The Washington times., 1915-12-22
Guiding the
Activities OF.
NorndlChild
kindergarten Can Supply
Training in Color, Form,
Touch, and Other Sense
Experiences.

.s o..
-NvERY mother Of 4 lively
younRster Just out Of baby
IL hood. hanging about her
skirts most Of the busy day,
faces the question before she is
aware Of it: ''kIow soon viii this
child need more than ! am able to
givef How can his little head think
OF all the things he asks moi Where
did he ever get such an idea? why
doesn't he play by himself? How IN
the world shall keen him busy
and contented all through today and
tomorrow and then the next dayY'
Wbere there are two or three little
heads IN the family tho case is not
always 30 urgent; on the other hand,
II sometimes means three questions
TO answer instead of one, not to
mention the pretty constant settling
81 difficulties between the older,
who know, and have. and the young
or, who know not and have not!
Too often 1t Is not the mother at ali
who faces this rapid fire, but the
less competent nurse or the wholly
incompetent nurSemaid. n not the
housemaid. cook. laundress. or who
ever can be drafted for a few hours
OF emerGency relief.
u,
The 0uite natural first impulse is to
exclaimi my boy is too young yet
Tor that-he. won't be even three until
next month. I don't want him
forced. True. 1t Is only three hours
q day. but I can tell him all he
needs to know right here" The
mother canpot realize that the little
FELLOW Is no longer a baby, and so
the inevitable 'turning-off'' process
goes on as best~it can. with the in
eldental helm Of the domestic staff
or the neiKhbors' children SO far as
opportunity will permit.
But what is the kindergarten, after
All? What does It really do?
No greater mistake could be made
BY the thoughtful parent than to
imagine the kindergarten, for chill
d:en from three to five or six. a
tcrcinS Institution. Just the con-
trary. Its real effect is nearly al
ccnte1tnent and happiness. gem
eral "easing-up' of rhe high-strIng
little organism, because of the order
and rhythm of the new surroundings
for those morning hours, the
thoughtful and never impatient at
tention to his growing needs and
the more varied and interesting. out
let for his superabundant energies.
The simplicity and naturalness of
the FroeDel system, when applied
as its devoted founder intsRded. and
dndividual "lsms." adapt IT parfect- ,iG
ly to the state of mental develOr-
Hlent and Physical activities OF
children no more than three years of
age. in many cases even younger; 1t
meets them upon their own level.
grows and expands with them from,
week to week and month to month.
The true kinderEarten goes hand in
hand with the Child. never draCS or
pushes. Based rs it is upon n faith
ful ana scientific study of the 1at-
ural relations nj mother and child,
II Is found that children % three
and even less interest themselves in
It's simple occupations as readily as
and usually much more happily than
they do in the nunherlass things
that attract their constant and more
or less urshtisfied attention at home
The kindergarten Is not n School
It is in truth a "child's garden"
wherein their own normal and
healthy activities are given wider
play and interest. Their energies are
nefely guided. in the simplest ways
and without pressure. so as to form
the beginnings of right ideas OF
FORM order color. sound. and nature
life. as we'll as the riRht habits in
their relations with each other, all of
which can hardly begin too soon.
and II begun wrong must be unlearn-
ed at cost, later on.
The normal child. from the time II
Ia able to walk and speak, is n little
engine Of inceSsant activity, whether
At home or on the street or In the
kindergarten. He Ia in constant
search of information about every
thing he touches. and of new means
of activity. ~ will ind them.
whether we wish It or not, in what
ever is. nearest at hand. To keep
him at horne does not lessen or sup
press this inquisitive energy. 1t may
oven increase his iFritahilitv and
nervousness by reason of the in
ability of busy parents to give the
little mind the serious and patient
attention ii demands.
The kindergarten simply meets this
condition. 1t does not go beyond 1t,
does not force upon the child's atter-
tton anything in advance, of it's own
need6 and powers as thcv normally
develop. There is no keeping up
with the class" the youngest and
slowest fnd at all points and all
times occupation and interests suit
ed to their individual needs and state
OF development.
In other words, II is in no sense
schooling" II !s merely the natural
Guidance OF energies and demands
implanted In tho child nature. and
which will inevitably find outlet and
expression. II not in one way. then
in another. .---Roston Transcript.