Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-05-10
THE KINDERGARTEN.
A Paper Explaining Its Origin, Growth
and Use.

and its use it may be well to say few
words in regard to it's founder, Erie
derich FrOebel, since familiarity. to a
greater or less degree, with the life
and environment of any man who is
truly great, enables one the better to
understand his philosophy.
Friedrich FrOebil was born Z at
Oberweisbach, a little village in
Central Germany, April q, 1882. His
father. a Lutheran clergyman, was
much occupied with his large parish
and upon the death of his mother
before he was year cid he was left to
the care Of the servants and seems to
have been equally deprived of play
things and playfellows. When he was
four years old his father married
again, but this made matters even
worse for the child, as his step mother
proved to be quite as unkind and cruel
as those depicted in many of our
childhood fairy tales. He endured
her cruelty and neglect until at the
age of eleven came his release. for his
mothers brother, Superintendent
Hoffman Of Stadt Uhln, visited him
and upon observing the treatment he
received asked permission to take him
to his own home. This request was
granted and from that time happier
days were in store for FrOebel.
Emerson sayS-"He that is to be wise
for many must not be protected. :"
and this saying may shed some light
on the otherwise dark providence
which permitted the mothers early
death, the step mothers cruelty and
the fathers preOccupation. All these
were needed that the lonely neglected
child might be thus driven to live the
life OF childhood consciously that he
might understand how to find a
remedy for its sorrows and safe
guard for its dangers. These impress
SiOnS were TO be so burned in by
suffering that the active life of the
world and the schools in manhood
could not obscure them.
OF his subsequent career as a
student, teacher. a soldier, time
does not permit me to deal, though it
would be OF deep interest, could [ do
SO, as the experience, study and Cir
which led to the final
development of the kindergarten are
very apparent. Among the many
accounts of FrOebel's life, that given
in "Weehe'S Paradise of Childhood" is
very clear and concise.
FrOebeIS great power lay in his
ability to see the path into the world
of symbolic play. Plato had seen
what a mighty power there was in
this tireless love of play and sug-
geSted that it be made of use in
education. FrOebel has done what
was suggested by Plato. he spent much
time in observing children of all
ages and the ways in which mothers
inStinctively played with their little
ones, he has tried to elevate this
instinct into insight. he made proviS-
ion that the kindergarten should be-
gin in the mothers arms, this
provision will be of great value, when
it is seen that it is of more Importance
to train women to care for children
than to train them for anything else
When motherhood cares for childhood
rightly body, mind and soul,-and is
rightly hOnOred and cared for itself
the world will have taken the mil
lenial road
Many think that it is better to
leave the early years of a child'S life
to idleness and chance development,
but as the Creator who gives nothing
III fdlli. SlNCll w UllCSC NcdlS 81
great desire for investigation, shown
by the eager curiosity of little
children and desire to be busy with
the hands, we may know that he does
not mean these earliest years to be
idle and that these instincts might be
guided Alright, as we'll as to awaken
and develOpe thought in a natural
order. Froebel, fully fifty years ago,
after many years of close study de-
velOped ''The kindergarten"
The kindergarten. A garden of
that is, a place where young
human beings are nOuriShed and cared
for, as plants are nOurished and cared
for in garden. Plants will not grow
well except in a good soil and with
and moisture and they need
pruning and training to promote
symmetry of growth and perfection
of fruit and flower. So the young
human plants require the right con-
ditiOns for growth and need care and
training that their growth may be
symmetrical and that the ripened
fruit of character may in proper time
appear. This to the true ideal of the
kindergarten, the question as to what
we mean by right conditions and how
to supply them are all a kindergartener
needs to ask.
This statement leads to the question
as to what education is. Education
is the setting free of the powers of
the individual, it is development
guided and controlled, that which
does not exist cannot be developed, we
cannot draw out that which is not
already within. Development is
induced through activity and the
possibility of misdirected activity,
makes the necessity of education
that is of activity directed and con-
trOlled. Education is growth from
within, not filling up from without.
The gardener takes the seed as it
comes from the hand of the Creator,
and, placing it in good soil, seeks to
surround it with the best conditions
of growth, but he does not expect to
determine what the perfected plant
shall be. His highest hope is to bring
it to perfection, that is, to develop
all its possibilities, that by so doing
he may discover what was the thought
of God when he made that seed.
FrOebel thought that the first seven
years of a child's life were the most
important for education, be thought
that during that time tendencies made
themselves manifest and germs of
character were set. A child enters
upon life mere bundle of possibili-
ties, and should not be allowed to
make growth, as best he may, in these
early years. Physically he needs
attention and none the less does his
moral and mental nature demand care,
for, the first impressions which a
child receives are stronger and more
lasting than those received later in
life because the power of resistance is
wanting, which later consciousness
brings