The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-12-30
In Moman's World.

over to the philosophical hygienists, who
should make it everywhere and first of all
a palace of health
The needed reforms In the kindergarten
must, of course, come with elaboration
enough to be sure. A Of ten
or more might help, provided they were
not undergraduates, but were wise and
competent; although a badly appointed
committee would do harm by confirming
old practices. Let me confess frankly
that I do not, myself, know at present
just what should be lone or just how this
grade of education should be best organ
lied. One Of my dearest wishes is to have
adequate means placed at my disposal TO
| experiment a few years, or until I could
present a scheme of detailed work. That
this could now be done from data that are
accessible is certain. Great improvements
are entirely practicable.
A few things / shall venture to Indicate.
The body must be strengthened. The ac-
tiyities should involve more body move
ments, and the strain upon the hand and
eye should be reduced. The very high edu-
c~atioDal value of dancing should be ex-
| plotted: it cadences the entire soul as
almost nothing else. Building should be
Qptic Will HUGH ldIStI O1DChS- Catching,
throwing and lifting plays and games
should be selected from Mr.. Johnson's,
or some other convenient, repertory.
Imitation or do as / do activities should
have a larger place. Bean-bags, and, If
there were room, perhaps the hoop, the
jumping-rope, and the kite might have
some place.
Certainly the doll. with all its immense
educational power, should be carefully in
troduced. Much might be, said ii favor
of the color-top, peg-board, s-oap-bubbles,
and such old plays as jack-straws and
knuckle-bones All the Proceedings of the
Toy Congress, and the contents Of the toy
shop, should always be studied and used
Walking sideways and backways. and
sorting out very heterogeneous bio ks and
cards and laying like to like, might be
tried; while popcorn, play with chalk,
shells, spools. pictures-perhaits cut and
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. potato work. pos
sIbly the whip. and all possible contact
with animate life should be careful y ex-
perimented ~with-always remembering
that the ehild's interest in animals Gull
inmates before that in flowers or trees,
ane that the latter reaches its apex be-
fore interest in inaniIlate things. When
we reflect for a moment on the richness
of the possible symbolism that might be
developed out of objects like the above,
we realize that the intellectual pabulum,
even according to the current Froebei
philosophy, would be CONDENSED and en-
riched rather than otherwise.
The intellectual method of kindergarten
thought needs readjustment. 1T must be
; made accessible to the scientific move
ment of the age, which has hardly. touch
ed it. 1t must study the marvellous School
of Infancy, which Comenfus, long before
FroebeL, and no less wisely, devised. and
profit by it. 1t should cultivate children,
not in pots. but in gardens. It must
study the nature of the child, and abate
its cult of an ~attenuated symbolism. Ev-
cry child should have opened and kept
for it.. during its entire kindergarten
course, a life-and-health book.
There is needed for the kindergarten a
definite curriculum, with loyalty to the
genetic conception, and in friendly rap
port with the new psychology. There
should be less attention to results, and
a closer interest in, and sympathy with,
educational work and organization for
other grades. More college women are
needed. There is needed also more senti-
ment and less sentimentality-a truer
conception of the child, not as trailing
clouds of glory and family understand
ing everything, but as a lovely little ami
NAL, full of helplessness and ~incapacity,
but also of boundless potentialities. Ev-
cry educator, even the university profess
I,sor, will profit by a careful study of the
kindergarten. The enthusiasm and love
Of children ON which it is based are
the very greatest needs in the higher
grades. Froebel should lead the present
marvellous movement of advance, and
not be dragged at it's chariot wheels.
I would invoke our .wisest mothers. who
most glorify the home by the light of
their life and example, to let it shine
into this institution, which is nearer to
the home than any other. | would in
vite girl graduates, seeking a vocation
where they can bring to bear all the
best that an academic career has taught
them. to consider whether the need of
more educated leaders here does not con-
stitute a call to them. l would like to
cal the attention of literary women, and
of leaders in all the reforms that tend
to the development of a sphere for wom-
en- as GVIuptCt6 ai1 49,
ties as man-made institutions are to his,
to shed the light of their sympathies
and intuitions upon the kindergarten,
which has a development in this country
far beyond that Of any other; and I
would urge my professional colleagues
in my own department, seeking a field
where philosophy can be applied, to CON
slider this.
Somehow, says frank Leslie's Popu-
lar Magazine though the sun may have
shone just as brightly on the previous
day. and indeed the whole year round, yet
it all seems changed and different on
this. the first day of the year. It Is the
| spirit of the New Year! This Is the time
of universal piece and goodwill; when the
inhabitants of the little empire start life
anew with fine resolution and promises
for the future, and all ill-feeling done
away with.
The first of January bears the signif1cant
title of Gansan (the Three ~Beginnings),
meaning, beginning of the year, begin
ming of the month, and beginning of the
day. And to this might be added the
beginning OF a new and better life. What
Christmas Is to the Occidentals, New
Years is to the Japanese. although greet
ings and congratulations are not con-
aned to the first day Of the year. bur
n ~ 49,, 4frno a,o+mean fhe frat and fha