The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-07

4dothers have right to ask kinder
 gardeners to give a reason for the faith that Is h them; to say, Tell us actually and practically what the kindergarten is going to do for the children. What is the good of it, anyway" says the Pic torial Review.
 The average mother believes in a gen. eral sort of way that the Kindergarten is a good thing. She believes this be- cause people tell her so. She knows kindergartners are usually earnest and conscientious that the children are amused and entertained; that they learn pretty songs and plays, and make bright colored little pictures for her to take care of But just wherein consists the di- rect educational advantage, the intellee- fual and spiritual good is the point where her ideas are apt to be a bit vague. She sometimes wonders why her child should be better off in a kindergarten than play ing out of doors or at home.
 New, it is not an easy matter for koung kindergartner to formulate an answer to questions on these points. She knows more than she can tell Like the children she can at first express herself better in deeds than in words.
 To give clear statement of what the Kindergarten really is-one that will con- vince mothers of it's worth-is difficult for any klndergartner On account of It's uomprehensiVeness. the subject is as br .m as human nature. It is nothing u1fra nor less than a thought an tention of God that we have to interpret.
 God has given to every child q three fold nature-body, mind and soul. At home, during the first three years his body is the chief object of care and so- licitude, mind and soul being allowed to develop pretty much as they will. In the ordinary day school the mind re- ceives most of the attention, body and soul being largely left without cohsid- eration.
 If it were not true that the child had Q threefold nature, 1t would be sufficient to give him good physical care during the first six years and then send him to school for mental training. If in the one child body. mind and soul did not dwell to. gether.
 All hand work and manual training. are meant to this end The finished piece of Kindergarten work is only symbol of something more valuable which the child has acquired in doing 1t. It Is much that head and hand working to- gether enable the child to express him. 
 All admit the uselessness of culture without character, hence the school that does not make the forming of character its chief aim is not what it ought lo be. not what 1t can be- and not what It will be when the kindergarten spirit and principle enter into 1t universally for the object of the Kindergarten Is the forma- tion of character which is accomplished by means of play, chldlike work and constant exercise in doing and right doing.
 Tho klndergartner thinks much more of making a child kind. helpful con siderate, than about the number of mats he weaves; her child gardening does not con- sist in accomplishing vast amounts of work. such as paper chains, mats, sew ing cards, etc, but In bringing to flower the growths of kindness. courtesy. in- dustry, helpfulness and unsefish actlor, Rnd she has also to weed her garden of selnshness, stubbornness, fretfulness and likeness Though the former noble qualities may not all be fully developed In the kindergarten. does it not suffice that the climate thereof is genial one where virtues bud as in their native air? If the home influences are favorable and the kindergartner a wise one, the little plant can but keep on expanding to- ward the sun.
 The mind is developed by gift and oc-
  made a means of character building. The soul Is developed by constant exercise in right doing. The kindergartner believes that the soul grows by exercise as well as by body or mind, that to become un- selfish a child must act unselfishly, that to become kind he must have constant exercise in acts of lSlndneHs. I've learn to do by doing" here us elsewhere.
 Every child has possibilities, powers, capacities that are his alone; he is like the seed which contains all the future plant in the right soil; with the right amount of air, sun and rain the seed of power will grow.
 to develop Individuality in each child. It furnishes him also with companionship of other children. It Is right that he should have this for man is by nature social being, and child can no more be happy without this social life of the child world than his father can. In the kindergarten he gets the society he craves: he gets In song, story and games his first lessons in citizenship. The child In the Kindergarten Is one of a number. and while tenderly watched and cared for he is of no more importance than my other, and yet the "co-operation of all Is necessary to perfection"
 The games cannot be carried on 10 their hhpplest issue unless he does his part, unless every child helps. When he re- fuses to play, as he often does, at first