New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-01
kINDERGARTENS.
Nurseries IN Charge of Tutor"
Cut-Of-D0Or Lessons.

J
Herr Froebel bulGed better than lie knew. While
there are now almost as many theories Of kinder
5arten teachings there teachers. the basis
for them all is the foundation laid by Froebel aud
outlined in his Education of Man: TO take he
oversight of children before they ready
lie; exercise their senses TO employ the
awakening mind; strengthen their bodily
powers"
About ten years ago kindergarten teaching went
through a period Of perversion. in which the out
door life rather neglected. 1t at this time
that the other side of the work-the directing of
childish hands into channels of youthful effort-re
celved its greatest impetus The danger of convert
ing the Kindergarten into regular schooroo.l was
seen in time to be avoided, and now all systems
[ook to the out-of-doors fOr the most effective
work
This seems to be the revival Of the FroeSel in
Huence- When ii is remembered that the great
Gerlnan educator received no book education wien
boy but was apprenticed at the age of ten 10 a
forester. it is not hard see why he should have
leaned toward nature in his work with the chill
dren. The effect of his teaching is now seen in
the walks and talks in the parks and the pointing
out OF the beauties of nature which every good
Kindergarten teacher realizes is as much her dntv
as Keeping her charges from under the deadly
trolley car
The kindergarten is a child garden more truly
IMAM ever before. even when Froebel conceived the
happy idea for the name 1t is a place where the
t"ieS are Strengthened and tied to sticks, that
the breezes Of childish fancy will bend them
ana incline the tree in the wrong direction And
me kindergartner with the proper system (Which
really is system at all, or more properlv a
Inherent system for each child will see to il that
the knots which do the Strengthening are not tight
enough TO warp the growth-that they leave plenty
of room for individual development.
The public school authorities of nearly all the
states recognize the value of the Kindergarten and
have devoted much attention to it, In this city
the number of public kindargartens has increased
rapidly in the last few years. 1t is expected that
10 will SI=..,.
schools IN Manhattan and The Bronx alone.
PRIVATE KINDERGARTENs.
While it is not the purpose here to so into any
long discussion of the relative advantages of the
public and private kindergartens it must in truth
be pointed out that the private Kindergarten. like
the private school takes cognizance of the
individual pupil and his special needs. Then, too
the public school is hampered by the unWhOesoIne
injection of system and Supervision" While
this is bad enOuSn-necessary though it may be
in the schools of higher grades, it might dis
astrous in the kindersartens The teachers in the
public schools are accountable to a supervisor a !
district superintendent, associate superntend-
ent a city superintendent. a board OF education
and last-and mos important of ALTO a Board Of
Estimate and App0rtonment.
While nothing but praise could be said Of the
"hole-heartedness of the effort the public school
kindergarten teacher that portentous list of suDe
intcndents and boards has a heavy and forrndab he /
sound when considered in relation the early |
training Of the young and tender mind.
The private kindergarten teacher in all well man
aged schools has every advantage Of the public
school teacher as to appliances, games. etc with /
tie added of being able exercise her in0ivfa
u2lty TO the utmost. And in bringing out the
good traits in chid's nature suppressine the bad
and IN leading him along the right lines -lerlIly
TINS must be a great aid. indeed. In kinderg.tren
work teacher VIII fail of the best results if she
is not thoroughly adapted temperamentaly TO tine |
work No amount of system and supervision can
supply teInperanental defect.
The kindergarten is an annex TO the homo II i |
not simply a day nursery where mother can /
place Ter child and obtain a few hours rest each |
day II is a nursery in charge Of a tutor \ Mace
where the old injunction work while YOU work |
and play while you play" is changed to work
while you play and play while you work, where
the work is made so attractive that its pursuit is
pleasnrable TO the easily wearied little mind and
the play. or some of it, is Of a workish nature The
castor oil Of useful effort is nicely hidden in the
fnarnaiade of enjoyment the sweets OF fun are
doIed ont in unharmful quantities !
TEACHER AND MOTHER.
The Kindergarten teacher must take the mothers |
place. and while she must be flied with child love
and OVERLOOKING with sympathy, her RUE must be
absolute II is easier for teacher rule than for
the mother, though the love for the child may
he as keen in one as in the other That is whv the
mother is often surprised TO find that in the first |
six months Of kindergarten experience her Youth
ful little imp of mischief who in the four years Of
his life had her patience to a thread has
TO he he hest hor in ,