The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-11-01

a conviction OF the supreme Importance
v. early educatl II ana To piove that his
principles are Us applicable To all stages
OF development as they are to that of
earliest childhood. But the reform
which Froebel roposed and endeav-
oled to secure ia educational me1iOds
is not possible to any extent unless the
child has received the preparation for
primary work which tire Kindergarten
gives. This training greatly facilitates
the work OF the first grade by removing
many OF the obstacles which otherwise
the primary teacher will have 10 CON
tend with Instead OF beginning school
with shy, helpless, unawakeueu child
rem, she now has active, willing, ready
pupils who enjoy work and demandsit.
A good, solid foundation has been laid
for their education. They possess man
ual dexterlty which proves of special
value in learning to write. Their NOR
al nature is we'll developed leading to
acts OF kindness and helpfulness. caus-
ing them to respect the rights of others.
thus making simple the matter of dist
lpline. They have decided knowledge
of number, form, direction. position.
color, ETC., and are we'll acquainted
with nature. Mr. James T. Hughes. Of
Toronto, says, ''There is 10 educator Of
standing in the whole world today who
takes an opposite view to this-ihatthe
kindergarten is the best method of
teaching children"
4 The kindergarten is not only the
right beginning OF all after education.
mothers nursery and the schools of
instruction. The primary grade
should be but the next st.p on the
highway of education. Each successive
stage of development is dep. ndeut for
its vigor, for its possibilities upon the
completeness and harmony of the inn
mediately preceding stage OF develop
ment. Therefore it is so essential that
they form perfect continuity. that
the same aims and ends should be
characteristic OF each. Many school
men desired to learn If Froebtl The
connection of his educational method
with school instruction. not realizing
that Froebel's special task in life was
to discover and expound the principle
of the development of the human be.
ing and to find aims and means of ap-
4 plying it to early education. 1t was
lett to others to determine the methods
} of instruction in harmony with this
! principle. and forms problem upon
which educators are still working.
Froebel's idea was to bring the school
into nearer relation with real life, and
} for this purpose he would take time
from the regular school lessons to de-
vote to educational work. His belief
that experience should keep ace with
knowledge is certainly correct one.
|, and TO maintain this relation the school
must furnish opportunities for the child
. to engage in practical work and actual
} experiments. How this can be accom-
plished without neglecting the neces-
sary requirement OF knowledge is one
of the most difficult questions of the
| school today. In the institute atsKiel-
, hau. which Froebel founded, the boys
! often went on a voyage of discovery
as they called their excursions to the
neighborhood :. in which they studied
nature and made collections Of natural
Z objects. These were afterwards exam
VI ined and explained in the lesson on
J natural science, tile instructors first
t answering the pertinent questions of
/ the boys and then connecting with the
8 previous lesson. As far as was practl-
) cable. this was the method of instruc-
tion in all branches. AS with the body.
t only that food will be accepted and
digested which hunger demands; SO
! with the mind, only that information
for which a desire has been created will
! be readily grasped and truly assimilat-
j ed. The Joy impulse is as much of a
necessity as the activity of the whole
being. Kindergarten principles per-
vading the school will revolutionize the
disciplinary methods. In such school
the atmosphere will be homelike, the
government Joyous, and the association
mutually helpful. Francis e. Cook.
principal of a St. Louis school, is apply
/ ing these principles to all grades with
, remarkable success. His purpose is to
> utilize the affections and the will that
, the result may be self dis cipline and
t self-training rather than that Of the
school. Therefore the will to 10 is con-
! sidered OF as much Importance as per-
, lection i'm either lessons or conduct.
Governing ny external constraint is
placing the child in chains which when
, olosened will leave him the slave of an
undisciplined will. .Self-conquest is
the only basis of true freedom.'
J In conclusion, let us bear in mind
, FrOebel's idea of the purpose of teach
: ing and instruction, (which is Ito
bring ever more out of man, rather
than to put more and more into him;
for that which can get into man we al
, ready Know and possess as the prop
erty of mankind, and everyone, simply
DeCGuoc uc ~ uulutH Uoluks Will uu-
, fold and develop it out of himself, in
accordance with the laws of mankind.
On the other hand. what yet is to come
out of mankind, what human nature is
yet to develop. that we do not yet
know. that is not yet the property of
mankind; and still human nature, like
the spirit of God, is ever unfolding it's
inner essence"
HIGH SCHOOL NOTES.
Exhibition work 8 being rapidly
pushed.
Miss Smiths room receives the ban
ner again this week.