The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-01

and man, his obligations and depend
ence upon them, as well as his own con-
sequent personal responsibilities his in
/ dividual place in the cooperative
whole.
For example, one week in the kinder
garten is devoted to the study of the
baker. The children are taken to see
the baker at his work. They sing
about him: impersonate him in their
/ games; represent in their gift work his
pans, kneading trough. or shovel; mould
in their clay work doughnuts, cookies
or rolling pins. Throughout all this
work, the child is taught his own de-
pendence upon the baker, his obliga-
| lions to him; also the bakers place as
a member of society, viewing him not
only alone, but in his relations to mil
Ter, farmer, nature and God. Similar
work is done with the carpenter, farm
er, blacksmith and others. Thus is
the world of nature and humanity pre-
scented to the child in miniature form.
From the earliest part Of his educa-
! ton, he grows to consider himself as
! but one member If a cooperative so
| cietv all members OF which work to-
Sether for the common good and hap
nlness. thus increasing their individual
helDfulness and pleasure IN life. Froe-
| bel looked upon every man as existing
for double purpose, an end and a
means to an end a complete human
! being in himself as we'll as a means
toward the fulfIlment of a complete
humanity This spirit of cooperation
permeates the work If the entire day
| in the kindergarten. Songs games and
! talks are carried on with the children
/ sitting or standing in a circle. All par
ticipate. each being IN turn the chief
| actor, exercising freely his own will
within certain limits, and again join
ing with all in the general exercises,
subordinating his personal will for a
time to the general purpose. He soon
grows to appreciate the fact that CO.
| operation brings to him increased free
dom and haDDiness; that failure to CO.
operate or Wanton exercise of his own
Will. brings lack Of opportunity and
activity.
! suppose very few Undergraduates
! would acknowledge themselves social
lists. Yet whether they acknowledge
/ 1t or not, the fact remains the same.
ANY one who has gwen their heart
ana hand to the cause of kindergarten
STANDS prepared 10 embrace socialism
We're the cause but presented to them
in the true light. On the Other hand,
the recognition of this vital connec-
| tlon between kindergarten and social
| ism by the socialists has already found
expression in their demand for free
klndergartens as a part of their educa-
! tional system
The two causes need each other and
should go hand in hand. The kinder
Sartner needs to get out at times from
the ideal world in which her work
largely calls her and see through the
ilght or socialism ana actual contact
with these social problems that the
world is far from being the happy ely
SUM where she would lead her chill
dren. 1t sounds very well wher Jimmie
Is told about this world, where miller,
farmer and baker work harmoniously
together for one another's' good as well
as Jimmie $, but Jimmie will find when
ne leaves his childhood and faces for
hlmselt the world that if bread and
putter are to be forthcoming for his
family he must fight as well as CO.
operate. Some of his dreams must
VANISH he fails TO find the co-opera-
i've commonwealth OF. which he
dreamed in his kindergarten days. We
WIN none however, that once having
had ms eyes opened to4the world as it
should be, he will at least cling to his
klndergarten ideals. embrace the cause
OF socialism and while fighting for his
bread and butter in his connective
country will do all in his power to
pflng about the day when he can use
ms strength in cooperating with hui
manly instead of antagoniZing it.
Inc socialist should put himself in
touch with the kindergarten cause. If
at any time disheartened or DESPAIR
ing OF the accomplishment of his
cause nothing would prove better
Iohlc 10 MN than to visit really good
kindergarten and see there in working
actuallty miniature world of little
people working and playing together
IN true cooperative harmony.
II | lay fault at the dool. of a much
clisIlshed cause, it is that the kinder
Saften has made its advent too soon
for its entire fulfilment. 1t seems al
nlosl TO belongtothe millennium rather
IMAM to this distorted nineteenth cen
Jury However, all intrinsically good
thlngS must find their place in the
world with a struggle, and kindergar
ten and socialism alike must possess
tnelr souls III patience till a better dan
Shau come. Meanwhile let them ioiI
hands and hasten its fulfilment.
When the Kindergarten principle
shall be established throughout our en-
ure educational system. the graduate I
or our colleges will not find it necessar
to break through creed or custom i; /
order to embrace the cause of socialism /
but will find themselves socialists al /
ready, well equipped to lift a helpfu +
That these social problems of the da-
need the consideration of women s
well as of men is an indisputable fac /
We, as women, can bring to them /
light which men cannot. Not a stra1-
ger light, but a different light To Is (
as mothers and home keepers is give 4
opportunity to know and study Chi
dren. Every child that comes into tie !
world repeats in itself the history f
the race. What, then, could be moe
helpful to the clear understanding r /
ameliorating of these social conditions
than the insight thus gained by mott ,
er? Also, what better aid to the caua |
of socialism than for every mother 0 /
make of her own home a little commu.- |
ity established on true socialf- |
tic principles? Since the esta,-
lishment of the family, eve,y
home in which love and mutual he'll
fulness abound is an exemplification f
those principles which we hope sohe
day to see established in the commuh- /
ity at large. |
Let us help keep the cause alive aid |
aid in its establishment by cherishinen |
our own homes, this spirit of unity, d. |
operation, and mutual helpfulness. |