Newark post., 1911-08-30
Does Newark Appre-
ciate Her kindergarten

Nhiuel Sdltell INSTRUCTION Tor child
rem between the ages of three and S
six?"
The word kindergarten means n
"child-garden' and originated
with the first school of this kind,
which was established in I84o by
Frederick Froebel, the great Ger
man educator and lover of child
zen. Froebels idea was to place
the child amidst such surround
ings as would assist in the right
>xpression OF every activity.
The underlying principles of the
kindergarten are to use every i'm
pulse, desire, hope, interest or pur-
pose ofthe child in advancing his
skill along all lines OF sel:-activity,
through play to SO train the child
| that he will become familiar with
the ordinary occupations of life
10 teach children to love one an
other and to be kind. These ends
are secured by use of carefully Sc
lected objects, called gifts, and by |
songs and games. The gifts are
eleven in number and were select
ed By Froebel with view to CIV
ing expression to all of the child's
different activities.
The first gift for the little kin
dergartner is six colored balls
the second is wooden ball, cy-
Under, and cube this is occasion
ally replaced by half inch beads
stained in six colors; the third
consists of eight wooden one-inch
cubes the fourth consists of eight
wooden brick-shaped blocks; the
fifth is twenty-seven one inch
cubes; the sixth is twenty-seven
brick shaped blocks; the seventh
consists Of wooden tablets, one
inch in diameter. These consist
of circles, hall circles, squares, half
squares, etc.
The eighth gift consists of sticks
or splints from one to five inches
long; the ninth is wire-rings,
half rings, quarter rings of var
ious lengths, the length is of nat
ural objects containing points
such as pebbles, Intel seeds and
the like; the eleventh consists Of
construction materials, such as
pellets of wax, cork cubes.
In addition to these gifts mater
ial is supplied for occupations.
The solid material consists of clay
suitable for molding sand, card
board and wax. The surface ma
terial includes papers for folding
into squares, oblongs, triangles,
and other forms, colored crayons
and water colors.
The linear material includes
Stats for basketry work; material
ior weaving and material for
stringing and perforating.
The kindergarten is not schoo
for instruction, but one where al
barriers between teacher and pu
pill are removed and where th'
greatest freedom prevails, though
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE
CHILDREN ARE SO DIRECT
ED BY THE TEACHER AS TC
SECURE THE DESIRED END
Kindergartens are now common
throughout all civilized countrie
Of the world.
The work was first introduce
Systematically in the United State
in 1870, and schools arenow form
ed in all large cities and man
small ones, SO that there are owe
800 900 children receiving kinder
garten instruction.
The fathers and mothers {
Newark should feel glad that OF
progressive school board has prc
vided for the kindergarten trair
ing of their children as part (
the public school work. All e,
perienced teachers agree tn;
children who have received tn
training are brighter and more +
ceptive than those who have M
had the advantage of such trai
ing.
A mother who was recently b
ing urged to send her little be
to kindergarten complained of II
trouble of dressing him to 6
some place to play-saying
could do that at home. After /;
explanation of the true idea
kindergarten she decided to ia
the trouble, at the opening
school next week. hope Il
meager explanation may indu
other thoughtful parents of Ne
ark to avail themselves of II
means for present happiness a
future success of what should