The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1901-09-27

an systems Of education have de-
scended from previous ones, therefore
the term New Education" is q mis-
take. The principles underlying these
new methods were Of slow growth, the
result Of centuries Of experiment and
thought.
Intheanciente educational systems Of
the Orient a few individuals were
highly educated, but the majority
were entirely neglected. The Hebrew
nation stands almost alone in its eff
fort TO cultivate the minds aud souls
Of the masses. The Green's hS5 an
ethical system indeed, and the Athen-
ians would not allow man to take
out papers of citizenship until he had
vowed TO leave his country better than
he found it. In Rome the whole Of
e6Scstion was unitarian, and there
in lay Its mistake, Ip each Of these
ancient systems was something good,
but In none the idea OF the perfect I'M
folding OF the whole nature Of man.
The great teacher was Jusus Christ,
and from him, and from all the past
Friedrich Tiyebel gathered his ideas,
and organized them into system
which recognizes the whole nature Of
man, his body, mind and soul.
These who are unfamiliar with
kindergarten work do not understand
its importance as preparatory step to
the Primary school. The idea that it
Is simplya place oflawleSs amusement
and entertainment is entirely mis-
take. Every exercise IS an exercise in
attention, and the children carry with
them into their school work this train
ed powered attention. 1t is perhaps
the most valuable partof the training.
Along with it they acquire consider
able definite knowledge, but that is OF
secondary Importance to the cultiva-
tion of the power Of concentration,
altho' there are still plenty of Grady
rinds who want the Facts"
seriously object TO what they call 'edu-
cational frills. 1t is the first sprout-
ings Of the human mind that need the
most careful culture and yet how
heartSick we grow at the oft-repeated
remark Of the mothers 20, he Tor she)
is TOO little, and too spoiled to 60 to
the Kindergarten - But the kinder
garten possesses no magic, it performs
no miracles unalded. The kindergar-
ten child needs the same careful watch
ing, guiding and training at home
that it did before entering the kinder
garten. The training Of child is not
matter OF three hours day spent
with even an expert but OF unfagging
effort on the part Of the parents
FATHERS as well as mothers, TO under
stand the child, and guide him in the
paths OF right doing and thinking
This is the object Of all true education
character building. The kinder
gartner is the parents assistant
counsel. The kindergarten has the
time and the training to carry on and
perfect what every parent tries To do
for the child, imperfectly as il may be,
for parental instinct is not infallible.
This is an age Of clubs, history clubs,
cooking clubs, political cluhS-one has
scarcely IN acquaintance VIII Is ~ q
member Of some bright, Interesting
class furself-culture. But is nota child,
an immortal being, as legitimate an
object Of respectful study as Hoyle, a
pudding, or freshly exhumed hero
glyphic stone?
We do not expect 10 become artists
historians, politicians or cooks when
we study them In our clubs, but 10
understand the work Of those who are.
But we do not wish for an instant to
decry these studies, simply to impress
the fact that the study Of child-culture
is Of the deepest Importance, and Of
Importance not only to teachers and
mothers, but to every man aud woman
Of culture and influence. And 1t is not
dry and tiresome, but intensely inter,
esting, for we were all children once
and this study is but following the old
Greek injunction ''Know myself"
We rejoice that kindergartens are
being added to the public schools al
over the land, and hope that next yea
we too may step in line with the pro
gress OF the times, and add them t,
our schools. The small number wht
profit by the extra higher grades are
as a drop to the little ones waiting foI
the kindergarten. y
-- --
Organizer Warner Resigns.