The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1919-10-09

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good food, plenty Of air at night.
8 Knowledge ss VI NJ
Children in fortunate neighborhood
liant gardens and raise their own crops
of quickly growing vegetables and
flowers; less fortunate ones plant in
window boxes and take trips to the
park to play on the grass, to see the
flowers. The fireman, baker, black
smith, carpenter, grocer, toyman, liv-
ing near a kindergarten, are quite ac-
customed to annual visits from the
children. On windy days groups Of
children may be seen flying kites or
unning with pinwheels; on sunny days
the same group may be seen chasing
each others shadows. Rabbits and
doves have the freedom Of the kinder
garten room. Butter from the child
ren's own churning and cookies from
their own baking are served at
Thanksgiving time. Dolls will be
seen dressed in clothes that are crude,
but these, are made by the children
and kept clean by their washing. In
all of these experiences there are facts
which it is valuable for a child to learn
either for their effect on character
building or for information.
The materials which are provided
through which he can express his idea
of experiences give knowledge Of size,
number, form, laws of balance. The
language which the kindergarten uses
in conversing about the experience,
helps the child in making the facts
clear to himself and to fix them in his
memory. In giving opportunities for
experiences of different kinds, the kin
dergartner strives to awaken a child's
interest to the best aspects of his en-
vironments, and to help him gain
enough knowledge about them to want
to learn more. In other words, she
tries to develop in the child an atti-
tude of alertness to his environment.
of selecting for consideration the best
there is in it, and of learning some
think worth while about it.
Ethics
The Kindergarten endeavors to de-
;velop ethical standards, both directly
and indirectly, directly through the
association with other children end
indi1 ectly through the types Of work
men considered and the ideals en-
pkasized in the stories told. Z.
he particular interest which is rip
ening between four and six years is
the social interest. Children when
they come into The kindergarten. have
seldom been in q group Of equals Of
the same stage Of development, al
though they know how to associate
with those older and younger When
they enter the kindergarten they are
very individualistic; they want a toy
for themselves merely for the sake
of possession. Gradually they be-
come willing to share the toy
with some other child and be-
fore they are six they gladly
control themselves, for short time,
in order to be fair in waiting their turn.
Many of the exercises of the kinder
garten give opportunities for a child
to develop in his own peculiar individ-
ual way but at other times the little
citizens learn to take their places in
democratic community where each one
has his fair chance. This Of necessity
means subordination Of individual de-
sires for the sake Of justice or COM
Dlned aim. 4Gg d IA 49, 45sFss M
Although this finding of ones place
in a little community is developed in
many of the exercises Of the kin
dergarten, it is seen most plainly in
the games. In the early games,a the
children all take part, performing the
same action; later the children are
found willing and able to take many
different parts. The later games are
OF more organized type, where the
different parts work together to pro-
duce diversified yet complete whole.
Such games show the gradual organi-
cation of the social instinct which
take place at the the kindergarten age.
Froebel felt this need for social de-
velopment much more than Madam
Montessori does. This is the reason
that there is so much more group work
in kindergartens than in the Schools
of Childhood. Most of the experiences
through which a child lives should be
given social channels for expression in
order that his nature may receive the
kind of education which is demanded
to complete this stage Of development.
1t is here that justice, sympathy, help
fitness, obedience to law, and all the
Ct, aaa ; virtues are most surely cult
Za5.s Art .3.
Not only does the kindergartner
strive to raise the child's standard Of
truth and goodness, but also Of beau
ty. She surrounds him with artistic
furnishings and pictures. She tells
stories that he enjoys, and that are al
so world literature. She recites short
poems and rhymes and he learns many
Of these. She plays excellent music
and sings poetic songs. AS the best
modern composers are becoming in
terested in the beginnings Of musical
taste, there will soon be many songs
simple enough for, the, childrento learn
and yet set to really good music.
Il. Religion @ ss
A spiritual influence pervades every
true kindergarten. There is an intan-
gible something which makes life bet
ter and brighter. Moments Of great