Evening star., 1900-04-16
kindergarten Methods.

The summary in your paper this evening
of the supplemental report Of the Senate
committee on the public schools contains a
sentence, in quotation marks, which in
duces me to write this note. This sentence
is, Kindergarten methods and the amuse-
ment of the child are not to be carried
through the grades, but definite drill and
precise definition are to be insisted upon"
Such a sentence as this and many like
e4 pressions which may be found in popular
writing referring to the kindergarten, are
based upon one or the other of two founda-
tions or combination of both: ignorance
of the true signifcation of kindergarten
methods, or observation of the faulty man
ner in which many so-called kindergartens
are conducted.
1t so happens that within an hour after
1 read the summary above referred to
came across the following paragraphs in a
magazine this day received. The Philis-
tine" for March, 1900, which express
well the truth regarding kEdergartens as to
deserve reproduction.
THE kindergarten Is the most perfect
'aH'round' training school In the world.
1t trains, by wisely guided practice, the
five senses In the receiving or correct i'm
pressions; and the ideas and forms thus
tongue and hand. The ideal kinder
garten is an ideal school of complete i'm
preston and complete expreSSion-an ideal
school OF civilization, beside which our
tentot universities Hand in hand should
go the development of understanding and
expression from birth onward; and this
double training should not stop, as 1t does
stop, at the first grade, at the age of six
Between the kindergarten and the
end of his grade school life, there should
be no change of front. but the double work
of correlauve impression and expression
should go on, hand in hand. in just proper
tion Of thought and its expression, orally
and manually."
| Speaking further of making mind train
ing and manual training go hand in hand,
| not simply putting them 'in the same build
| ing, nor simply In the same room Of the
same building: but fl the same class, in
the same lesson. i'll the same moment" the
| author proceedsi5 "And what will be the
results? First-interest. iEterest-the same
| as we see in the, kindergarten. where every
! moment Is a joy to; the children: where
| they are not only thinking, but doing: not
| only receiving Impressions, but giving ex-
| preston to these impressions. A
young man or woman rwtll find in his or her
| work the same joy as does child in the
| way as is the kindergarten child"
1 believe the kfhdeFBnrtens, as at present
| conducted in they public school curriculum
| OF this District, do not approach the ideal
bavs ade Mhesns similar TO those that
| produce such larnentable results as the Sem
| ate investigation has revealed, have pre-
vented the kindergartens from giving that
| dehniteness and precision to the education
Of the children that it ought to have. No
| one can be more ardent advocate Of ma
ture studies than I, but would have those
| studies adapted to the nature of the child.
Any attempt to define here how that should
be done would convert this note into an es-
say. My present purpose Is only to enter
| protest and warning against the too
prevalent conception of the significance Of
genuine kindergarten methods.
B. PICKMAN MANN.
April IA, 1900