The Washington times., 1914-05-29

dntdgonistic. She thinks one shoul.
supplement the other, believing tn
Montesson methods best for per
young children.
Though much has been p7ittel
about the Montessori system re
Gently, this comparison of the oil
and the mem kindergarten systems
mill ausper many questions regard
ing the points of divergence be
tween the tpo methods.
By R HILDEBRAND.
Kindergarten instruction, as pro-
vided in the Washington public
schools, includes all the benefits
claimed for the Montessori system.
and comprises additional merits not
included in the Montessori kinder
gartens.-
This is the verdict Of Miss Gather
ine Watkins, director of public kin
dergartens in the Washington public
schools. who also has studied the
MontessoI methods used in Chicago
and Washington Montesson classes.
Miss Watkins gave a clear and in
teresting description of the points Of
contact and the points Of difference
between the Montesson and the kin
dergarten schools.
The claims for the Montessori
methods far exceed their actual val
ue to education" Miss Watkins said.
"And 1 make that statement with
full realization that Madam Montes-
sori has contributed much that will
be Of lasting value If It awakens
Italy, and America as well, to the
needs of the young child"
Light, easily moved furniture Is
required by both the kindergarten
and Montessori methods, according
to Miss Watkins. Both require a
suitable environment, with plenty Of
light and fresh air. Both believe In
working with concrete material.
Of material. in the performance of
practical duties, such as cleaning tho
floor, in feeding animals. in taking
off and in putting on their own
wraps. =
Both Give Children Tasks.
Both systems observe the luncheon
period in about the same manner.
encouraging the children TO help In
its serving. and In cleaning and put
ting away the dishes.
"A rest period in the hndergar-
ten" Miss Watkins said, ''corre-
spends to the Montessort silent per-
iod.' The kindergarten relaxation
employs quiet music while the Mon
tessori silent period Is more strictly
psychic in character.
'iIn nature study there is close
agreement between the two systems.
Roth systems feel the child can be
given ethical and mental instruction
by a contact with natural phenom-
cna- Some of the apparatus Of the
i9dsrsaeaP .tso: teo; ssesGisIl1 s'mja, the ne
those used in Montesson schools.
'"rhe use of the steps. though. In
dicates one point of difference be-
tween the two systems. In a kinder
garten tho child climbs the steps
unconsciously. for the purpose. Of
coming down the slide. In the Mon
tessori school they are encouraged
10 climb steps for the sake primarily.
II is stated, of cultivating grace of
carriage and correlation of muscles.
But whatever may be true Of the
Italian child. We have not found it
necessary to expend much thought
on American children In that part1s-
ular. They perform the act Of climb
ing steps with poise and ease"
But in the points of divergence
lies the superiority claimed by Miss
Watkins for the Montessori system.
''The Montessori system emphasizes
the Individual" she explained. THE
kindergarten. while providing abun-
dsnt opportunity for individual de-
velopment and variation. emphasizes
the group Thus the individual life
is extended and enriched and a foun-
dation is laid for those virtues which
arise only through social relation
ships and social cooperation.
Group Play Provided.
Children. at play, tend to repro
duce the life about them. This may
be made a potent element In de-
veloping their sense of social reIa-
tionships. II It is wisely directed. 80