The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-07-16
The Gradual Merging Of Oral
Into Written Language.
A PRACTICAL KINDERGARTEN
Grace and Ease of Expression.
Mrs. Parker on Gesture.
Evening Reception.

Miss Allen talked yesterday morning
on the relation of the kindergarten to
the primary school. She believes that
the lack of harmony between the two
is not only unnecessary but it detri-
mental to advancement in education.
Too often the primary grade teachers
think that the ideas of the kinder
gardeners are mere sentimentality.
Miss Allen showed how the primary
grade of the public school is the logi-
cal sequence Of the kindergarten, that
the inharmonious relations are often
due to lack of freedom in the primary
school. Not license, she said. There
is a wide difference between them.
There must always be law, clearly
defined. But within the range of the
law there should be the freedom
which brings the ease of movement
and spontaneity.
Miss Allen is conducting her prac-
kindergarten is there, but their alb
with admirable success. None of the
equipments of the well established
kindergarten are there, but their alb
sence apparently does not disconcert
the children. Yesterday the platform
was more attractive in appearance
than during previous days. few
palms and ferns made the difference.
All the nationalities of the public
school, Hawaiians, Americans, Portu-
guese, Japanese, Chinese, are repre-
sented in the little class so that Miss
Allen has an illustration of the racial
difficulties which confront the school
teacher of Hawaii.
Col. Parker warned his hearers
against the attempts to thrust the
children into learning things beyond
their comprehension. There are no
jumps in nature, he said. The steps
leading toward higher education are
Infinite. Education is a constant sue
cession of experiments. One thing is
done and tested, then changes are
made. They come naturally. The
children themselves create and sug-
gest the need of the changes. The
newness of life comes through interest
in children. 1t is the everyday con-
version that means and brings pro-
gress The principles of education are
in naturalness.
Col. Parker considers play and
storytelling of great importance. AS
the myth merges into legend SO play
merges into work. 1t is an important
factor in all teaching. It is found in
the animal spirits. In order to edu-
cate the child, that love of play must
be developed in the right direction.
The pupils must be met as children
full of life and spirits. There can be
order but the vivacity must not be
stifed. He frowned upon the idea that
the school room must be in perfect
quiet, that a stiffness of posture indi-
Gates studiousness. Cant, hypocricy,
spiritual death are the result of these
practices.
Col. Parker discussed oral end writ
ten language. 1t is not absolutely
to pronounce a word in
order to learn it. Story telling plays
an important part in the development
of the child. Fairy stories, myths,
that have an undercurrent Of truth.
Have them tell the story back to you.
The continual oral reading, the over
effort to their voices, is detrimental.
1t is also hard to determine whether
or not there is the development Of
taste going on, to tell by the modula-
tiOn and tone of the voice whether the