The Republican journal., 1898-08-18
to build these uniformed lives into strong
and noble men and women.


Our work is not to use the gifts as
simply playthings, to play the games for
amusement, to sing the songs for the sake
of keeping the children quiet. They are
the tools by which we develop the little
opening mind to feel, to love and obey
that which is under and behind every
thing, and we play because ''play is the
natural, the appropriate business and oc-
cupation of every child left to his own re-
sources. The child that does not play is
not perfect child.' Play has a deep
significance, 1t is not appointed by the
Supreme Being to simply fill up time, it
is a means of education; and YOU, parents.
whose children dc not play, have reason to
mourn. ''It is through play that he learns
the use of his limbs, of all his bodily
organs, and with this use gains health
and strength. Through play he comes to
know the external world the physical
qualities of the objects that surround
him, their motion, action, and re- action
upon each other, and the relation of these
phenomena to himself; a knowledge which
forms the basis of that which will be his
permanent stock for life Through play
involving associateship and combined
action he begins to recognize moral re-
lations, to feel that he cannot live for him
self alone, that he is a member Of com
munity, whose rights he must acknowl-
edge if his own are to be acknowledged.
Play is not trivial; it is highly serious
and of deep significance. 1t is the source
OF all that is good.
The effect of the Kindergarten training
is the increase of health and develop
ment of grace, the formation of habits of
| courtesy, order, neatness and industry
the development of form, number, color
, etc. but there are other flowers blossom
ing in the kindergarten which are won
derfully beautiful-and make life grand
and noble-tiowers that are often unseen,
or if seen are not fully appreciated.
Come with me into the child garden
and | will tell you what l mean At the
appointed time a decided signal is given
from the piano, which the little people
learn to know means quiet and order in
their chairs. That is universal law,
they must all sit down at the signal-here
comes a simple lesson in obedience. Then
quiet music is played till a hush comes
into the room. and with bowed heads the
Heavenly Father is thanked for the care
OF the night; -evelything the soft music,
the bowed heads and the tone Of the voice
suggests reverence, and at such times
believe the grace of 1od comes to little
hearts. There is reason for beginning
the day this way; reverence lies at the
foundation of every virtue, and only he
who has learned it can have the right at
titude toward the Creator of all things.
Perhaps song of the birds OF leaves is
sung: most of these point to nature
higher than the physical and tell of the
works of power higher than themselves.
In many Kindergartens some of the
time is spent in the examination of little
things brought in by the children. Why?
To bring out a beautiful Characteristic
participation, the feeling that what love
and enjoy or find of value to me want
others TO know about. Not one of us but
that might be better and richer if we had
been taught this more thoroughly in child
hood. Where there is common sympathy,
loving interest friendliness-in other
words, unseltish participation-there can.
not be envy, jealousy and hatred: charac-
teristics which cause 50 much of the dis
tress and sorrow of life.
The games are very important because
many OF them are based on the instinct of
imitation, which with the child is the I'M
conscious effort to become like MS environ
ment-to be in sympathy with those
around him. In the games of family life
it is the loving, gentle care of the father
and mother for the weak and helpless that
is emphasized, suggestive of the solicitous
care of the Heavenly Father. In the
representative OF trade games the child is
taught to initiate the useful, and come
into sympathy with it, to respect and
admire it, and as he goes out into the
world he will not be likely to look down
upon his brothers in trade. He feels the
Importance of the carpenters work. even
all mems work. and how they all help all
men. ''To bring this thought of unity
and oneness into labor is to show the
child the harmony that runs through all
and makes all beautiful. 1t is to awaken
a feeling of brotherhood
Perhaps it is time for the hand work
into which the child puts his efforts, and
which often represents much patience
and perseverance, proofs of the teachers
skill that the child cannot take home in
tangible form, and which are often allow
ed to slip by on the part of the parents
unnoticed. Clumsy little fingers, if they
do their own work, cannot produce beau
tifully finished pieces. We like to have
kindergarten work beautiful, of course,
but it is not an end, it is means, and
unless the child does it himself in love
and patience, in perseverance and under