The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-04
raEE KINDERGARTEN's MEETING.
interesting Exercises at the First
Presbyterian Church.

faId Yesterday afternoon at the lecture
IN, of the First Presbyterian church.
There were a number of ladies in atten-
aance and addresses and reports were lis
tened to with interest.
the president of the association, Mrs.
N r. Leaken, presided over the meet
inc Her address was clearly and concise
Ia. history of the kindergarten movement
in America and broad and an EXPOSE
ION of the good that follows its meth
,Js for the education of small children.
She said:
The object of this meeting is to bring
t.rore the public the work of the Savan-
nah Kindergarten Association. L will call
il our kindergarten. for we want each one
bore 10 feel a personal interest in it,
,,iu tell YOU as briefly as possible few
atvYntages of this form of education and
how we are trying to accomplish as mucn
with our material as We can.
1T was only a year or SO ago that my
mind and heart were particularly attract
cd TO this work by being elected one or
the board of managers and in October,
1895 | was made PRESIDENT think the
fourth president of the association. II
may be of some help to those who have
NOT had time to devote to the study of
this work TO hear something of it, what it
really is, etc
Kindergarten" is the German for chill
dron's garden;" 1t was the outcome of
the first Kindergarten in the village of
Rlankenburg, in the Thuringian forest, i'm
$40 This organized system of play for
children from to years old helps to
natural development physically, mentally
and morally The object of this system is
TO place the young human being in the
proper rela ton towards God towards him
self towards nature, towards society; it
covers the ground of a continuous growth
involving obedience to a universal natural
.aw; it develops his thinking faculty gives
him self-control and by disuse it wealSens
undesirable qualities it shows the import
ance of impressions by expression. This
systematic investigation is entertaining
and instructive. All children love 10 in
yestigate. Who of us here does not re-
member pulling off the head of our pet
toy (some Christmases ago. may be- to
see what was inside?
mo doubt Froebel got some of his ideas
from Just such a scene. He also the
genuine pleasure of mutual association of
children of the same age The child is
taught that he shall be himself, while be
ing also one of a community of equals
toward whom he must observe his duties
and accept the responsibility of his part
In the whole
THE Industrial connection of the kim
dergarten with life is shown in the be-
ginnings of Industrial art in the paper
weaving, drawing, sewing and clay mod
cling, all of which are taught in the SIM
plest manner and are no more than pleas
ant forms of play. This system brings out
the artistic in teaching, designing and in
training the sense of color and indeed in
cutivating pure musical taste all of
which go to cover and make strong the
powers of attention, observation and inn
asnation, and to prepare the little student
for his or her proper attitude towards his
or her environments. Great care is also
given to the sense of touch.
"One of FrOebers particular features
was the giving to his pupils a garden even
so small to enable them to watch the
growth of plants from the seed to the
seed and also to instill the doctrine of
responsibility individually in each child.
Like Napoleon, we ask How can we
elevate the nation?" and the suggestive
answer of the noted Nine. Campau comes
TO us, Give them good Mothers and this
reminds us oFthe importance of early in
fuences
Schiller. the scholarly countryman OF
Froebel, has aptly said, Deep meaning
often lies in childish play" and accord
ing to Plato '"The education of the little
ones must begin with their plays"
In the words of Bayard Taylor in his
beautiful poem, To My Daughter tells
the world
" Learn TO live and live to learn.
Ignorance, like fire. doth burn;
Little tasks make large returns
lOeb6I ) system throws the S6arCnll3nt
OF a Wide-reaching principle upon the Gle
mentary methods of the schools. After
Froebeps death in 1852 the Baroness Ma
Il renholtz-Bulow gave her wealth and intel
Hgence towards interesting the European
world in this branch of education, while
in our own country Miss Peabody and Mr.
Horace Mann were the pioneers where
jhey found most fertile growing ground
Tor their work. This system has now
spread into Austria, Italy, Belgium, Hol-
NJ land, Switzerland, Greece, France. Rus
Sia England Japan, the Argentine Repub-
Ri lie and Brazil, and even in Asia it has
III been given ROOM
In some of the large cities of the United
states it is part of the public school sys-
ri ltln' the movement was agitated here to
Try TO place our kindergarten under this
FL system, but the present outlook for sucn
result is not encouraging owing to con-
Shtutional or legal difficulties.
me report of the treasurer, Mr.. Arthur
Ia d. Hara, showed the receipts to date to
nave been $5S55S The expenses for the
months of October November and Deem
Der were $3.50. being balance in hand Of
H-97S- The treasurer reported that the
school expects to run nine months, closing
M lle last of June and that the membership
IA Is fehed upon for support, each member
III paying dues of 81 a year.
me report of the teacher of the kinder
Sarten, which is conducted at No. 566 Mar
SaiSt street, Miss Sallie Margaret Meal
Fo' was very interesting. The kinder
ftHer said: THE past three
months work for the Savannah kinder
sttl'n has, ] hope. been most profitable
'SAg for 1897 and a propitious begin
e for the new year. And if in the
,lhs SIX months all my hopes for the
...t ones under my charge are realized
"'n my aims reached, you, as well as J.
""' nave no reason to regret the expendi-
III '' OF any amount Of ardurous labor, time
M of iliae1 fbA u mot
Net know enough of Kindergarten but
o,E upon il as child play could have
,'a the prominent traits in the worst
.Naien who entered kindergarten
oct T. and observe them
'-n now, they would l am sure
e-"' it no longer as mere amusement
A.ep children out of mischief and out
~ 'ne streets"
report kept the attention of its au-
'.. and the kindergarten was congratu-
,.." upon the success of her work to
".''h il testified.
e. ~" address was delivered bv Mr. Otis