE part of
|
its principles are of universal applica-
cation, it's methods vary" 1t has been
left for Froebers followers to devise
material for it's application to- older
| children although some of his mate
rial is capable of a much wider appli-
cation than it is possible to make with
it in the kindergarten.
Professor w. N. Hailmann, while City
Superintendent of Public Schools of La
| Porte, and at the same time associated
with Mrs. Haimann in her kindergar-
ten training school, made better ap-
plication of the kindergarten material
to the higher grades than has ever been
attempted 10y anyone else. His little
book entitled Primary Methods" will
be found very helpful and suggestive
along those lines, but even the use of
these devices should be guarded with
| caution, for we remember that 1t is
the letter which kiiieth but the spirit
which maketh alive, and without the
spirit which can clothe this material
with life and beauty, they may become
mere sticks and litter, and whereas you
have thought to offer your children
bread you will find that You have given
them a stone only.
The one thing which is needed most
| is that teachers and educators should
! become inoculat ted with the spirit OF
FroebePs philosophy, or the philosophy
of the new education if you prefer so to
call it. Then will they be able to find
their own methods and material. The
vital essentials of this philosophy to be
| kept in mind are: First, that educa-
ton should provide for the entire child
where brain, heart and hand shall hold
the equilibrium. Second, that in the
gaining of knowneldge all impressions
must be related, there must be correla-
ton and the child must be able to trace
the connection. Third, that there must
be means for expressing the impress
sions gained; for only through doing
does the human being develop. And
lastly, we should remember that the
means OF this expression should be
natural, joyous and free, and the per-
vading spirit of the school should be
that of love, sympathy and happiness,
promoting an atmosphere of peace and
| trust, for only under these conditions
can there be free intellectual activity.
| The essential modification needed in
primary teaching to make the organic
| connection between the kindergarten
| and primary school is not an entire
change In the course Of study, but a
| continuation along the lines and &C
| cording to the methods already found
suited to the child'S nature, so that he
may enjoy going to school as he has
enjoyed his kindergarten. Would 1T not
delight the heart of the primary teach
| er to see and hear, as is so often heard
| in kindergarten, little beaming face
and eager voice asking, Please, Miss
May, can't I bring my 'nightie' and
stay all night?" And why should they
not see and head this spirit?
The kindergarten child who has been
rightly developed is eager to learn. He
longs 10 write he is eager to read what
he has written. II is difficult to keep
| him from his number work. Why
| should this ever grow distasteful to
him? He has come TO the door of the
primary room with his hands and his
apron full of the blossoms which he
| has gathered, and his little face still
bright with the sunshine of love in
which he has been sheltered. Must he
be told that his flowers are pretty but
| that he cannot use them now? Or may
he still gather flowers and have kept be-
| fore him the book of nature, which is the
| only text book he has ever known.
The question has been answered
and in many places one can hardly tell
where the kindergarten ends. and the
primary grade begins. The doors are
wide open between them and the hap
py. joyous atmosphere has been trans
| fered with the children.
hi 1fxrGa n ROC
activity the day he enters the primary
grade and as teachers gain more
thorough appreciation Of the play spirit,
will the difficulties of their work lessen. y
| Closely allied to the joy of free activity
is the delight which children take in
the beautiful The beauty in the world
| Is the child's heritage and 1T is the
| teachers blessed privilege to help him
| find it, We must remember that the
child will learn what he loves and that
he loves beauty, light, color, life action,
Let beautiful ideas and images grow
into the children's lives that they may
come forth again in glorious harmony
as the sunshine and dew which are
! instilled into the heart of the rose :;
come forth in its exquisite hue and
| fragrance Is there any reason why
the kindergarten teacher should mon
opolize this feature in her department
and should she have all the beauty, all
the attractiveness in her room? Is 1t
| because she can better afford it? |
think not Is it because children lose
their love for it when they become six
years old? / think not. | think one
reason is that the kindergarten teach
ers anatomy is so constructed that her
heart and her purse lie very close to-
pether and where her heart is there is