The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-02-02
TO STUDY THE CHILD.
Miss Backus' Lenten Glasses 20 be-
gin February IL.


gin February IL.
Miss Martha G.. Backus, supervisor
of the Baldwin Free Kindergartens,
will resume her Lenten classes this
month.
The Mother Play" one of Froebers
works, has been selected by Miss Back
us as the basis TOR child study during
the coming season.
Three years ago few interested and
intelligent mothers asked Miss Backus
TO begin such class during Lent,
when a great deal of the social activ-
/ ity was at an ebb. 1t was undertaken
as an experiment, and the class con-
sisted of nine members, who were all
! enthusiastics over the principles OF
psychology that We're taken up.
The same class asked for continu-
alton of the work last year, and the
| study was of the different types of
children and their needs. The class
grew to eighteen, besides a large num-
Der of visitors showing a marked in
crease of interest in the subject.
This year Miss Backus' work is so
arranged that she will be able to hold
| the classes at a more convenient time
! than before. The first meeting will
be held Friday, Feb IA. at 1880 O'Clock.
at the Philbrick Kindergarten, No. s
Jones street, east. A series of twelve
lessons on the Mother Play will be
| given, the form of the lessons being
| informal lectures and discussions. No
books are needed, as those belonging
to the kindergarten library will be
| used. All persons wishing to join
| should apply for terms, etc, to Miss
NJ. G. Backus, 416 Waldburg street.
east Georgia telephone 1431. The class
will necessarily be limited by the num-
Der of books, unless applications are
| made in time to order the requisite
| number.
| Among the great educators of the
world, Froebel stands in the foremost
| line. His books, as expressive of his
| philosophy and science, and the prac-
teal exposition of his views, are very
| important. He has left comparatively
| few books, but these embody a great
amount of thought on all lines pertain
ing to education.
Froebel does not limit the defirs.tion
| of education to more or less learning
out of books. but gives it a meaning
that is now universally accepted as the
| broadcast and highest that has so far
been enunciated. He says that "Educa-
| ton consists in leading man as
thinking, intelligent being, growing into
| self-consciousness to pure and un-
| sullied, conscious and free representa-
| ton of the inner law of Divine Unity,
and in teaching him ways and means
thereto" His principal educational
works are, the Education of Man,
wherein are expressed the general laws
of his philosophical thought. Pedagog-
les of the Kindergarten and Education
by Development, where these laws are
worked out into a definite system, and
the Mother Play Book considered by
many as the best expression of his
genius, because in a simple
form it embodies the most
vital facts of child study and general
philosophical thought. In structure,
contents and treatment, this book
stands alone in educational literature
| and its study is most beneficial to
mothers, teachers .hnd all persons in
| terested in education.
The Mother Play is first a series OF
little songs and games by which a
mother or teacher make interest and
amuse the lite child in her care: each
game or song is illustrated in man
ner so wonderful that the pictures
/ alone are subjects of careful study.
| The drawings are by Frederick Unger,
a pupil of Froebel's, and the spirit of
his beloved instructor that he has in
fused into the often crude pictures, has
| made them the most acceptable illus
trations of the many that have been
offered to the publishers.
| The Mother Play consists next In a
series of emottoes and commentaries
designed for the study of the mother
or teacher in order. to give to these
| plays with the child, the true physical.
mental and spiritual interpreta ton |:
| from the study of these the most help
full truths and principles may be de-
duced as aid for the study of the
| child.