The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-08-05

s Tho Influence 81 the kindergarten on
the primary school Of to day IS notice
able, and Is growing more 80. The child
who has passed through two SS years of
Kindergarten training demands more con-
sideration Of the primary teacher than
one who comes without similar training.
TX It has been 1 the effort OF 4 the kinder
garten to make things attractive S The
Kindergarten teacher, who has been.
trained in the art Of telling stories les etfeo-
lively has brought the child by means
Of .the charming tale to appreciate
/ some Of tho beauty around him. IIe has
seen something Of the mystery Of life in
| the unfolding of the moth from Its cocoon.
! He has been with the class to the car!
Ipenters shop. On his return he tells all
about 1t to his teacher and class ma tes.,
Together they sing about the carpenter
and his work, making efforts to Initiate
the movements Of the carpenter. Xii
In this way he plays the story. II
similar fashion he considers the baker,
the park the statue, the poultry yard.
telling method is to %, tell the story
back again. (2), cut out paper figures
representing the principal actors and
scenes OF the story; (3). dramatize tho
story. or play the game ~
AS far as possible the chid's surround
|ings nre made part Of his experience. II o
|'has been trained to repeat his expert
ences-to visualize things he has seen and
things that have been told him.
%."Tho story goes with tho child from
1.-THE kindergarten. lie expects 1t from
his primary, teacher. Is It not well to
carry on the work begun In tho kinder
garten and enlarge upon 1t along the
| Same lines? t{ 3tt
1 b TOO much cannot. be, claimed for the
educational value OF the story, method.
There is nothing that equals It for hold
ling attention OF children and training
1 for concentration Of thought. Reading
4 the story is aspoor substitute. Children
listen twice as eagerly to o story that Is
i told. al. n % s ,sy 81
5# In the second place storytelling Is the
| best and quickest way OF making friends
with pupils Who would misbehave for a
! teacher. who tells charming stories The
4 success OF tho Kindergarten Is in large
measure due to educational value given
4 to storytelling. al y] y
4 III The art OF storytelling Is not new. It
was, i think, In theswarpwith Sicily that
i Athens suffered defeat and lost q large
army of oaptlyes. Liberty was offered
4 any one who could recite from tho plays
\ OF Eurlpides, 4 Hundreds Of the common
I soldiers actually repeated word for word
n whole play which would be about fifty
pages Of one OF our ordinary textbooks
i f. used to regard this as a very remark
able feat &
4 krris true everybody In Greece went t
\ the thenter. Then, too. there was the
] travelling professional story-teller. Still
! ] wondered at It.. But now when i recall
the eager faces OF q group OF children
i gathered around smiling kindergarten
x teacher who has just started on nm Inn
z aginary journey With "oncc upon a time
4, tho mystery Of the captive soldier recitint
!, Greek play disappears There mus
have been charming story tellers IN thos'
4 Greek schools. l5 ssi 3ii,l1 II
!. D, II. 5RUCKER +
The following letters, bearing on tn
subject treated by Mr.. Rucker, arc wortl
reading: @ & MA
I have taken great deal of interes
!, in the kindergarten system, especlalll
, so since have had children OF my own
: 1t seems to me that It meets the condl
lions for the education Of children mor'
satisfactorily than any other method, a.
far as its practical application Is con
cerned. ! find that my own son. Wht
! has been in your school for two sessions
> has imbibed In most satisfactory man
ner the principles necessary for all true
education. He observes accurately, AM
: is able to make correct deductions from
: what he observes. What has been taugh
= him has been done by natural methods
0 and without creating In him any dtstastt
r for his school, II seems to me thpt THU
y is n most Important thing, ms he Seems
Q 10 have the desire to learn and invest
: gate for himself.
! believe that this is the object OF III
r education. \, A#EH
: Yours very truly. @
4 CHARLES n. ROBINS. !
y Richmond, Va, June IA, 1906,
Q Miss Alice N. Parker, No. $40 East Frank